Chocolate truffle stack with chocolate stars and curls

Serves 4 - 6 Desserts and puddings

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Method

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl with 300ml of the cream and the dulce de leche and melt together over a smaller pan of gently simmering water, without letting the base touch the water, for 7 minutes. Take off the heat and stir to blend, then pour into the plastic container and chill in the fridge for 4 hours until set.

Put the white chocolate and remaining cream in a heatproof bowl, add a pinch of salt and melt together in the same way as above for 6 minutes. Remove and stir until smooth, then pour the mixture over the set dark chocolate and chill overnight.

While the stack chills, make the chocolate curls and stars for the decoration. Using a star cutter as a guide, trace and cut star- shaped templates from a non-stick icing sheet or acetate. Melt the chocolate using the same method as above, for about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Pour half onto a marble slab or upturned baking sheet and spread not too thinly with a palette knife. Leave to set in a cool place but not in the fridge.

Let the other half of the chocolate cool for a few minutes. Place the star templates on a sheet of waxed paper or foil, brush on the chocolate with a pastry brush (not too thinly) and put in the fridge to set before peeling off the paper or foil. Transfer to an airtight container lined with kitchen paper to store, if not using immediately.

Check to see if the chocolate on the marble slab/baking sheet has set. If so, holding a heavy cook’s knife with both hands and with the blade facing towards you horizontally, shave from the surface of the chocolate, starting at a 45o angle, increasing the angle a little as you pull towards you to form curls. (If you are using a marble slab rather than a baking sheet, do the same but shave away from you.) Store the curls with the stars until needed.

To un-mould the stack, invert the container onto a board and pull the cling film outwards; the stack will drop out. Remove the cling film and cut the stack into pieces using a hot knife,wiping the blade between cuts. Arrange on serving plates and top with chocolate curls, stars and red currants. Sift a little cocoa powder over the top followed by icing sugar.