This advanced level of dessert will challenge everything you are willing to improve your technique and will motivate you to eat delicious.
INGREDIENTS
8 eggs, separated, plus 4 eggwhites
310g pure icing sugar, sifted
50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
80g good-quality dark cocoa, sifted, plus extra to dust
40g cornflour, sifted
40g self-raising flour, sifted
100ml thickened cream
100ml coconut cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup (225g) cherry jam
Freeze-dried raspberries, to serve
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING
75g chopped unsalted butter, softened
65g pure icing sugar, sifted
50g dark (70%) chocolate, melted and cooled
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
80g caster sugar
100ml pure (thin) cream
100g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped
METHOD
1.Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease three 15cm round cake pans and line bases with baking paper. Dust sides with extra cocoa, shaking off excess.
2.Place egg yolks and 100g icing sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until thick and pale. Whisk in butter until completely combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and clean mixer bowl and whisk.
3.Place all eggwhites into clean mixer bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until soft peaks. With the mixer running, add 150g icing sugar, 1 tbs at a time, until dissolved and the mixture is stiff and glossy.
4.Add cocoa, cornflour and flour to the yolk mixture and combine, then fold in eggwhite mixture in 3 batches. Divide among cake pans (weigh the mixture for perfectly even sponges) and bake for 40 minutes or until centre springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert on wire rack to cool completely. Trim tops off cakes so they are level.
5.Place cream, coconut cream, remaining 1/2 cup (60g) icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whisk to stiff peaks. Refrigerate to firm up.