Chocolate Marquise

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 9
• 10 5/8 ounces dark chocolate, valrhona 70% good chocolate
• 5 1/4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 8 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 6 eggs
• 1 7/8 cups double cream
• 10 5/8 ounces after eights after dinner mints

Recipe

• 1 break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
• 2 then assemble a bain-marie - do this by pouring a little water into a saucepan and placing the bowl over the water (making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl).
• 3 set the pan over a gentle heat and warm the water until the chocolate has melted.
• 4 take off the heat and leave to cool a little.
• 5 meanwhile, place the butter and half the sugar into another large bowl.
• 6 using a tabletop mixer or electric hand whisk, beat until the mixture is really light and creamy, then beat in the cocoa powder.
• 7 separate the eggs (the whites can be frozen for another time) and put the yolks in a third bowl.
• 8 put in the remaining sugar, then beat together until pale and creamy.
• 9 to check if it's ready, make a figure-of-eight shape in the mixture with the beater -it should hold its shape for a moment.
• 10 in a fourth bowl, whip the cream until thickened with soft peaks.
• 11 pour the melted chocolate into the butter mixture, and carefully stir through until it is well combined.
• 12 gently fold in the egg mixture.
• 13 when this is amalgamated, stir in the whipped cream.
• 14 now line a meatloaf type pan (6.5 x 22cm tin) with 3 layers of saran wrap, leaving a 3 7/8" overhang.
• 15 spoon the mixture into a large piping bag with a large nozzle attached. (or use a plastic zip-lock bag and snip it in the corner.).
• 16 pipe a layer over the bottom of the tin, then cover this with a layer of after eights (cut some in half to ensure they fit).
• 17 pipe over another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a layer of after eights.
• 18 continue until you have 4 layers of chocolate mints and the tin is full, finishing with a chocolate cream layer.
• 19 fold over the cling film, then chill overnight or up to 2 days.
• 20 just before serving, place the marquise in the freezer for 10 minutes to make it easier to slice.
• 21 place the tin, bottom side up, on a serving plate, slide off the tin, then peel away the cling film.
• 22 if you have a blowtorch, quickly run the flame over the surface of the marquise to give it a glossy sheen.
• 23 alternatively, dip a palette knife in boiling water and smooth the surface that way.
• 24 use a serrated knife dipped in boiling water to cut the marquise into slices.
• 25 enjoy it is worth every last bite!