Chocolate mousse is one of my all time favorite desserts. It’s relatively quick and easy, and is always impressive. So, when I saw a recipe that takes that love, and multiplies it times three, and then puts it into the form of a cake – lets just say it took my breath away. I made this cake for Valentine’s Day, and I was kind of worried that I’d be pressed for time. It’s quite a lengthy recipe, but don’t let that intimidate you. As with most Cook’s Illustrated recipes, it looks a lot worse than it is. But, it’s their descriptiveness and attention to detail that always make their recipes sure fire winners. I worked on it here and there all morning, and by lunchtime the cake was done and chilling in the refrigerator.
It was all I could do to wait until after dinner to unmold and serve it. I’m pleased to report that it’s everything I thought it was going to be. Often chocolate desserts are so sweet they hurt your teeth. Not the case here. The use of bittersweet chocolate really creates a great balance. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate, but the extra boost of sweetness it lends to the top layer is welcome. This will definitely be a new addition to my repertoire of special occasion desserts. It was just perfect!
Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
For the bottom layer:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
For the middle layer:
5 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the top layer:
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for decorating, optional
To prepare the bottom layer, preheat oven to 325º. Grease a 9- or 9 1/2-inch springform pan. Combine butter, chocolate and espresso in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla and set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add half of sugar and continue whipping until combined, about 15 seconds. Add remaining sugar, increase speed to high, and whip until soft peaks form, 1 additional minute, scraping down bowl halfway through. Using a whisk, fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, carefully transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top with spatula. Bake cake until it has risen, is firm around the edges and just set in the center (cake center should spring back when gently pressed with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Do not remove cake from pan.
While cake is cooling, prepare middle layer. Combine the hot water and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1-3 minutes. (It helps to chill the mixing bowl before whipping the cream.) Whisk cocoa mixture into chocolate. Using a whisk, fold one-third of the cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining cream using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, spoon mousse onto cooled cake. Smooth top with spatula and gently tap on counter to release any air bubbles. Wipe inside edge of pan with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any drips. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer.
To prepare the top layer, sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 1/2 cup of cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until completely dissolved. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken slightly during this time).
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip remaining cup of cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Using a whisk, fold one-third of cream into white chocolate to lighten it. Fold in remaining cream using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, spoon white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth top with a rubber spatula. Return to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2 1/2 hours. Cake can be refrigerated up to 1 day. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes before slicing.
To serve, garnish cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa if desired. Run a thin knife between the cake and sides of pan. Remove sides and run the cleaned knife along the outside to smooth. Cut using cheese wire or a hot knife, cleaning and drying between each cut.
Source: The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook; via Cook Like A Champion
22 Comments
What a beautiful looking cake. It looks so professional. I love the contrasting layers and how perfectly neat they are. Great recipe.
Absolutely gorgeous—bookmarked!
I made this last year for a friends birthday party and it was a huge hit. I really need to make it again. Thanks for the reminder!
This looks great!! I, too, love Cook’s Illustrated.
This is such a beautiful dessert! Definitely a must make for special occassions!
So gorgeous, and looks so delicious. Your photo is stunning as well!
I literally gasped when I clicked on the Tastespotting link for this in my RSS feed. It looks absolutely beautiful and delicious – I can’t wait to make one for myself. Err, I mean to share with others.
you photographed this SO WELL!!! amazing!
A stunning and delicious looking cake.
I don’t think anyone can resist it.
I just love, especially as it has no gelatin in it
This looks so delicious. I want to make it for a friend at work. Does it hold up ok in the fridge? I’d have to make it the night before.
Holds up terrific in the fridge. I made it on Valentine’s Day, and enjoyed a slice 3 nights later – it was fine!
I made this a few weeks ago for Easter, and my cousin, sister and brother-in-law couldn’t believe it wasn’t from a bakery! I have a dinner party tonight, so it’s the perfect excuse to make it again. Thanks for sharing!
Am I missing something or does the bottom layer have no flour in it? Is this gluten free?
Heather – that is correct, the bottom layer is more of a flourless chocolate cake than a mousse. So, yes – gluten free!
I cant wait to try this!! I have cake club on Moday at University and hope this will impress everyone!! Thanks Laura!
Oh! How many does it serve?!
Scarlett – it’s very rich, so a small slice will suffice. I’d say about 15.
I just wanted to thank you for sharing this. I made it first in April and have found 3 additional excuses since then (and am at this moment adapting it into a Black Forest cake). It is absolutely wonderful!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’d love to hear about the Black Forest adaptation if it turns out well. Thanks for the sweet comment!
6 months later I’m back to this recipe once more and am finally seeing your reply! The Black Forest version was a huge hit. It was a cross between the recipe for Swiss Black Forest Cake in The Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum, and (mostly) this one. I wish I had written it down at the time, but I believe I made a recipe and a half of the bottom layer and baked it in two pans to make two thin cake layers, then sprinkled them after baking with a kirsch syrup (the soaking liquid from the Brandied Burgundy Cherries in TCB, mixed with kirsch liqueur). I used one cake layer as a base, topped it with the middle chocolate mousse layer, pressed in the brandied cherries with some cut sides against the pan edges so they would show, topped with the other cake layer, then most of the white chocolate mousse layer, with a bit reserved to pipe rosettes on top, onto each of which I put another brandied cherry, and sprinkled chocolate shavings over the center. It sounds a bit fussy, and I guess it was, but honestly not that much more so than the original Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. All I had to do was make the Brandied Burgundy Cherries in advance; other than that, it was just assembled a little differently. I’ve been ordered to bring it again to this year’s Oktoberfest, so I guess it was a success!
I would love a copy of your adaptation, it sounds wonderful – and right up my alley with those brandied cherries!
You already have everything but the cherries, and they are here:
Brandied Burgundy Cherries (from the Cake BIble by R. L. Beranbaum)
Ingredients:
1 lb. (454g) Pitted bing cherries in heavy syrup
1 oz. Sugar
2 oz. Kirsch or Cognac or cherry-flavored brandy
In a colander suspended over a deep bowl drain the cherries for 30 min. Reserve 1/2 cup syrup.
In a medium saucepan combine the syrup and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the cherries and simmer, covered, 1 min. Remove from the heat. Transfer the cherries with a slotted spoon to a pint jar and add the kirsch or Cognac to the jar. Cool, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before using.
When you make the cake, you pour out the syrup from the cherries and add additional liqueur to total 1/2 cup, if any is needed. This is what is brushed on the cake layers.
Hope you get to try it sometime!