Chocolate and Baileys celebration cake recipe

Prep time: 40 minutes, plus 3 hours 50 minutes cooling and chilling | Cooking time: 15 minutes

MAKES

A 23cm cake

INGREDIENTS

For the base

• 100g milk chocolate, broken into pieces

• 1 tbsp butter

• 50g crisped rice

For the dark chocolate layer

• 250ml double cream

• 50ml full-fat milk

• 3 eggs, separated

• 200g dark chocolate (70%), melted

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

For the Baileys mousse layer

• 100ml milk

• 2 egg yolks

• 100g caster sugar

• 1½ gelatine leaves

• 60-80ml Baileys Irish Cream

• 300ml cream

• A little extra chocolate for garnishing (optional)

METHOD

1. Line a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking paper.

2. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water).

3. Stir in the crisped rice, breaking them up a little as you mix. Pour into the lined tin and press down firmly to create a base for the cake. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, while you make the dark chocolate layer.

4. Heat 50ml of the double cream with the milk in a small saucepan. Pour this over the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk well, then return the mixture to the saucepan and heat until thickened.

5. Remove from the heat and add the melted chocolate. Mix well to combine.

6. Whisk the egg whites with the sugar, using an electric mixer, to a fluffy meringue. Gently fold this into the chocolate mixture.

7. Lightly whip the remining cream (until it is a little thick but not fully whipped) and fold this gently into the chocolate mixture too. Pour this over the chilled crispy base, spread level, and return the tin to the fridge for 30 minutes.

8. To make the Baileys mousse, heat the milk in a small saucepan until it just comes to boiling point. In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar.

9. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes to soften.

10. Once the milk has boiled, pour it over the egg and sugar mixture, whisking well. Return the mixture to the pan and heat slowing until the mixture thickens – like making custard.

11. Remove from the heat, add the gelatin leaf (squeezing it first to remove excess water) and mix well to dissolve. Stir in the Baileys then pour the mixture through the sieve into a bowl. Let it cool at room temperature for about an hour.

12. Lightly whip the cream until just thick (but not so much that it holds its shape). Gently fold the cream into the Baileys mixture and pour over the set chocolate layer. Place the tin in the fridge for at least two hours or ideally overnight.

13. Serve cold from the fridge. Unclasp the cake from the tin and remove the paper. Decorate with some grated or shaved chocolate, if you like.