Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake

Now this was my first ever experiment on cakes. I had no idea of baking at that time. I remember when this recipe was shown on Martha Stewart's show, my mom rang me up to switch on the tv ;but by the time the show was over ...still i could see a glance of this mousse cake & also her web address. So just browsed & found the recipe. Baked soon & the result was fantastic. I was a bit lazy & so greedy that i couldn't wait to prepare cake in separate ramekins & layer mousses. I just took a cake dish,baked in it & layered mousses in that dish all together; and u know wat?? i didn't prepare the mousse also...went to LULU, bought 2 types of mousses & layered over the cake.. The taste was awesome!! Since then, for 2-3 yrs, i have been making this more often ;this time, prepared mousses too; & finally, fed up of that...Now decided to bake this after 3 long years & that too as instructed by Martha...separate ramekins, layer mousses......hihi

First, we have to prepare 2 different chocolate mousses; one with bitter-sweet chocolate & the other with milk chocolate. The recipes given in her website is so clear that i didn't make much changes to it.

Individual Chcolate Mousse

Ingredients

Makes enough for 8 cakes

• 1 2/3 cups or 400 ml heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/4 cup or 60 ml sugar
• 1/4 cup or 60 ml light corn syrup
• 7 ounces or 200 gms approx. bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Salt

Method:

1.Put heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate 1 hour

2.   Put 4 egg yolks into the clean bowl of the mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment; beat on high speed until pale and frothy, 4 to 5 minutes. 

3.Meanwhile, bring 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water to a rolling boil in a small, heavy saucepan over high heat. Cook until clear, large bubbles form, about 1 minute. 

4.Reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Carefully pour hot syrup down side of bowl. Raise speed to medium-high. Mix until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bittersweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt with a rubber spatula.

5.Add one-third of bittersweet-chocolate mixture to whipped cream; whisk to combine. Add remaining bittersweet-chocolate mixture, whisking until completely combined. Press through a large-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard any solids. 

6.Repeat entire recipe, substituting milk chocolate for the bittersweet.

So now u have 2 different mousses with you. You can proceed to make the cakes.U can prepare this in ramekins or even in your muffin tray..Just trim it after unmoulding...

The cake:

In this recipe, the cake layer is not of that relevance. That just acts as the base for the 2 mousses.

Ingredients

Makes 8

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 2/3 cup or 160 ml all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup  or 80 ml unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder. u can use chocolate milk powder also if u don't want the bitter taste of chocolate.
• 2/3 cup or 160 ml sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/4 cup or 60 ml whole milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Individual chocolate mousse
• 2 ounces or 56 gms approx.  solid semisweet chocolate( to garnish)

Method:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.(200 degree celcius). Place eight 6-ounce (3 1/2-inch diameter) ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet, and coat with cooking spray; set aside.

2.Stir flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. 

3.Add egg, milk, oil, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water; mix on medium-low speed until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes.

4.Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Run a knife around sides of cakes; unmold. Cakes can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day.

5.Trim each cake to 1 inch high. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

6.Cut eight 10 3/4-by-4-inch strips of parchment paper. Wrap a parchment collar around base of each cake, keeping bottom flush with baking sheet. Secure each collar with tape; set aside.(jst have a look into the picture). But i had made a taller collar & later on had to trim it. 4 inch s enough.

7.Transfer bittersweet-chocolate mousse to a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip . Pipe a 1-inch layer of mousse into each parchment collar. Refrigerate until mousse is set, about 20 minutes. Repeat with milk chocolate mousse, piping on top of the bittersweet chocolate mousse. Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.Microwave semisweet chocolate until slightly warm but not melted, about 30 seconds. Scrape at a 45-degree angle with a vegetable peeler, forming curls. Before serving cakes, remove parchment collars, and garnish with chocolate curls.

Sending this entry to Taste Buds Choco Delite Event

Also to Suma's Anniwersary Event