Title: Chocolate Mousse Cake
Ingredients:
- 2 unsalted butter
- 14 unsalted butter
- 8 bittersweet chocolate
- 8 granulated sugar
- 3/4 bittersweet chocolate
- 4 heavy cream
- 8 granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 heavy cream
- 2 unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 bittersweet chocolate
- 2
- 18
Instructions:
1. Cake:
2. Lightly grease insides of 3 9 inch cake pans with melted butter. Line each pan with parchment paper, then lightly grease parchment paptr with more melted butter. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
4. Heat 1 inch water in bottom of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 14 tablespoons butter and 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate in top of double boiler. Tightly cover top with plastic wrap. Allow to heat for 10-12 minutes, remove from heat, stir until smooth and hold at room temperature.
5. Place 8 egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in bowl of electric mixed with paddle. Beat on high until slightly thickened and lemon-colored, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for an additional 2 minutes.
6. In another bowl, whisk or beat 4 egg whites until stiff, but not dry, about 3-4 minutes.
7. Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the beaten egg yolk mixture. Add a quarter of the beaten egg whites and stir to incorporate, then gently fold in remaining egg whites.
8. Divide the batter among the 3 pans, spread evenly and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22-30 minutes. Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes. (During baking, the surface of the cakes will form a crust; this crust will normally collapse, when the cakes are removed from the oven.) Invert the cakes onto cake circles, remove the parchment and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
9. Mousse Filling:
10. Heat 1 inch of water in bottom of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate in top of double boiler. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and allow to heat for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir until smooth. transfer melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl and set aside until needed. Place 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a well chilled bowl of electric mixer fitted with well-chilled balloon whip. Whisk on high until stiff peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a hand whisk to combine 1/4 of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate until smooth and completely incorporated. Add the combined whipped cream and chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and fold together.
11. Ganache:
12. Heat 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the 18 ounces of bittersweet chocolate in 3 quart stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Chill 1 cup of ganache for at least 1 hour. Remaining ganahe should be at room temperature.
13. Assemble the cake:
14. Arrange one of the cake layers in a 9 inch springform pan, evenly spread half of the mousse filling over the cake and top with the second layer. Add remaining mousse and top with the remaining cake layer. Chill 2 hours. Transfer chilled cup of ganache to a pastry bag fitted a star tip. Remove cake from springform pan and coat top and sides with room temperature ganache. Using chilled ganache, pipe decorative stars on top of cake.