Method

1. To make cake preheat oven to 180C. Place a silicone mat on an oven tray.

2. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth.

3. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating between additions. Add melted chocolate. Beat until combined. Fold in flour.

4. Thinly spread mixture onto silicone mat until about 5mm thick. Cook for 5 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Cool. Using an 8cm-round cookie cutter, cut out six rounds.

5. To make chocolate mousse, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Whisk egg white until soft peaks form. Beat cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until thick and creamy. Remove from heat. Fold in chocolate. Fold in cream. Fold in egg white. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until firm.

6. To make caramel cream, stir sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cook, without stirring, until it turns dark golden. Add thickened cream (caramel may harden at this point). Stir until mixture is melted and combined. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and salt until melted and smooth (set aside and refrigerate 4 tablespoons of this chocolate caramel mixture to decorate cakes). Cool slightly.

7. Lightly whisk double cream to form soft peaks. Fold into cooled caramel cream mixture. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until firm.

8. To make hazelnut praline, line a tray with baking paper. Dissolve sugar in a small saucepan, over low heat, without stirring, until dissolved. Cook until golden. Quickly stir in nuts to coat evenly, then pour onto prepared. Allow to set. Process to form coarse crumbs.

9. To make ganache, stir sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cook, without stirring, until it turns dark golden. Add cream (caramel may harden at this point). Whisk until smooth and combined. Add butter and chocolate. Stir until smooth and combined. Remove from heat. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until firm.

10. To make cherry jam, stir sugar and purée in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add xanthan gum, stirring until thickened. Strain. Cool.

11. To make chocolate almond praline, line a tray with baking paper. Stir sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cook, without stirring, until it turns dark golden. Quickly stir in nuts to coat evenly, then pour onto prepared tray. Allow to set. Pour over white chocolate. Allow to set. Process to form coarse crumbs.

12. To assemble cake, place cake rounds in bases of six 8cm-round, 2.5cm high presentation rings. Add the mousse and spread up to rim of ring, leaving an indent in the centre for the fillings. Sprinkle a little praline in the centre, then top with a teaspoon of the ganache. Spread top with caramel cream (to fill all remaining indent) and level with a pallet knife. Refrigerate for several hours or until set. To remove cakes, run a knife around inside of ring to loosen (you can use a blow torch to heat sides of ring if preferred).