Double Chocolate and Mixed Berry Jam Cake
Posted on April 08, 2021
Delicious double chocolate cake with a crunchy bottom layer, a hidden layer of mixed berry jam, a milk chocolate mousse main layer topped with dark chocolate ganache! This dessert was very spontaneous but came out just perfect and right! All the textures and flavors are there! Creamy and silky milk chocolate mousse, bitter dark chocolate ganache, sour mixed berry jam, and a crunchy bottom made of dates and nuts!
I really have not many to tell about this recipe... I made it very spontaneous last night with creativity and some ideas for desserts that I have made in the past. Actually, I started making energy balls with my kids but after we had pulsed the dates along with the almonds and the walnuts I decided to use the energy balls mixture as a base for a chocolate cake. At that point, I started improvising (and therefore the bottom layer is not exactly the same as my energy balls with dates, cocoa, and orange recipe). Another result of this unplanned dessert, is that I didn't take any photos while making it, so this blog post is quite different from my regular ones, However, you do not have to worry, since all the steps of the recipe are given below in detail in the recipe instructions.
I really love the vegan and healthy desserts, that instead of old-fashioned cake or biscuits base tend to use delicious, super easy and healthy bottoms made mainly by dates, nuts, and vegan butter. And that was my inspiration for using my energy balls mixture as a base for this cake. The main layer is a silky milk chocolate mousse layer that I have used in the past for the Adriano Zumbo's Circus cake. And since I am a dark chocolate lover, why not have a top layer from thick and creamy dark chocolate ganache? These three layers were my first inspiration, but something was missing...the acidity of course! And there it is, I added a tablespoon of my favorite mixed berry jam just above the crunchy bottom layer, and there it is!
I had to wait overnight in order for the milk chocolate mousse to firm and set since it contains gelatine, but the next morning my chocolate-berry dessert was almost ready! After adding the dark chocolate ganache and waiting one hour more until the latter also sets my delicious cake was ready!! Yeah!!
Once I removed the cakes from the forms (I had to heat them first with the hairdryer in order to slide them out easier) my cakes were so cute! I wanted to decorate them before serving, but I had almost nothing at home.. but then I remembered that I had some frozen cranberries. I thawed them, wiped them gently and then I started decorating my cakes with cranberries and tiny, crunchy, dark, and milk chocolate balls! So delicious! The decoration added more texture and acidity to the overall experience! I highly recommend it!!
Double Chocolate and Mixed Berry Jam Cake
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20'
Preparation Time
overnight chilling plus 1 hour
Waiting Time
Cooking Time
4 - 8
Servings
Ingredients
Crunchy Bottom Layer
1 cup ( 10 ) dates, pitted
1/2 cup ( 70 gr ) white almonds
1/2 cup hazelnuts
2 tbsp cocoa poweder
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp ( 80 gr ) mixed berry jam (or your favourite jam)
Milk Chocolate Mousse
1 gr ( 1 ) gelatine leaf
10 gr cold water
250 gr heavy cream, 35%
100 gr milk chocolate couverture, finely chopped
Chocolate Ganache
60 gr heavy cream, 35%
80 gr dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp honey
cranberries (fresh or frozen and thawed) and crispy chocolate balls for decoration
Instructions
Crunchy Bottom Layer
Add the dates into a bowl and cover them with boiled water. Let them soak for 10'-15' and then drain them.
In the food processor add the soaked dates, the almonds, and the hazelnuts in the food processor. Process on high until they form a wet sandy texture and the nuts have blended into tiny pieces.
Add the remaining ingredients: the cocoa powder, the almond butter, and the coconut oil and process on high until you get a uniform dough. If the dough is very sticky you can add some more cocoa or coconut flour if you have (it should be sticky, but not too much)
Divide equally on four 7.5 cm (3") round molds or transfer the whole mixture onto a circular 15cm (6") round cake mold. Press it with a bottom of a glass or the back of a spoon until it covers the whole bottom and it is compact and flat.
Add a layer of the mixed-berry jam (about 1 tablespoon per cake), but try to leave a small empty ring around the edges of the mold. If making one large cake instead of 4 smalls, you may need to add more or less jam.
If desired, transfer in the refrigerator to firm and chill while making the milk chocolate mousse.
Milk Chocolate Mousse
In a small bowl add the gelatine leaf with the cold water and let it soak, until soft. Flip it if needed.
In a small saucepan combine the cream with the milk couverture and place over medium-low heat and stir with a rubber spatula until shiny and chocolate fully melts. Remove from heat.
Add the soaked gelatine along with any liquid and stir well until fully dissolves.
Cover the surface with a plastic wrap (this way you will prevent any crust that forms on the top of the surface), wait until cools down and transfer into the refrigerator for 2 hours until firms a little bit.
Once the chocolate mousse has become firmer, remove it from the refrigerator and transfer it to the cake molds (either divide into 4 small molds, or the whole onto the big one).
Transfer into the refrigerator overnight until fully set.
Chocolate Ganache
Place the heavy cream and the honey in a small saucepan and place them over medium-low heat. Warm the cream, but not let it boil. Remove from the heat once the first bubbles appear on the edges of the saucepan.
Remove the cream from heat and pour immediately over the finely chopped dark chocolate. Let the chocolate warm for 1'-2' and stir with a spoon until fully melts, smooth and shiny.
Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the cakes.
Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Remove from the refrigerator. In order to remove the molds heat them with a hairdryer and gently pull them off.
If desired decorate with cranberries and crispy chocolate balls! Enjoy!
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The recipe yields for four round 7.5cm (3") cake forms or for one 15cm (6") round cake form. If you are making four small cakes, make sure to divide evenly every layer into each cake form.
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