Rich rocky road mousse cake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a deep 22cm round cake pan; line base and side with baking paper.

Step 2

Drain cherries, reserving syrup. Coarsely chop or halve cherries; reserve for chocolate mousse. Stir the water into the syrup until combined; reserve.

Step 3

Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water; stir until just melted. Remove bowl from pan; whisk in sugar, extract and milk until just combined. Whisk in sifted flours and cocoa until just combined.

Step 4

Pour mixture into pan; bake 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely. Level top of cake if needed. Cut cake into three even layers.

Step 5

Make chocolate mousse: Beat cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water; stir until just melted. Remove bowl from pan; fold in cream, then 150g turkish delight, the walnuts and reserved chopped cherries.

Step 6

Place base of cake on a platter or cake stand; drizzle with 2 tablespoons reserved syrup mixture. Top with half the mousse. Repeat layering with remaining cake, syrup and mousse, finishing with cake layer. Cover; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight until set.

Step 7

Make chocolate glaze: Stir ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Set aside for 30 minutes or until thickened slightly.

Step 8

Before serving, drizzle chocolate glaze over cake. Top with remaining turkish delight, chocolate pearls and pomegranate seeds.