I See Fire

This is another dessert influenced by the work done at The Savoy. Inspired by their pastry chef's Fantasia, here is an Amaretto Chocolate Mousse on Coffee Granita inside a Chocolate Tuile Basket. 

The flavours are all inspired by my time spent with Katrina before she left for the Riverdance European tour. From London to Staffordshire to Anglesey to Dublin ... We had an amazing time drinking Amaretto coffees over Christmas and taking turns to make the pancakes in the morning. Katrina is one of those people who makes a normal life a phenomenal life. 

For the mousse:
150g of the best quality Plain Chocolate you can find (Tesco do 80%!)
1 tbsp Amaretto Syrup (coffee flavouring)
2 Egg Yolks
175ml Double Cream

Melt the chocolate over a bain-marrie. Whip the eggs yolks in a bowl then gradually add the Amaretto syrup until your eggs have doubled in size. In a separate bowl, whip the cream to ribbon stage, and fold in the egg mixture. Stir one third of the melted chocolate into the mixture, then fold in the rest. Chill. To serve, simply get an ice cream scoop dipped in boiling hot water for the glaze. 

The coffee granita is basically a coffee slush puppy! Make a strong black coffee and poor it into a shallow tray and into the freezer. Every 20-30 minutes stir it up a little with a fork, and repeat this until you get the ice crystals you desire. 

The sugar work here is also a complete failure. Cold water accidentally splashed into the caramel and crystallised the sugar. I will post a way to make the perfect sugar garnishes shortly, including some very impressive sugar pulling recipes. 

For the chocolate tuile (a bit more of a complicated recipe, but just as easy to make):
25g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
120g Icing Sugar
100g Plain Flour
4 Egg Whites
150g Melted Unsalted Butter

Combine all the ingredients and chill in the fridge. Spread a thin layer on a baking tray and pop it in a preheated oven (around 200°C) and bake for around 8 minutes. The thinner, the better, and it will taste amazing. A great way to impress your guests. 

My favourite aspect of this dessert is the fact that is has fire and ice - inspired solely by Ed Sheeran's theme song for The Hobbit.