Gianduja Mousse Cake Recipes

GIANDUIA MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F and butter a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap bottom and side of pan with a large piece of heavy-duty foil to waterproof.
• Chop chocolates into small pieces and melt in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and stir in Nutella and hazelnut butter until combined well.
• In a large bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer beat eggs until frothy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, beating mixture at high speed until thick and pale and it holds a slowly dissolving ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes if using a standing mixer and about 8 minutes if using a hand-held mixer. Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture and stir until combined well. In a chilled bowl beat cream until it holds soft peaks and fold into batter gently but thoroughly.
• Pour batter into springform pan and put springform pan in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan. Bake cake in middle of oven 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn off oven and let cake stand in oven 40 minutes. Remove springform pan from water and cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Remove side of pan from cake. Let cake cool completely before serving.
• Serve cake with whipped cream. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Cake served at room temperature will have a texture reminiscent of mousse; chilled cake will be more fudgelike.
• Available at specialty foods shops and many supermarkets.
• ** Available for purchase from Dundee Orchards, P.O. Box 327, Dundee, OR 97115, (503) 538-8105.

GIANDUJA MOUSSE

Steps:

• Place both chocolates in a heat-proof bowl; set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat; set aside in a warm place.
• Place cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment; whip until soft peaks form. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover; chill. Wash and dry mixer bowl.
• Place the egg yolks in the mixer bowl, and whip on medium speed until pale yellow, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water in a small, shallow saucepan set over medium-high heat. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan, and cook until sugar syrup reaches soft-ball stage (238 degrees).
• Increase mixer speed to high; pour sugar syrup down side of bowl; continue mixing on high 5 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; mix until bottom of bowl is warm to the touch. Quickly whisk egg mixture into chocolate. Whisk in one-third of chilled whipped cream; gently fold in remainder. Cover with plastic, and chill until set, about 2 hours.

GIANDUJA CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C.) Butter a 9 inch springform pan. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the pan. Tuck it into the pan and let the edges overhang the rim. Brush with butter and layer a second sheet of phyllo. Butter this sheet. Continue until you have used all four sheets of phyllo. End with butter. Use as little butter as possible. Cover the phyllo-filled pan with a damp cloth.
• In the top of a double boiler, heat gianduia chocolate and unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese until smooth. When no lumps remain, begin to beat in the sugar a little at a time. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time incorporating each yolk completely before adding the next. Finally beat in the melted and cooled chocolates and the liqueur.
• Beat the egg whites until they just get stiff. Do not over beat. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cheese mixture, then quickly fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Be careful not to deflate the whites as much as possible. Pour the filling into the phyllo-lined pan. Tuck the edges of the phyllo into the pan making a bit of a rim.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. It will still seem a little loose in the center. When the cake appears done, turn off the oven, prop open the oven door with a wooden spoon and let the cake remain in the oven for another hour. Then place the cake in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

GIANDUJA MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the chocolate-hazelnut paste with the crème fraîche and brandy or hazelnut liqueur, at low speed until smooth.
• In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until firm peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate-hazelnut mixture until no streaks remain.
• Spoon the mousse into small bowls and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Serve with the chocolate wafer cookies.