It has been a while since I made a proper dessert. I mean.. like something different…not the usual. Delicate, multi layered, different elements, fancy garnishes. You know the kind.. when you look at the dessert, you immediately want to take out your mobile phone a snap a picture. The one that makes you hesitate a little bit because you think it’s too pretty to eat.

Yes, I am talking about the reactions to this one when I brought this to the table for my guests.

I have taken to pink lately (you know, right?). So it was a choice between raspberry, strawberry or a cherry based dessert. I chose the last one as I had a jar of maraschino cherries so if you want to make this you don’t have wait till berry or cherry season.

When I make such desserts with the cake as a base, I prefer a dacquoise or a mud cake. If mud cake is new to you, it’s a dense, slightly heavy cake that doesn’t crumb easily and is incredibly easy to make. We get chocolate and caramel versions everywhere in Australia. I made adjustments to my dark chocolate mud cake recipe by replacing it with white chocolate and the cherry syrup inside the jar. For the lemon mousse, I’ve added a little extra gelatine to my usual mousse recipe so it would hold together while piping.

The popcorn glass is a variation to a praline or a brittle. Instead of nuts, I’ve used crushed pink popcorn (store-bought). For me, the garnish is of utmost importance as that is what gives a dessert the ‘wow’ factor. If you are making this, try to use a mix of white and pink. It looks pretty that way.

By no means is this a light dessert. It is rich but oh so delicious! Sweet fudgy cherry cake, tangy creamy lemon mousse, crunchy bits of toffee and juicy plump maraschino cherries.

I haven’t been able to find a suitable name for this one. Any suggestions?
Also if you like this, you may want to check out this chocolate dessert and this duo.

 

White Chocolate Cherry Mud Cake, Lemon Mousse, Pink Popcorn Glass
Makes 6

White Chocolate Cherry Mud Cake

125 g butter, roughly chopped
100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup castor sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup cherry syrup (from the jar)
1 cup plain flour
1 tbsp self-raising flour
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 medium eggs, lightly whisked
3-4 drops pink food colouring

Preheat oven to 160 degree C. Brush a 7 inch square or round cake pan with melted butter. Line the bases and sides with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the butter, chocolate, sugar, water and cherry syrup in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in combined flour. Stir in buttermilk and egg. Add the pink food colouring and mix till uniformly coloured. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, cut into rectangles of 3 by 1.5 inch and keep aside.

Lemon Mousse
(this will make a lot of mousse. The recipe can either be halved or served as a dessert on its own)

1 cup lemon curd (store-bought or home-made, recipe here)
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp powdered gelatine
1 tbsp water

In a small bowl mix the gelatine and water and set aside for 5 minutes for the gelatine to bloom. Either in the microwave or using the double boiler method, gently heat the mixture so that the gelatine dissolves completely. Cool to room temperature.

Whisk the whipping cream and sugar till you reach soft peaks. Fold in the lemon curd gradually. Add the gelatine mixture and fold through. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Pink Popcorn Glass

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup pink popcorn, crushed

Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Spread the popcorn over the tray.

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar completely dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, occasionally brushing down side of the pan with a wet pastry brush, for 10-12 minutes or until golden.

Pour toffee evenly over the popcorn in the baking tray. Set aside for 10 minutes to set. Break into shards.

To serve : Fill up a piping bag with the lemon mousse and pipe swirls on a mud cake base. Repeat with the remaining bases. Top with Maraschino Cherries and popcorn glass.