Chocolate Velvet Mousse Cake Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE VELVET MOUSSE

Steps:

• For the caramel crunch: Spray a rimmed baking sheet with canola cooking spray and set aside.
• Pour the granulated sugar into a clean, dry medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring every so often with a wooden spoon, until the sugar melts and turns a dark amber color (it will register at least 320 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Immediately pour the caramelized sugar onto the prepared baking sheet. Let it cool completely, about 30 minutes; it should become brittle. Once brittle, break it into large pieces, put them in a plastic bag and bash the bag until finer shards form.
• For the mousse: Combine the chocolate, salt and vanilla in a medium bowl.
• Bring 2 cups of the heavy cream just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot cream into the bowl with the chocolate and stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes. Cool completely.
• Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer at the highest speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk at the highest speed until shiny, firm peaks form, about 2 minutes more. The mixture should be airy and glossy.
• Gently fold about 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture until it's all one color and texture. Fold in the rest of the meringue until just incorporated.
• Pour the mixture into a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours.
• To serve, whip the heavy whipping cream and baker's sugar to soft peaks. Top a scoop of the mousse with whipped cream, caramel crunch, and chopped chocolate.

CHOCOLATE VELVET MOUSSE

Steps:

• NOTE: The flavor of this mousse depends entirely on the chocolate you use.
• Please use the highest quality chocolate you can.
• DO NOT use Bakers chocolate.
• Do not use chocolate chips.
• I like Callabeut, but Sharffenberger, Valhrona, Giardelli-- all are options.
• DIRECTIONS: melt the chocolate, espresso, and rum in the microwave on 50% power for about 2 minutes.
• Stir until smooth.
• Whisk in the yolk and mix well.
• Set aside.
• Using a little dash of vinegar and a paper towel, wipe down the insides of the bowl of your mixer, and the whipping attachment.
• Add the whites and whip until soft peaks form.
• Sprinkle in the sugar, beating on high until stiff, but not dry.
• Fold a quarter of the whites into the chocolate to lighten it, then scrape the remaining whites on top of the chocolate and set aside.
• Beat the cream until it holds its shape (not too stiff) then scrape on top of the whites.
• Fold everything together gently until no streaks of white appear.
• Turn the mousse into your prepared mold, into pretty cups, into custard cups, or whatever you are serving it in and refrigerate until service, at least 2 hours.
• Or just refrigerate in the bowl until needed as a filling for cakes or cream puffs, etc.
• Note: This mousse is very rich and decadent, and it's my favorite because it holds it shape nicely when refrigerated.
• This allows it to be formed into molds and terrines and be sliced or cut.
• It is also a great spreading consistency, and my favorite thing to do with this mousse is use it as a filling for cakes.
• I also like to fold more whipped cream into it (50% mousse, 50% whipped cream) and use it as a filling for eclairs, cream puffs and profiteroles.
• The uses for this mousse are endless.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Cake:.
• 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.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• 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.
• 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.
• In another bowl, whisk or beat 4 egg whites until stiff, but not dry, about 3-4 minutes.
• 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.
• 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.
• Mousse Filling:.
• 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.
• Ganache:.
• 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.
• Assemble the cake:.
• 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.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan with parchment paper.
• Break up or chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl with the butter or margarine. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and allow the chocolate and butter to melt, stirring occasionally. When everything has melted, remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• In the meantime, put the egg yolks in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, whip the egg whites to very firm peaks, about 5 minutes.
• When the melted chocolate mixture has cooled, add it to the egg yolks, along with the sugar, and whisk well.
• Using a rubber spatula, stir about one-third or less of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Carefully spoon another third of the egg whites on top of the chocolate mixture and gently fold them in. Add the remaining whites and fold them in just until incorporated.
• Transfer half of the batter to another bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.
• Pour the remaining batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes: it will turn into a soft, moist cake. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
• When the cake has reached room temperature, pour the reserved chocolate mousse on top of it. Refrigerate the mousse cake, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, or overnight, until set.
• When you're ready to serve, run a sharp thin-bladed knife around the cake's edges and then remove the sides of the springform pan. Peel the paper from the bottom, and place the cake on a serving platter. Serve cold, decorated with chocolate shavings, if desired.
• Leftover cake will keep in the refrigerator, wrapped in aluminum foil, for a couple of days.

ELEGANT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Mix chocolate wafer crumbs and butter together in a bowl. Press over the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Freeze until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk 2 eggs and 4 egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually pour in melted chocolate, whisking constantly, until well blended.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until foamy. Add 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; continue to beat until soft peaks form.
• Fold one-third of the egg whites and one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until lightened. Fold in remaining egg whites and whipped cream until thoroughly incorporated. Pour into the crust.
• Chill cake until mousse is set, 6 hours to overnight.
• Combine 2 cups heavy cream, 1/4 confectioners' sugar, and orange liqueur in a large bowl; beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe whipped cream rosettes to garnish each slice.