Moelleux au Chocolat with Avocado Mousse

“Merde!”- cursed the french salesgirl when my sister specified exactly which piece of moelleux au chocolat she'd like. Of course it was the biggest one. And knowing what goodness lurks in it wouldn't you ask for the biggest piece if you had such a choice. Me and my sister exchanged startled glances then we couldn't help but chuckle in bulgarian which startled the salesgirl. However, this incident didn't stop as from returning back to the same pâtisserie for a moelleux au chocolat indulgence. Although almost everywhere in Paris the moelleux au chocolat is worth trying. 

Ever since we've made this chocolate-avocado entremet my love for this combination grew stronger and stronger, just because the deep and heavy chocolate flavour pairs extremely well with the fresh grassy avocado taste, especially in this rich and decadent cake. 
 

Moelleux au Chocolat with Avocado Mousse Recipe:

For the Moelleux au Chocolat:

• 140 gr dark chocolate 75% cocoa (I used Cacao Barry's Sao Tome, since it has a deep, earthy, volcanic flavour, but any dark chocolate will work out);
• 100 gr butter,
• 5 egg yolks;
• 30 gr flour;
• 4 egg whites;
• 75 gr granulated sugar;
• pinch of salt.

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.

Melt chocolate together with the butter.

In a bowl, beat egg yolks with a third of the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, then still using your hand mixer, combine in the butter-chocolate mixture.

In another bowl beat egg whites, salt and the rest of the sugar till glossy stiff peaks. Using a spatula fold the meringue into the yolks-chocolate mixture. Pour the batter into a 19-20cm buttered ring laid onto lined with paper baking sheet. If using a baking pan – line with paper or butter and flour it generously.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Leave it to cool (I didn't transfer it onto a wire rack since it's a fragile cake especially while still warm). Refrigerate overnight or at least for 4 hours.

For the Avocado Mousse:

• 1 ripe avocado;
• 1 ½ Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice;
• pinch of salt;
  25 gr sugar;
• 10 gr water;
• 80 ml heavy cream.

Heat sugar and water to dissolve the sugar, let it cool. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Puree the avocado, lemon juice, salt and sugar syrup. Fold in the whipped cream. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe it on top of the moelleux au chocolat.

Note: Make the avocado mousse just before serving in order to be freshly green. It keeps well its colour for a day, afterwords it shades off.