I am a huge fan of chocolate and tried tones of deserts with chocolate incorporated in them, but this Choco Mousse Cake is by far the best variation! Yes, it does take time to cook and yes, the difficulty level is high for this recipe. However, if you follow the measurements provided below and my instructions EXACTLY, there is nothing for you to worry about. Don’t panic, but always remember that baking is a science and even a small alteration from the course laid out will lead to a completely different result.
*The only modification from this recipe, that I can assure you is safe to make is the size of the cake. If you wish you can go for a full-size Choco Mousse Cake, instead of the miniature version that I’ve made in this example.
Preparation time: 3 hours
Cooking time: 40-60 min.
Per servings: 20 miniature cakes / 1 large cake
Ingredients:
Choco Sponge
- 300 g Bread Flour
- 10 g Baking Powder
- 50 g Cocoa
- 6 g Baking Soda
- 240 g (app. 4) Whole Eggs
- 480 g Sugar
- 4 g Salt
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- 300 g Whole Milk
- 65 g Butter
- 5 tbsp Maple syrup
- 1 tbsp Water
Choco Mousse
- 350 g Couverture 52%, a.k.a. choco chips for baking (no added sugar)
- 125 g (app. 6.5) Egg Yolks
- 70 g Sugar
- Pinch of Salt
- 10 g Gelatin powder
- 44 g Cold Water
- 20 g Coconut Rum
- 625 ml 35% Whipping Cream
Equipment & tools
- Standing mixer
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Scales
- Oven, set to 320-340 F (fan mode)
- Baking tray
- Thermometer
- Large bowl
- Fork
- Small saucepan
- 2 Large metal mixing bowls
- Large saucepan with boiling water
- Molds (as per your choice)
Directions:
Choco Sponge
- Preheat the oven.
- Sift the bread flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a large bowl and whisk them together, until completely mixed.
- Mix the eggs a little with a fork.
- Add the eggs, sugar, salt and scrapped vanilla paste into a standing mixer and whisk them together until fluffy texture (speed 3, app. 5-7 min).
- In a small saucepan warm the milk and melted butter (cut in small cubes before adding to milk, so it melts better). Milk should not be boiling, just warm (if your room temp. is 21-22 C, milk temp. should be 17 C).
- Fold the dry ingredients mix (from step 2) into egg mixture with a spatula.
- Gradually fold in wormed milk with butter.
- Spread the mixture on a medium size baking tray, lined with baking paper. Make sure that it is completely even in width.
- Bake in the oven until the internal temp. of 210 F. Once it reaches the temperature, turn the oven off, take the sponge out and chill.
- Cut out the sponges, size as per your cake form (remember it will be 2 layers cake).
- Once cooled, soak the sponges with a mix of maple syrup and water (5 to 1 proportion).
Choco Mousse
- Soak gelatin in cold water, mix a little and set aside, let it bloom.
- Whim the cream in a standing mixer to medium peaks and put in the fridge for now.
- Create a double boiler, a.k.a. bain-marie (boil the water in a large saucepan, place a metal bowl in top).
- Melt the chocolate chips, gradually adding more, over the bain-marie. Set it aside on a hot side for now.
- Over the same bain-marie whisk the egg yolks, salt and sugar until fluffy. Add the rum, mix. Set aside.
- Over the same bain-marie melt the gelatin, until completely melted and transparent.
- Add the gelatin and 1/3 of the whipped cream and the egg mixture to the melted chocolate, mix with a spatula. Mixture should be smooth and creamy, once it is completely mixed, do not mix any more. Chill for a few minutes*.
- Fold in gently the remaining 2/3 of the whipped cream. Do not overmix!
*Never fold the whipped cream of beaten eggs into a hot mixture, they will cook and coagulate, make your mouse more firm that it is desired.
Choco Mousse Cake Assembly
- Place the cut, as per your mold choice, and soaked sponge on the bottom.
- Pour the mousse mixture over, let it set for a few minutes.
- Place another layer of sponge.
- Pour another layer of the mouse.
- Chill to set.
- Decorate your Choco Mousse Cake as you desire. World is your oyster when it comes to decorations 🙂
- Enjoy!