Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

3 layers of chocolaty goodness:

Bottom: Flour-less Chocolate Cake
Middle: Dark Chocolate Mousse
Top: White Chocolate Mousse

Recipe from: America's Test Kitchen

I made this cake for my boyfriend's mom's b-day. Since I usually don't have the opportunity to make a non-cupcake dessert I was excited to be able to make a cake! She (like me) loves chocolate, so this recipe was perfect!

It originally called for a 9.5 inch spring-form pan and said it served 12-16. Since there were only 4 of us, I cut the recipe in half and used an 8" pan, which I got from Williams-Sonoma while picking up a gift card. I never leave that store empty handed. : )

After using my brand-new $48 spring-form pan, I decided that I wish ALL my baking supplies came from Williams-Sonoma.....if only I could afford that!

All finished in the pan

Bottom Layer - Flour-less Chocolate Cake:
This was the first time I have ever tried to make a flour-less chocolate cake. The recipe said that it would fall after baking, and boy did it! It came out of the oven about 3-4 inches high and shrunk down to about an inch tall after cooling. Had the recipe not warned me, I would have freaked out a bit!

Now, this cake almost didn't make it into the oven....as it was pre-heating all the way up to 425, Sean was enjoying the left-over batter. Maybe enjoying it a little too much, as he knocked the cake pan off of the counter while trying to lick the bowl clean! Lucky for me, he has quick reflexes and caught the pan just before it splattered onto the floor! Phew!

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces, plus extra for greasing pan
• 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (I used Ghirardelli)
• 1/3 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs , separated
• Pinch table salt
• 2.5 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar, crumbled with fingers to remove lumps

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. 
2. Butter bottom and sides of 8-inch spring-form pan. 
3. Melt butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool mixture slightly, about 5 minutes. 
4. Whisk in vanilla and egg yolks; set aside.
5. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. 
6. Add half of brown sugar and beat until combined, about 15 seconds. 
7. Add remaining brown sugar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute longer, scraping down sides halfway through. 
8. Using whisk, fold one-third of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. 
9. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. 
10. Carefully transfer batter to prepared springform pan, gently smoothing top with offset spatula.
11. Bake until cake has risen, is firm around edges, and center has just set but is still soft (center of cake will spring back after pressing gently with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. 
12. Transfer cake to wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. (Cake will collapse as it cools.) Do not remove cake from pan.

Yummy cake, just waiting to be cut and devoured!

Middle Layer - Dark Chocolate Mousse

This part was so yummy! Could eat it plain with a spoon!

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
• 2.5 tablespoons hot water
• 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (I used Ghirardelli)
• 3/4 cups cold heavy cream
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• pinch of table salt

1. Combine cocoa powder and hot water in small bowl; set aside. 
2. Melt chocolate in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.
3. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, granulated sugar, and salt at medium speed until mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds.
4. Whisk cocoa powder mixture into melted chocolate until smooth. 
5. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. 
6. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. 
7. Spoon mousse into spring-form pan over cooled cake and gently tap pan on counter 3 times to remove any large air bubbles; gently smooth top with offset spatula. Wipe inside edge of pan with damp cloth to remove any drips. Refrigerate cake at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer.

We ended up eating exactly half of the cake

Top Layer - White Chocolate Mousse

• 1/3 teaspoon powdered gelatin
• 1/2 tablespoon water
• 3 ounces white chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Chips)
• 3/4 cup cold heavy cream
• Grated bittersweet chocolate (used as garnish)

1. In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand at least 5 minutes. 
2. Place white chocolate in medium bowl. 
3. Bring ½ cup cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. 
4. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture and stir until fully dissolved. 
5. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds. 
6. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly).
7. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip remaining cup cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds. 
8. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture to lighten. 
9. Using rubber spatula, fold remaining whipped cream into white chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. 
10. Spoon white chocolate mousse into pan over middle layer. Smooth top with offset spatula. 
11. Return cake to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours.
12. Garnish with grated chocolate just before serving. 

You can see the 3 layers in this pic!

Now, my cuts are messy because I didn't follow the instructions. I was supposed to cut this with a cheese wire, but who has one of those!?!

This dessert would go perfectly at a restaurant, very elegant! (minus the rough cuts)