Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

My second favorite cake at the Red Ribbon bakeshop is the Chocolate Mousse. Topped with whipped cream rosettes, it was always hard to decide if I wanted to get the Black Forest cake or the mousse. So after figuring out my version of Black Forest, my next mission was to make my version of the Chocolate Mousse. This cake has undergone quite an evolution but I think that by now, I finally perfected a version that I can truly call my own.

Why triple layer? Well, the cake has three layers made up of the cake base, the actual mousse, and the final layer of whipped cream. The cake base is a flourless cake that holds its own when combined with the mousse. It is very dense which gives the cake a solid foundation in contrast to the light and airy mousse layer. The mousse in itself is not overly sweet and is actually on the bitter side to balance the sweetness of the cake. The cream topping is just the finishing touch to marry the two layers. A final addition is a cake ribbon to hide all the layers. I just think that it needed this touch to give it a clean look. One word of advice, read the recipe thoroughly and make plans with regards to what you will need at the specific moment. Each layer of the cake has to be prepared just at the moment that they are needed and cannot be prepared ahead of time.  

Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse

Cake:

flourless cake just off the oven
Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
4 large eggs

1. Preheat oven at 350°F. 
    In a glass bowl, 
    combine butter and 
    the chocolate and 
    melt in a microwave. 
    You can also do this in 
    a small pot over low 
    heat. 

2. Add the sugar and salt until melted and set aside until it cools slightly, 
    about 5 minutes. Add the cream and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time 
    mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well. 

3. Pour the batter in a 8-inch springform pan that has been greased and 
    lined with a parchment paper. Make sure that the parchment paper goes 
    all the way to the sides. This prevents the batter from seeping out of the 
    pan. 

4. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. The 
    cake will rise but will shrink as it cools down. Cool to room temperature 
    and cover with foil. Store in the fridge overnight. 

Mousse:
2 1/4 cups cold cream
5 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 packet gelatin
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp rum (heck, it's Christmas!)

 1. Heat 1/4 cup of cream and chocolate in a glass bowl for about a minute 
    in the microwave or until the chocolate is soft and the cream is barely 
    simmering. Whisk until the ganache is smooth and shiny. Set aside. 

2. Bloom the gelatin in the hot water until fully dissolved. With the mixer 
    running at medium high speed, beat the 2 cups of cold cream and drizzle 
    in the gelatin. Keep beating until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar 
    and the cocoa powder. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff 
    peaks form. Add the vanilla and the rum, if using and mix well. 

3. Take about a cup of the mousse and fold into the chocolate ganache. 
    Transfer the loosened chocolate mixture and fold into the rest of the 
    mousse. Do not overmix. 

Whipped cream topping:
2 cups chilled heavy cream
1 packet gelatin
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Bloom the gelatin in the hot water until fully dissolved. With the mixer 
    running, beat the cold cream at medium high speed. Drizzle in the 
    gelatin and whip until soft peaks form. 

2. Slowly add the sugar and increase the speed to high until stiff peaks 
    form. Add the vanilla and mix. 

Chocolate ribbon:
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate
plastic liner (measured to span the cake and wide enough to cover the 
  3 layers)

Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Keep warm. 

To assemble:

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

1. Take the cold cake 
    from the fridge and 
    loosen from the pan. 
    Invert into a cooling 
    rack and peel off the 
    parchment paper. 
    Transfer the cake to a 
    lined cakeboard and 
    snap the sides of the 
    springform pan around 
    the cake. The cake can 
    be adjusted at this 
    point to make sure it is 
    even. The cake is dense
    and pliable so use a spatula to make the necessary adjustments. 

2. Add the chocolate mousse layer and smoothen the top. Cool in the fridge 
    for at least two hours. 

3. Run a clean knife around the insides of the pan and unsnap the springform 
    side. Carefully pull up the sides without damaging the mousse layer. 
    Spread a thin even layer of the melted chocolate on the plastic liner. 
    Wrap the ribbon around the cake and return to the fridge to cool for 
    another two hours.

4. Spread a thin layer of the whipped cream topping over the chocolate 
    mousse layer and pipe the remaining topping into rosettes. Store the cake 
    in the fridge until ready to serve. 

To serve, remove the plastic liner protecting the chocolate ribbon and sprinkle finely chopped chocolate to top off the cake. To get clean slices, use a warmed sharp knife when slicing through the cake.