One of two of Joy's cakes. Got that right! One of two. We have a luscious raspberry cheesecake for one and for the second, something chocolate would be a ideal. Joy wanted a mousse and messaged me all kinds of recipes. None that included cake. Yikes! I wanted cake. So we decided on a cake and mousse combination. Brown Eyed Baker had a recipe she made from a Cook's Illustrated magazine. And it fitted our bill. So this would be the second cake to satisfy Joy's mousse craving and my constant chocolate craving. Her cake, I admit, but I have to eat it too ;)
I scored this vintage cake tin from Ebay years ago. So pretty! Swoon .....
My decorating skills leave much to be desired but I dare say, the cake is amazing!
For the Bottom Layer:
85 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces
200 grams bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp instant espresso powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated
Pinch salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
For the Middle Layer:
2 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder
5 tbsp hot water
200 grams bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
For the Top Layer
3/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1 tbsp water
6 ounces (1 cup) white chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
Directions:
A. Bottom cake layer:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
2. Set a large metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, and place the butter, chocolate and espresso powder
3. Stir until smooth.
4. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool
5. Whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks.
6. Whisk the egg whites and salt until frothy.
7. To this add half of the brown sugar and beat until combined.
8. Add the rest of the brown sugar and beat at high until soft peaks form.
9. Fold about a third of the egg whites into the bowl of cooled chocolate.
10. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just incorporated.
11. Pour the batter to the prepared pan.
12. Bake for about 15 minutes until the cake has almost set. It will have pulled away slightly from the edge of the pan but will remain slightly soft in the center.
13. Cool, inside the pan, completely.
B. Middle mousse layer:
14. Melt the finely chopped pieces of chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir this every so often until the mixture is smooth and consistent.
15. In the meantime, mix the cocoa powder and hot water in a bowl.
16. Once the chocolate over the pan has melted, remove from heat and set aside to cool down for about 5 minutes.
17. Whip the cream, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on medium for 30 seconds, until it thickens.
18. When it thickens, increase the speed and continue whipping for about another 30 seconds until soft peaks form.
19. By this time, the melted chocolate should be sufficiently cool. Whisk together both chocolate mixtures until relatively consistent and smooth.
20. Into the chocolate, whisk about a third of the whipped cream until the colour is uniform.
21. With a spatula, fold in the rest of the cream until the colour is uniform once again.
22. Pour the mousse into your springform pan holding the cake.
23. Gently shake and tap the pan, then use a spatula to smooth the mousse over the cake.
24. Leave to chill in the refrigerator.
C. Top layer:
25. Simmer 1/2 cup of heavy cream over medium-high heat.
26. In the meantime, add gelatin to a bowl of water and set aside for 5 minutes.
27. Remove cream from heat and whisk in the gelatin until it has completely disintegrated.
28. To a bowl of the white chocolate, pour the cream and gelatin mixture and whisk the mixture is consistent in texture and the chocolate has melted. Set aside for 7 minutes to cool, though stir every now and then to keep the mixture smooth.
29. Whip the last 1 cup of heavy cream in a stand mixer on medium, increasing the speed as it begins to thicken. Once soft peaks have formed after about 30 seconds, Whisk 1/3 of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, cream, and gelatin mixture until smooth and the colour is uniform.
30. Fold in the rest of the cream with a spatula until the colour is uniform.
31. Taking the springform pan out of the refrigerator, pour the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the chocolate mousse.
32. Gently tap the pan and smooth the mousse with spatula.
33. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for about 3 hours up to a day until the cake has fully set.
34. Take the cake out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before running a thin knife between the cake and the side of the springform pan, and removing the pan.
35. Decorate as desired. We used Valrhona chocolate pearls. Yummm.... Just enough texture to balance this creamy and luscious dessert.