Martha's miso caramel chocolate mousse

Start by making the miso caramel sauce. Place the sugar and 50ml water together in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir briefly to combine. Set over a medium heat and allow the mixture to bubble and turn golden brown in colour. Try not to stir the mixture while it caramelises or the sugar might crystallise – instead swirl the pan occasionally if the caramel colours unevenly.

When the sugar reaches a dark amber colour and starts to smell caramelised, remove from the heat and stir in the butter. The mixture will splutter and bubble, so be careful when adding it.

Pour in the double cream slowly, stirring as you add it. Return the mixture to the heat for 1 minute, then stir in the miso paste. Allow the caramel to cool slightly and taste it to see if you need to add any more miso, then pour into a container and allow to cool completely.

To make the mousse, break the dark chocolate into squares and place into a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of just simmering water. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally until smooth, then remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly.

Separate the eggs, placing the whites into a clean mixing bowl and adding the yolks to the chocolate. Stir to combine.

Using a handheld electric whisk, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the caster sugar and briefly whisk again. Add one-third of the whisked whites into the chocolate mixture and fold in well. This loosens up the mixture so it is easier to incorporate the rest of the whites without knocking out too much air. Add the remaining whites and carefully fold through in a figure of eight motion using a spatula or balloon whisk until no white patches of egg remain.

Pour the double cream into the mixing bowl you used to whisk the egg whites (no need to wash it) and whip to soft peaks using the electric whisk. Fold the whipped cream into the mousse until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Spread a layer of miso caramel into the bottom of a medium-sized serving bowl (approx 1-1.2 litres) and drizzle it around the rim of the bowl so it runs down the inside. Gently spoon the mousse into the bowl and smooth the top.

Sprinkle the mousse with black and white sesame seeds, if using. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set. For best results, remove the mousse from the fridge 20 minutes before serving. Scoop into small bowls at the table and drizzle with extra caramel before eating.