Rafal's rich Chocolate Marquise

Our menu regularly features a delicious Chocolate Marquise dessert. Here, our sous chef, Rafal Musialski, shares his recipe.

This rich dessert consists of a chocolate mousse on a sponge base. Makes 6 portions.

To make the sponge

• 3 eggs
• 55g cocoa powder
• 200g caster sugar
• 200g unsalted butter
• 145g self-raising flour 

1. Beat the butter with the sugar and add the eggs one at a time.
2. Then mix in the flour and the cocoa powder.
3. Line a 1cm deep tray with greaseproof paper and pour in the mix
4. Bake for about 20 mins at 170ºC.
5. When the sponge has cooled, cut out circles using 3” rings.

To make the mousse

• 200g dark chocolate
• 250ml double cream
• 4 tsp caster sugar
• 25ml orange liqueur
• 2 eggs

1. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie (or a bowl suspended above simmering water).
2. Separate the eggs and then mix the yolks with the cream.
3. Whisk the whites until they are soft, then add the sugar and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
4. Cool down the chocolate, mix with the cream and eggs but be careful not to let the mixture set.
5. Add the orange liqueur to the chocolate mixture, and then fold in the egg whites.
6. Take the sponge cut outs and place inside the bottom of the rings.
7. Finally, pour the chocolate mousse mixture into the rings on top of the sponge and refrigerate. Remove the rings, and serve.