Name: Chocolate mousse with white chocolate and corn flake crumble
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 600 ml thickened cream; 100 ml milk; 400 gm dark chocolate (55%-60% cocoa solids), finely chopped; 160 gm egg yolk (about 9 yolks); 190 gm caster sugar; Quartered figs and halved strawberries, tossed in a little icing sugar, to serve; Corn flake and white chocolate crumble; 100 gm (2½ cups) corn flakes, coarsely crushed; 100 gm white chocolate, finely chopped

“I like a classic mousse, but there’s a bit of a technique involved to make a good one,” says Nick Stanton of Leonardo’s Pizza Palace. “Pâte à bombe is the foundation here – it’s an old-fashioned technique of adding hot sugar syrup to beaten egg yolks to cook them out – it comes in handy for things like parfaits, ice-creams and other flavoured mousses.” Start this recipe a day ahead to set the mousse.

Ingredients

600 ml thickened cream

100 ml milk

400 gm dark chocolate (55%-60% cocoa solids), finely chopped

160 gm egg yolk (about 9 yolks)

190 gm caster sugar

Quartered figs and halved strawberries, tossed in a little icing sugar, to serve

Corn flake and white chocolate crumble

100 gm (2½ cups) corn flakes, coarsely crushed

100 gm white chocolate, finely chopped

Method

1.Whisk cream and milk in an electric mixer until semi-whipped (before soft peaks). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until required. Clean and dry mixer.

2.Melt dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Keep warm.

3.Whisk egg yolk in an electric mixer on high until light and creamy (6-8 minutes). Meanwhile, bring sugar and 60ml water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, then simmer without stirring until syrup reaches 120°C on a sugar thermometer (6-8 minutes). Reduce mixer speed to medium and, with the motor running, carefully pour in sugar syrup. Increase speed to high and whisk until cooled slightly (5-6 minutes). Quickly whisk melted chocolate into egg mixture until just combined. Add two large spoonfuls of whipped cream, whisk to loosen, then fold in remaining cream. Transfer to a 2.5-litre serving bowl and refrigerate until set (3-4 hours).

4.Meanwhile, for corn flake and white chocolate crumble, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, then stir until smooth. Remove from heat, add corn flakes, and stir through with a wooden spoon, breaking up corn flakes to a crumble-like consistency. Spread onto a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate until set (20 minutes). Break into a coarse crumble.

5.Sprinkle corn flake crumble over the mousse, and serve topped with fruit.