AMARETTI BISCUIT with a CARDAMOM CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

ingredients:

• Biscuit Base:

-250g Amaretti biscuits, crushed

-120g unsalted butter

-2 tbsp chopped hazelnuts

-3 cardamon pods, grated

• Caramelized carrot and chilli layer:

-2 tbsp shredded carrot

-2 tbsp shredded chilli

-25g unsalted butter

-4 tbsp Fairtrade muscavado sugar

• Cardamom, Hazelnut & Chocolate mousse:

-300g Fairtrade bittersweet

-chocolate, broken into pieces

-2 tbsp hazelnuts

-4 cardamom pods, grated

-45g unsalted butter

-5 free range separated eggs

-4 tbsp Fairtrade caster sugar

-230ml double cream

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-Shot of espresso made with

-Cafédirect Machu Picchu coffee

making:

1-Melt the butter in a pan, add the Amaretti biscuits, hazelnuts and grated cardamom. Transfer to a 28cm springform cake tin and leave to cool.

2-Bring the carrot and chilli mixture slowly to simmer until it caramelises, then pour onto the biscuit so it forms an even layer.

3-Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl heated over pan of simmering water, add espresso, cardamom, hazelnuts and vanilla essence.

4-Leave to cool. Heat the egg yolks and two tbsp sugar over the simmering pan of water. Whisk until warm then transfer to an electric mixer and mix until the yolk is pale and fluffy.

5-Fold into chocolate mixture. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff, and fold into the chocolate mixture.

6-In a bowl set over ice, whip the cream until stiff and fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon onto the biscuit and carrot/chilli caramel layer, and spread evenly. Cover and chill for 2 hours.