Sunday, November 28, 2010

Cashew Nut Cake with Orange Chocolate Mousse

Looking for an awesome, "sinfully" looking indulgence for the upcoming holiday festivities that is in no-way sinful? This cashew nut cake carries a mild vanilla aroma. Topped with a decadent orange chocolate mousse, this is perfect dessert to end the evening. Make a large round cake to entertain a crowd or make separate mini-loafs for a romantic date night with that special someone.


Ingredients for cake (makes 3 mini loafs or 1 round 9-inch cake):
1. 1½ cups ground cashews (roasted and ground or purchased as ground)
2. 3 large eggs, separated (use organic eggs or vegetarian fed hens' eggs)
3. 8 to 9 tablespoons maple syrup
4. 3 tablespoons rice milk
5. 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Ingredients for orange chocolate mousse topping:
1. 2 ounces pure unsweetened baking chocolate
2. 1 tablespoon rice milk
3. Juice from 1/2 an orange
4. 1 tablespoon maple syrup
5. 3 tablespoons pasturized egg whites
6. 1½ teaspoon fruit pectin, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of hot water

Note: Mini loaf pans are typically 3 inches wide, 5 to 6 inches in length and 2 inches deep.

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350F or 177C.
2. Line a 9-inch spring form pan or 3 mini-loaf pans with parchment paper.
3. Using an electric hand beater, beat egg yolks and maple syrup until pale and ribbony. 
4. Beat in ground cashews until well combined. Mixture is relatively thick and sticky but not dough-like.
5. Add rice milk and vanilla extract and beat well to combine.
6. Clean and wash beater.
7. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
8. Fold egg whites into the nut mixture until well combined. Do not stir.
9. Pour mixture into prepared cake tin or pan.
10. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until golden on top.


11. While cake is baking, melt chocolate over indirect heat in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water.
12. While chocolate is melting, beat egg whites till stiff peaks form.
13. Once chocolate has melted, add maple syrup, rice milk and orange juice and stir well to combine.
14. Remove from heat and fold in egg whites.
15. Add dissolved fruit pectin, stir gently to combine and pour into a ziploc bag or container. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the mousse set.
16. Cool cake before topping it with the chocolate mousse. Using a spatula, spoon mousse over top of cake and make rustic waves.
17. Ready to serve!

Nutritional value of this recipe:
You won't believe it but 1 serving of this recipe is only 155 calories! (1 round 9-inch cake yields about 8 servings). Make this a festive indulgence you won't regret!

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