Chocolate pave with Moonshine organic ice cream and Moonshine organic milkshake

© A recipe created by Derry Clarke, L'Ecrivain, for the 2010 Irish Food Writers' Guild Food Awards

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

300g (11oz) plain chocolate, broken into squares
500ml (18fl oz) cream
2 eggs plus 5 egg yolks
250g (9oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) slab chocolate cake (shop-bought or homemade)
2 tbsp Cointreau (orange-flavoured liqueur)

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

2 gelatine leaves
175g (6oz) caster sugar
50g (2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
120ml (4fl oz) cream
40g (1 ½ oz) plain chocolate, broken into squares

chocolate sauce, Moonshine organic ice cream and Moonshine organic milkshake, to serve (see separate recipes)

quenelle crème chantilly, orange reduction, blood orange jelly, blood orange segments, hazelnut praline and sugared brick pastry shards, to decorate (optional)


TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE PAVÉ:

Melt the chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave

Whisk the cream in a separate bowl until it just holds its shape.

Set aside until needed

Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water

Continue to whisk until the mixture is fluffy, light in colour and holds its shape when you pass the whisk through it in a figure eight

Heat the sugar and 80ml (3fl oz) of water until it reaches 110°C (if you are using a sugar thermometer) or to the soft ball stage (just before it browns).

Gently pour into the egg mixture and continue to whisk. Fold in the melted chocolate and then fold in the cream

Cut the chocolate sponge into slices and use them to line the bottom of a 17.5cm (7in) square baking tin, cutting down the slices as necessary to fit. Drizzle over the Cointreau.

Pour over the chocolate mixture and chill overnight until set.


TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

Soak the gelatine in a small bowl of ice-cold water for 2-3 minutes, then squeeze dry.

Heat the sugar and 150ml (¼ pint) of water in a small heavy-based pan, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved.

Whisk in the cocoa until well combined.

Pour the cream into the cocoa mixture and reduce by half, then remove from the heat and stir in the soaked gelatine leaves whisking until dissolved. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave, then whisk into the gelatine mixture. Pour over the set chocolate mousse and leave to set again for 2-3 hours in the fridge.


TO SERVE:

Cut the chocolate pavé into six equal rectangles and arrange on plates, then decorate each one with a quenelle of crème chantilly and some sugared brick pastry shards

Add a drizzle of the orange reduction and a little of the chocolate sauce along with some blood orange segments and a blood orange jelly

Sprinkle on a little of the hazelnut praline to the side of each plate and top with a scoop of the Moonshine ice cream

Serve with a Moonshine milkshake (below)


CHOCOLATE SAUCE:

Makes about 300ml (½ pint)

50g (2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
100g (4oz) icing sugar, sifted
100ml (3 ½ fl oz) cream
125g (4 ½ oz) plain chocolate, finely chopped

Place 100ml (3 ½ fl oz) of water in a small pan until it comes to the boil

Whisk in the cocoa powder with the icing sugar until well combined

Whisk in the cream and allow to heat through and slightly reduce

Then whisk in the chocolate until just melted

The sauce should have a nice glossy consistency

Remove from the heat and leave to cool

Pour into a jug, cover with clingfilm and chill until needed


MOONSHINE ORGANIC ICE CREAM

Click for recipe


MOONSHINE ORGANIC MILKSHAKE

Click for recipe