Life Skills
Sponge base
110g caster sugar
90g self-raising flour
20g cocoa
30g butter
1 egg
40g sour cream
30g vegetable oil
80g milk
Whisk together all the wet ingredients and the sugar, then gently stir in the flour until well-combined. Tip into a lined 25cm springform cake tin and bake at 160 degrees for 12 minutes, or until the sponge is firm in the centre. Cool.
Salted caramel layer
330g caster sugar
200ml double cream (warmed)
150g butter
Tiny pinch of sea salt
Carefully melt the sugar in a heavy bottomed pan until it is fully caramelised and no solids remain, being careful not to burn it. Add the butter and whisk to combine, then add the cream (it may foam up at this point, so best to use a fairly large pan, and take great care, it will be very hot). Whisk to a smooth caramel, then simmer on a gentle boil for 5 minutes or so, making sure it does not catch. This is to reduce the caramel to a thicker consistency. Add the salt (you really don't need much) and pour over the sponge base, making sure it forms an even layer. Cool completely.
Chocolate mousse
500g dark chocolate (60%+ cocoa solids ideally), in small pieces
500g double creme
5 eggs
70g caster sugar
Cocoa
Place the eggs and sugar in a mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk on high speed for about 8 minutes, or until the mixture is very pale and thick (this is called a 'cold sabayon'). While the eggs are whisking, melt the chocolate in a large bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Whip the double cream to soft peaks (unless you have two mixers, you'll need to do this by hand!). Using a large spoon, fold the egg mixture into the melted chocolate, trying not to knock too much of the air out of the eggs. Once smooth, fold the double cream into the mixture until all streaks of white are incorporated, then quickly pour into the cake tin and smooth to a flat surface. Sieve a little cocoa over the top and chill the cake for an hour or so.
The caramel is quite sticky, so when removing the cake tin rim, you'll need to run a hot, wet palette knife around the inside edge before releasing the catch.
