Tom Arden

Lore

Tom’s title is a playful stretch of tiramisu, but the format is serious: chocolate mousse has to be light enough to spoon, stable enough to hold in cups, and recognisably connected to the coffee-and-cocoa family of the original dessert. The verified Series 16 record gives the name and Chocolate Week handshake; it does not provide the exact recipe.

Source note

Public recreation / fan method — not the baker’s original formula. Paraphrased from Coffee Masala Tiramisu Chocolate Mousse Cups, Relaxed Recipes; this is not Tom Arden’s original formula.

Ingredients

• Masala: 1 tsp ground cardamom; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ginger; 1/8 tsp cloves; pinch of black pepper
• Coffee biscotti: 1 1/2 cups plain flour; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 eggs; 2 tbsp espresso powder; 1 tsp vanilla; 1/2 cup toasted whole almonds; 1/4 cup strong espresso for soaking
• Dark mousse: 6oz 70% dark chocolate; 1 tbsp espresso powder; 3 eggs, separated; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 cup double cream; pinch of salt
• White masala mousse: 6oz white chocolate; 1 cup double cream for infusing; another 1 cup double cream for whipping; 3 egg yolks; 2 tbsp sugar
• Cups and finish: 1lb white chocolate; 8oz gold-coloured chocolate; 2oz dark chocolate for the pattern

Method

1. Mix the masala spices. Temper the white chocolate by melting to 115°F, cooling with chopped chocolate to 82°F, and gently rewarming to 86°F. Brush two thin coats inside eight cup moulds, chilling between coats. Unmould when firm.
2. Temper the gold chocolate, spread eight discs about 3 inches wide, make a small air hole and drinking notch in each, then chill.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk eggs with espresso powder and vanilla, stir into the dry mix, and fold in almonds. Shape a 12-inch log and bake 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, slice diagonally, and bake the slices 7–8 minutes per side. Soak broken biscotti pieces in espresso.
4. Melt dark chocolate with espresso. Whisk in yolks. Beat whites with salt and sugar to glossy peaks; whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold both into the chocolate and chill.
5. Heat 1 cup cream until steaming, infuse with masala for 10 minutes, and strain. Melt white chocolate and whisk in the spiced cream. Temper the yolks with some of this mixture, return them to the bowl, and cool. Fold in the remaining whipped cream.
6. Divide soaked biscotti among the cups. Pipe in dark mousse halfway and chill 1 hour. Pipe the white mousse on top and decorate with melted dark chocolate. Chill 4–5 hours or overnight.
7. Add a gold lid just before serving, with one whole biscotti alongside each cup.

Baker’s tips

Make the chocolate cups and biscotti ahead, but keep the lids off until serving so their edges stay crisp and the mousse remains chilled.