Although I can recommend eating these with a fork, I have seen proof that they can be eaten by hand in two bites. He then went back for seconds, so they’re approved of! Start with the speculaas, prefably the day before, as the longer the dough stands, the better the flavour will be.
Ingredients:
For the speculaas cookies:
- 80gr moist brown sugar
- 70gr butter
- 10ml water
- pinch of salt
- 130gr flour
- 1 tbs speculaas spices
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
For the mocha mousse:
- 150gr heavy cream
- 75ml espresso, cold
- 2 egg yolks
- 20gr sugar
- pinch of salt
- 60gr milk chocolate chips
- 2.5 sheets of gelatin (4gr)
- 20ml water
For the mascarpone mousse:
- 90gr egg yolk
- 30gr milk
- 60gr water
- 175gr sugar
- 3.5 sheets of gelatine
- 270gr mascarpone
- 200gr heavy cream
For the finishing touch:
- Cacao powder
Makes 8 individual cakes
Recipe:
Make the speculaas:
Combine the sugar, butter, water and salt. Add the flour, spices and baking powder. Knead to form a homogeneous dough.
Place the dough in a bowl covered with cling film and leave to rest for a minimum of 3 hours but preferably overnight.
Roll the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/2 centimeter. Cut circles which are a centimeter larger than the widest part of the domes. This allows you to place them together without the mousse touching.
Brush with beaten egg.
Bake for 20 minutes at 160°C.
Make the mocha mousse:
Combine the cream, espresso, egg yolks, sugar and salt in a thick based sauce pan. Heat the mixture while stirring constantly. The mixture has to thicken. If you drag your finger through the back of the spoon used to stir, it should give a clean valley. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in the water for 5 minutes.
Take the custard off the flame. Stir in the chocolate, then stir in the gelatine plus water.
Divide the mocha mousse over 8 silicone moulds.
Make the mascarpone mousse:
Combine the milk, water and sugar in thick based sauce pan. Heat to 120°C.
Place the yolks in a bowl. Beat the egg yolks and, while whipping, add the sugary milk into the yolks. Beat for 5 minutes on a high speed until the yolks have become an airy, creamy mixture.
Soak the gelatin for 5 minutes in cold water. Squeeze and beat into the still warm egg yolks. If the eggs have cooled too much to dissolve the gelatin, stir the gelatin with two tablespoons of hot water and then beat it into the eggs.
Whip together the cream and mascarpone until mostly stiff. You don’t want to overbeat it. Fold in the egg yolk mixture.
Divide the mascarpone mousse over the mocha mousse in the moulds.
Freeze the domes solid, 3 hours should do.
Finishing touches:
Pop the mousse from the moulds. Place on a plate or wire rack and dust royally with cacao powder.
Place the domes on the speculaas cookies.