Name: Chocolate mud cakes with chocolate and mandarin ice-cream
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 330 gm caster sugar (1½ cups); 100 gm dark chocolate (64% cocoa solids), finely chopped; 60 ml orange liqueur; 2 egg yolks; 60 gm Dutch-process cocoa; 40 gm plain flour; 4 eggwhites; 2 mandarins, peeled and segmented; Chocolate mandarin ice-cream; 400 ml pouring cream; 200 ml milk; 2 mandarins, juice and peel only; 30 ml orange liqueur; 4 egg yolks; 55 gm caster sugar (¼ cup); 200 gm dark chocolate (64% cocoa solids), finely chopped

Ingredients

330 gm caster sugar (1½ cups)

100 gm dark chocolate (64% cocoa solids), finely chopped

60 ml orange liqueur

2 egg yolks

60 gm Dutch-process cocoa

40 gm plain flour

4 eggwhites

2 mandarins, peeled and segmented

Chocolate mandarin ice-cream

400 ml pouring cream

200 ml milk

2 mandarins, juice and peel only

30 ml orange liqueur

4 egg yolks

55 gm caster sugar (¼ cup)

200 gm dark chocolate (64% cocoa solids), finely chopped

Method

Main

1.For chocolate mandarin ice-cream, combine cream, milk, mandarin juice and peel and orange liqueur in a saucepan and bring just to the simmer over low heat, then turn off heat and stand for 10 minutes to infuse. Combine yolks and sugar in bowl, whisk until pale, then add to cream mixture, whisk to combine and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add chocolate, whisk until smooth, remove from heat and strain into a bowl placed over iced water and refrigerate until cold. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions, then freeze until required. Makes about 1 litre.

2.Preheat oven to 160C. Combine 165gm sugar, chocolate, liqueur and ¼ cup hot water in a heatproof bowl placed over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat, add egg yolks and mix to combine, then fold in flour and cocoa.

3.Whisk eggwhites using an electric mixer until soft peaks form, add 55gm sugar and whisk to combine, then fold through chocolate mixture. Place 6 buttered 6cm-high 7.5cm-diameter metal ring moulds (see note) on a baking paper-lined oven tray and divide mixture among them. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch, remove from oven and cool in rings.

4.Meanwhile combine remaining sugar, orange liqueur and ½ cup water in a saucepan and stir over low-medium heat until sugar dissolves, add mandarin segments and simmer for 20 minutes or until segments are translucent. Cool in syrup.

5.To serve, unmould cakes, and serve with mandarin segments and syrup and chocolate-mandarin ice-cream to the side.