FIG CAKE RECIPE USING CAKE MIX RECIPES

Steps:

• For sponge, preheat oven to 190C. Line an oven tray with buttered baking paper and dust with caster sugar. Whisk yolks and 160gm icing sugar in an electric mixer on medium-high speed until thick and a ribbon holds (4-5 minutes). Be careful not to overwhisk the mixture.
• Whisk eggwhites in a separate bowl with remaining sugar just until stiff peaks form.
• Fold a third of the eggwhite into yolks, then fold in remaining. Just before eggwhites are completely incorporated, sieve cocoa and cornflour over and fold to just combine.
• Gently spread batter onto prepared tray to a 22cm-diameter round with a palette knife (mixture will continue to spread a little; which is fine), then bake until cake springs back when gently pressed (12-18 minutes). Set aside to cool completely (25-30 minutes).
• Trim cake to fit into a 22cm-diameter ring mould or the ring of a springform tin, using the mould as a guide. Place ring on a tray lined with baking paper, then line ring with strips of acetate sheet to increase the height (see note). Place cake base inside and set aside.
• For soaking syrup, bring sugar and 50gm water to the boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Allow to cool, then add liqueur and brush liberally over sponge.
• For mousse, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and have a spatula on hand. Stir glucose, sugar and 68gm water in a small saucepan over low heat to dissolve sugar, then increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, pour directly onto chocolate and stand for a minute, then mix vigorously from the centre with a spatula until chocolate becomes smooth, glossy, elastic and reaches 35C on a sugar thermometer.
• Whisk cream just until soft peaks form, add a quarter to chocolate mixture and mix vigorously from the centre to combine, then fold in remaining cream in small additions.
• Pour chocolate mousse into ring over cake and refrigerate covered until set (6 hours or overnight)
• For icing, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Bring cream and 60gm water to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, pour onto chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool, then pour onto cake in the ring and refrigerate to set (30 minutes to 1 hour). Remove ring and acetate sheets, and serve cake chilled topped with chocolate curls.

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions using a 13x9-in. baking pan. Cool completely., Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add frosting; beat well. Refrigerate until easy to handle, about 1 hour. Shape into 1-1/2-inch balls; transfer to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate at least 1 hour., In a microwave, melt white candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip first 20 cake balls into coating; allow excess to drip off. Return to baking sheets; let stand until set. Repeat with milk chocolate and dark chocolate coatings and remaining cake balls. If desired, drizzle with additional candy coating. Store in airtight containers.
  Freeze option: Freeze uncoated cake balls in freezer containers, layered between waxed paper. To use, thaw in covered containers. Dip into coatings as directed.