Frozen Chocolate and Berry Chequerboard Parfait

I said that I wanted to bake my way through this chocolate cookbook, and I totally mean it. The cake recipe used for both the gateau forestiere and the jungle cake was from that book, as is the following recipe. It's wonderful.

I prepared this mixture in advance, but we ended up having a super hot weekend and so on the night I constructed this for dessert, the vanilla layer began melting all over the place. So there went my grand plans of having a perfectly chequered parfait. But what it's lacking on the aesthetic side it certainly made up for it in taste.

This recipe gives you the freedom to choose your favourite berry. I used strawberry for both the parfait and the sauce. I also sieved out the seeds for a nicer texture. Alternatively, you could prepare two berry layers (such as raspberry and blackberry) if you want a multi coloured/flavoured parfait.

Frozen Chocolate and Berry Chequerboard Parfait

Ingredients

White layer
200g white chocolate, melted
1/4 cup cream
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup cream, extra

Berry layer
300g fresh of frozen berries
1 tbsp caster sugar
150g white chocolate
1/4 cup cream
2 eggs, seperated
1/2 cup thickened cream, extra
1 egg white, extra, beaten [for assembly]

Berry sauce
500g fresh or frozen berries
2 tsp caster sugar
1/2 cup water

Method

1. Cover base and side of two 8x26cm bar tines with plastic wrap or foil. If using frozen berries, thaw complete.
2. To make white layer:
Combine chocolate, cream and egg yolks in a medium bowl; mix well. In a separate bowl, whip extra cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold into chocolate mixture. Best egg whites in clean, dry bowl with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon gently fold egg white into chocolate mixture. Divide evenly between prepared bar tins. Smooth surface with flat-bladed knife. Cover; freeze until firm.
3. To make berry layer:
Process berries until smooth. Combine in medium bowl with sugar, chocolate, cream and egg yolks; stir cream until smooth. Beat extra cream until soft peaks form; gently fold into chocolate mixture. Best egg whites in clean, dry bowl with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon gently fold egg white into chocolate mixture. Divide evenly between prepared bar tins; spread evenly over white layer. Smooth surface with flat-bladed knife. Cover; freeze until firm.
4. To assemble parfait:
Turn one mousse bar onto a work surface (you may have to loosen with a flat-bladed knife). Working quickly, cut lengthways into 4 even slices. Turn two of these slices upside down, alternating order. Brush surfaces with egg white; place upside don slices on remaining slices to form chequerboard pattern. Return to freezer while preparing second bar in the same manner. Turn both bars onto work surface, one of them upside down. Brush tops with egg white, join bars together. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, press bars together. Rreturn to freezer for another hour. Serve with berry sauce.
5. To make berry sauce:
Blend or process berries, sugar and water until smooth. Add enough water to make desired pouring consistency.