The Chocolate Mousse Cake That Fell From Heaven Recipes

THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE THAT FELL FROM HEAVEN

Steps:

• Make the filling first, as it needs to cool and thicken.
• Bring the milk to boiling point in a medium saucepan with thick bottom.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and cornflour well together. When the milk threatens to boil, pull from the heat.
• Whisk (use electric beater) the egg yolks into the sugar. Add the hot milk gradually to the sugar-cornflour-yolk mixture, whisking well between additions.
• Scrape this mixture back into the pot you heated the milk in, using a spatula. Over medium heat whisk with a wire whisk until it thickens -- JUST below boiling point. If it boils, the egg will cook -- be careful.
• Pull of heat and keep on whisking so the bottom does not go on cooking! Add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla, and whisk until mixture is smooth and even. If there are small lumps, push the whole lot through a sieve into a bowl, or whizz in a food processor.
• Pour into a suitable bowl and put wax paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin forming. Cover with a clean cloth, let cool, and then put into fridge until cold and quite thick.
• (You can hasten the process by putting it in a freezer, but be very careful it doesn't start to freeze!).
• Making the cake layers:.
• Preheat oven to 325 deg F/ 160 deg Celsius.
• You need 2 10 x 2 inch cake pans. Grease well with butter, and line bottoms with wax or baking paper, and grease the paper rounds as well.
• Make the coffee, and chop the chocolate into small pieces. Add the chocolate to the hot coffee. Let it stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Sift in a large bowl: sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
• In another bowl beat the eggs until thickened slightly, and lemon-coloured.
• Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture to the eggs, beating until combined well.
• Now add the dry mixture, and beat on medium speed until just combined well -- do not overmix at all.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Tap the pans firmly on your counter to get rid of some air bubbles.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Check after 1 hour, but do NOT open the oven before an hour is up!
• Cool the layers in the cake pans on a rack. When completely cool run a sharp knife around the edges, then carefully invert the layers on to racks.
• The layers can be made 1 - 2 days before you need the cake, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature.
• * A note about baking agents and baking time: this is always iffy. I'm at sea level, and the 6 t baking powder works for me. If you are at a high altitude, you may have to use less. Ovens differ as well, therefore it's best to test layers for doneness after 1 hour, but not before, to prevent them sinking in the middle as the oven heat drops and a draught gets inches.
• The ganache topping:.
• Chop up the chocolate, and bring the cream to simmering point in a small saucepan. Keep heat very gentle. Add the chocolate and pull off heat. Stir gently until chocolate has melted, and also stir in the syrup and butter.
• Cool to lukewarm, NOT cold -- you want a still-runny mixture. Test with a spoon. Too warm, and it will run off the cake. Too cold, and it might be difficult to spread evenly.
• Finish the cake:.
• Cut each cake layer in two with the help of strong cotton thread or dental floss. Be very careful, because this cake is soft and moist.
• Place one half on a suitable cake plate. To catch mess and drips of ganace, push wide strips of wax paper under the edge of this layer.
• Spread one-third of the filling on this layer, and top with next layer. Repeat. Add the last layer and make sure the cake is straight and not listing like the Tower of Pisa.
• Pour the lukewarm ganache over the top layer, and cover the sides of the cake with the ganache. Use a knife or spatula. Put cake in fridge to firm.
• After about 2 hours the ganache should have stopped dripping. Remove the wax strips carefully.
• Remember: the cake improves in the next two days, at room temperature, but whether it'll last that long is another question!

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep).
• Put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a medium pan with 200g butter.
• Mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan.
• Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder, and squash out any lumps.
• Beat 3 medium eggs with 75ml buttermilk.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir everything to a smooth, quite runny consistency.
• Pour this into the tin and bake for 1hr 25 - 1hr 30 mins. If you push a skewer into the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit).
• Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cold cake horizontally into three.
• To make the ganache, put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Pour 300ml double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.
• Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smooth over any gaps with a palette knife.
• Decorate with 50g grated chocolate or 100g chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake:.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Wrap the outside of an 8-inch spring form pan with a double layer of tin foil to prevent seepage.
• Butter the inside of the pan and cut a circle out of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the pan. Place it in and butter it too.
• Combine the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water (don't let it touch the bottom of the pot, it will scorch the chocolate). Stir until the chocolate and butter are smooth and lump free. You can also microwave the mixture on 100% or high. Make sure you stop and stir the mixture every 15 seconds; remove the chocolate when all the lumps are gone.
• Put the eggs in a large mixer bowl over simmering water and stir constantly until warm to the touch, about 3 minutes; remove from the heat. If using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until triple in volume and form soft peaks when the beater is lifted, 5-8 minutes. To ensure maximum volume when using a hand mixer continue to beat the eggs over simmering water until hot to the touch, about 5 minutes, then removed from heat until cool.
• Fold half the eggs into the melted chocolate until partially incorporated. Add the remaining eggs and fold until just blended but no streaks remain.
• Pour at once into your prepared spring form pan and smooth the surface with an off-set spatula. Place the spring form pan into a larger pan and carefully pour boiling water into the larger pan until the water is about 2/3 of the way up the side of the spring form pan. Don't get any water on the chocolate! This method of a water bath is often referred to as a "bain marie".
• Bake the cake for 5 minutes. Then cover the spring form pan loosely with lightly buttered tin foil and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes; then cover it again and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours.
• To remove the cake from the spring form pan: Run a small spatula around the edge of the spring form until the sides of the cake come loose. Place the cake on a round plate that the cake fits nicely on and invert the plate and open the spring form pan up and remove from the cake. Remove the bottom metal part of the spring form pan and the parchment. Cover it again with tin foil and leave for another 6 hours or over night. It needs to be really chilled to set.
• If you are making the Ganache, set the cake on a metal rack and put wax paper under the cake (tuck strips). Pour the tepid glaze over the center of the cake and allow the ganache to dribble down the sides of the cake.
• Using a metal off set spatula run it around the top of the cake to ensure that the g.
• Ganache won't be too thick on the top. Patch any bare spots at this point. If any air holes occur, use a pin to break them. Remove the strips of wax paper from under the cake and let this stand undisturbed for 2-3 hours at room temperature, or 30 minutes in the fridge.
• Bon Appetit!

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F and coat a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; lightly coat paper with spray also.
• Melt chocolate in a small bowl in microwave on 100% power for 1-2 minutes; stir until smooth.
• In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in eggs and melted chocolate.
• In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Alternatively beat in flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, ending with flour.
• Evenly spread into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350°F degrees for 25 minutes or until top springs back when pressed. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes then invert onto rack; remove pan and parchment paper; let cool completely.
• Slice cooled cake into thirds - each piece 10x5x1-inches.
• Prepare mousse following package directions ADDING cinnamon.
• Stack cake layers with 3/4 cup mousse between layers and 1 1/4 cups on top.
• Chill for 1 hour then garnish with chocolate curls.
• Keep any leftovers stored in the refrigerator.