Spirals & Spatulas: Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake

Happy Monday! Let's start the week off with a delicious cake recipe, shall we?

This cake easily makes my list of Top 10 favorite dessert recipes. It's absolutely delicious. It's also probably one of the toughest desserts I've ever done because each of the three layers is like an entire dessert by itself, but all the work is SO worth it!

This would be the perfect cake to make for your sweetie for Valentine's Day!

Recipe adapted from here. There are three separate parts to this recipe: a flourless chocolate cake, a chocolate mousse, and a raspberry mousse. I'll list the entire ingredients list, then divide the directions into the three layers.

Total Ingredients:
19 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
7 eggs
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
16 oz frozen raspberries
6 oz white chocolate chips
Fresh raspberries for garnish.

I. Flourless Chocolate Cake Layer
7 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated into yolks and whites
pinch of salt
1/3 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare a 9" springform pan by turning the base upside down and clamping it into the pan. Grease the sides and bottom of the pan with Crisco or butter.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over VERY low heat, stirring constantly. When completely melted, remove from stove and cool for 5 minutes. After cooling, stir in the vanilla and egg yolks ONLY.
3. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and salt until foam forms. Add in half the brown sugar and whisk until combined, then add the rest of the brown sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
4. Fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture little by little, being careful not to deflate the egg whites. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15-18 minutes at 325 degrees. When done, the edges will be set and the center will spring back when touched.
5. Set cake aside to cool for at least one hours. The cake will sink in the center as it cools.

(melting chocolate and butter, stirring constantly)

(all melted!)

(egg whites and salt beaten)

(soft peaks in egg whites + brown sugar)

(egg whites folded into chocolate mixture)

(flourless cake pre-baking)

II. Chocolate Mousse Layer
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp sugar
3 egg yolks

1. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat.
3. In a separate saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and a simple syrup is created.
4. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks. While continuing to whisk eggs, add in the simple syrup little by little.
5. Combine the egg/syrup mixture with the melted chocolate, stirring until well-incorporated. Heat this mixture in the microwave for 15 seconds and then stir.
6. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture little by little and mix until incorporated to create a mousse. Pour mousse over the chocolate cake layer and spread evenly.
7. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

(egg/syrup mixture combined with melted chocolate)

(whipped cream folded in = mousse!)

III. White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse
1 tbsp water
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
16 oz frozen raspberries, thawed
1 tbsp sugar
6 oz white chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Pour water into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top. Set aside for 5 minutes to bloom.
2. Pour raspberries into a food processor and puree. Pour puree into a fine mesh strainer and set over a bowl. All the raspberry juice to drip into the bowl, pressing on the solids to get as much juice out of the puree as possible. Throw away the solids and pour the juice into a small saucepan.
3. Add sugar into the raspberry juice saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring often for about 5 minutes (juice should reduce to about 1/2 cups).
4. Remove from heat and add the bloomed gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
5. Put white chocolate into a large bowl, and pour the hot juice mixture over the chocolate. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth.
6. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture to form a light, fluffy mousse. Pour over the chocolate mousse layer and spread evenly.