This is a rich, indulgent, make-ahead dessert with a kick of mint in it for a special dinner party.
Serves 8 to 10
12 oz 70% Valrhona or Green and Blacks chocolate
6 oz unsalted butter, softened
6 oz superfine sugar (caster sugar)
6 tbsp cocoa powder
6 large eggs
16 fl oz heavy cream
300 gram box of After Eights (available on Amazon or at Cost Plus World Market)
Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
Pour a little water in to a sauce pan and place the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. (Or use a double boiler)
Set the pan over gentle heat and warm the water until the chocolate is melted.
Take off the heat and leave to cool a little.
Meanwhile, place the butter and half the sugar into another large bowl. Using a mixer or electric hand whisk, beat until the mixture is really light and creamy, then beat in the cocoa powder.
Separate the eggs and put the yolks in a third bowl.
Tip in the remaining sugar, then beat together until pale and creamy.
(To check if it’s ready, make a figure-of-eight in the mixture with the beater, it should hold it’s shape for a moment)
In a fourth bowl, whip the cream until thickened with soft peaks.
Pour the melted chocolate into the butter mixture and carefully stir through until it is well combined.
Gently fold in the egg mixture.
When this is amalgamated, stir in the whipped cream.
Now line a 2.5″ by 8.5″ tin with 3 layers of cling film, leaving a 4″ overhang. You can use a regular loaf tin, but as it’s wider, only make three layers of After Eights.
Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag with a large nozzle.
Pipe a layer over the bottom of the tin, then cover this with a layer of After Eights (cut some in half to ensure they fit)
Pipe over another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a layer of After Eights.
Continue until you have 4 layers of chocolate mints and the tin is full, finishing with a chocolate cream layer.
Fold over the cling film , then chill overnight or up to 2 days.
Just before serving, place the marquise in the freezer for 10 minutes to make it easier to slice.
Place the tin, bottom-side up, on a serving plate, slide off the tin, then peel away the cling film.
Dip a palette knife in some boiling water and smooth the surface of the marquise.
Use a serrated knife dipped in boiling water to cut the marquise into slices.