Rich chocolate sponge with orange custard, cranberry compote and pistachios
Author: Martin Charlton
Serves: 10
Ingredients
- For the chocolate sponge:
- 302g dark chocolate (70%)
- 136g butter
- 131g egg yolk
- 286g egg white
- 95g caster sugar
- 50g flour
- For the orange custard:
- 200ml double cream
- 700ml milk
- 2 oranges, zest and segments
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 200g sugar
- For the cranberry compote:
- 500g frozen cranberries
- 50g sugar
- 50g water
- For the garnish
- 100g pistachios
Method
- Melt together the dark chocolate and butter.
- In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolks until pale.
- In another bowl, whip the egg whites until light and frothy then shower in the sugar and whisk until it forms soft peaks.
- Take the chocolate and butter mixture and beat in half of the egg white mix.
- Add the egg yolk and combine.
- Lightly fold in the remaining egg white and flour.
- Pour the mixture into greased moulds and bake at 190C/Gas5 for 10 mins or until you can insert a knife and it comes out clean.
- For the orange custard, place the double cream, milk and orange zest in a pan and bring to the boil.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar until pale and light.
- Once the cream is up to temperature, strain to remove the orange zest then pour over the egg yolk mixture.
- Return the mixture to the pan over a low heat and stir continuously until thickened.
- Pour into a clean bowl and cover with cling film.
- For the cranberry compote, cook all the ingredients on a low heat until you reach your preferred consistency.
- Blitz the pistachios and blow torch the orange segments.
- Place a sponge in a bowl, surround with custard, top with compote, an orange segment and a sprinkling of pistachios.
