Choccy ripple-misu (aka The Rippa) - Chef Recipe by Dave Verheul

Ingredients

Chocolate biscuit:

150 g unsalted butter, softened
300 g sugar
1 egg
200 g plain (all-purpose) flour
80 g cocoa
20 g instant freeze-dried coffee powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Marsala caramel:

250 g Marsala, plus 25 g extra
200 g sugar
900 g espresso, plus 25 g extra

Mascarpone mousse:

5 egg yolks
5 g gelatine
200 g sugar
50 g Marsala

5 egg whites
90 g sugar
300 g cream
600 g mascarpone
50 g Marsala

Cocoa powder for dusting

Method

Chocolate biscuits:

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 160 C.

Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and whip until the mix has a creamy consistency. Add the egg and beat until combined.

Sieve all of the dry ingredients and add to the mixer bowl, then slowly beat until fully combined. At this point you will need to decide what container you are going to build this in.

Divide the dough into four, then roll each piece out to the same size and shape of the final serving dish. The dough needs to be 4 mm thick when uncooked.

Bake the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking paper for 6 minutes, then remove to cool.

Marsala caramel:

Place the first three ingredients in a small pot and stir over a low heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and skim well. Cook over a medium heat until it has reduced down to a thick caramel consistency, then freshen with the second measures of Marsala and coffee.

Chill.

Mascarpone mousse:

Place the yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the gelatine sheet in a small metal bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to bloom for 5 minutes, then drain off the water.

Place the sugar and 100 g water in a small pot and warm over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn the mixer to high speed and turn the heat up on the pot. Cook the sugar to 117 C, then slowly pour into the mixer while it is running. Once you have all the sugar in there, knock the speed back to medium.

Put the bowl of gelatine over a low flame until it dissolves, then slowly pour into the yolk mix with the Marsala. Turn to low while you make the rest.

For the egg whites, whip the whites to soft peaks while slowly adding the sugar using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or by hand.

To make the cream, add everything to a bowl and whip to soft peaks. When you have prepared all the elements, very gently fold the mascarpone into the yolk mix, then finally the whites into the rest. Season with more Marsala if needed.

To finish:

Grab your final dish. Working in layers, start with a layer of mousse, then drizzle (for lack of a better word) the caramel over, then add the biscuit. Repeat until you finish with a layer of the mousse, then chill for a minimum of 4 hours so that the mousse sets and the biscuits hydrate slightly.

When you’re ready to serve, dust with some good-quality cocoa.

Credits: This is an edited extract from On Sundays: Long lunches through the seasons by Dave Verheul published by Hardie Grant Books. RRP $55.

Photo Credits: Copyright photography © Kristoffer Paulsen 2024