As a flavour pairing, chocolate and orange is much more divisive than it needs to be. Admittedly, it’s something I crave only during the festive season, not least because the very thought of chocolate orange in June feels criminal. This is a great get-ahead dessert made up of a light chocolate-orange sponge and a layer of amaretti biscuit that softens and gets all chewy, all topped off with a rich chocolate and mascarpone cream spiked with orange liqueur.
Chocolate, orange and amaretti pudding
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr
Chill 3 hr+
Serves 10
For the chocolate sponge
Butter, to grease
3 large eggs
70g caster sugar
Zest of 1 orange
60g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
For the orange syrup
Juice of 1 orange
40g caster sugar
For the topping
90g dark chocolate, finely chopped, plus extra, shaved, to decorate
220ml double cream
4 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
370g mascarpone
40ml Cointreau or Grand Marnier
60g amaretti biscuits, roughly crushed
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5, and grease and line a 30cm x 20cm rectangular cake tin or a 24cm round cake tin.
Put the eggs, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl and whisk on medium-high for three to five minutes, until the eggs are very thick and have doubled in size. When you lift the whisk from the bowl, it should leave a trail on the surface before disappearing.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a second bowl, then sift half the flour mix into the whipped egg bowl and carefully fold it in, taking care not to knock out too much air. Repeat with the remaining flour mix, then gently pour the batter into the lined tin, tilting it to fill all the corners. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until springy to the touch, then remove and leave to cool completely.
To make the syrup, put the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for a minute and take off the heat.
For the topping, put the chocolate in a bowl. Heat 120ml of the cream in a small saucepan until steaming, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth.
Put the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, and whisk on high for two to three minutes, until thick and pale. Beat in the mascarpone in two batches, until smooth, stir in the chocolate mix until fully combined, then add the orange liqueur.
In another bowl, lightly whip the remaining 100ml double cream to soft peaks, then fold into the mascarpone.
To assemble, slice the cake into large pieces that fit snugly into the cake tin, overlapping if needed. Brush generously with the orange syrup, then top with a layer of crushed amaretti. Spoon the chocolate mixture on top and chill for at least three hours.
Cover the chilled pudding with shaved or curled dark chocolate, then serve.
