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Chocolate and lavender cake

Eric Lanlard from Good Food Live
Dark, decadent and utterly divine, Eric Lanlard's delightfully different chocolate mousse cake is infused with the flavour of fresh lavender

Chocolate and lavender cake

Method

1. First of all, make the lavender syrup. Place the sugar, water and dried lavender in a saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave the syrup overnight to infuse. Pass the syrup though a sieve to remove the lavender.

2. To make the chocolate mousse, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

3. Whip the double cream until it forms soft peaks.

4. Bring the lavender syrup to the boil.

5. Place the egg yolks in a mixer, whisk at high speed, and slowly trickle in the lavender syrup. Continue whisking the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Leave to cool.

6. Pour the single cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir in the melted chocolate and fold this in to the egg yolk mixture.

7. Fold in the whipped cream.

8. Stand the ring mould on a serving plate. Place a disc of chocolate sponge into the bottom of the mould and soak in lavender syrup. Pipe some chocolate mousse on top, then build another layer of lavender soaked chocolate sponge followed by more chocolate mousse. Place the cake in the fridge to set.

9. To make the glaçage, place the milk, chocolate and lavender syrup in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

10. Finally, remove the cake from the mould and cover it with glaçage. Return to the fridge for a couple of minutes.

11. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Spread the chocolate out in a thin layer over a smooth surface and leave to set. Cut into small squares.

12. Decorate the cake with the chocolate squares and finish with fresh lavender stems. Serve with honey ice cream.

Cooks Notes:
Glaçage is a French term used to describe a shiny glaze used in decorating cakes and desserts.