A decadent centrepiece to your Christmas table – this Chocolate Truffle Cake with Raspberry Glaze is a delicious dessert that the whole family will love.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time on stove: 10 minutes
Resting time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Advanced
Serves: 8
For the base
250g graham crackers or digestive biscuits
7 tablespoons/100g butter, melted
For the ganache
300g bittersweet (dark) chocolate
(minimum 70% cocoa solids)
1½ cups/370ml heavy (whipping) cream
For the raspberry mirror glaze
20g platinum gelatin sheets
3¼ cups/400g raspberries
3 tablespoons/60g glucose syrup (liquid glucose)
1¾ cups/350g superfine (caster) sugar
scant 1 cup/200ml heavy (whipping) cream
3 tablespoons/50ml lemon juice
To decorate
¾ cup/100g raspberries
pinch of freeze-dried raspberries
Method
Line the cake pan (tin) with parchment paper.
To make the base, place the graham crackers or digestive biscuits in a strong, clean plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, crush the crackers or biscuits into fine crumbs. Place the crumbs in a bowl, pour on the melted butter, and mix until fully combined. Spoon the crumb mixture into the lined cake pan and press down with the back of the spoon or base of a glass to achieve an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until firm.
Prepare the chocolate ganache. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until cool and starting to thicken. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until cool and starting to thicken.
Using an electric whisk, whip the ganache until it is lighter and thicker. Pour into the cake pan over the base, then place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or until set.
To make the raspberry mirror glaze, soak the gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. Puree the raspberries using an immersion (stick) blender, then push through a fine-mesh strainer (sieve) using the back of a spoon to remove the seeds. Place the puree in a saucepan, add the glucose syrup (liquid glucose), sugar, and cream. Warm over low heat until it just starts to boil, then remove from the heat. Squeeze the water from the gelatin and add to the pan with the lemon juice, then stir until the gelatin has dissolved.
Pass the glaze through a fine-mesh strainer then leave to cool to 32°C. Remove the cake from the pan, place it on an upturned plate or bowl that is slightly smaller than the cake and then onto a cooling rack. Completely cover the cake with the glaze and leave to set. Transfer to a serving plate and refrigerate until ready to serve. Decorate with both fresh and freeze-dried raspberries just before serving.
Recipe extracted from The Italian Bakery by The Silver Spoon Kitchen RRP $70, Phaidon
Photography —Haarala Hamilton
