flourless chocolate mousse layer cake
- 350g dark (70% cocoa) chocolate, chopped
- 185g unsalted butter, chopped
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup (240g) firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
- 1 cup (120g) almond meal (ground almonds)
- cocoa, for dusting
chocolate mousse
- 1 cup (250ml) pure cream
- ½ cup (125ml) double (thick) cream
- 220g dark (70% cocoa) chocolate, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 4 large egg yolks, extra
- ⅓ cup (75g) caster (superfine) sugar
Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Line the base and sides of a 24cm (9½ inch) round springform cake tin with non-stick baking paper+.
Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted.
Place the eggs, sugar, milk and almond meal in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon into the prepared tin and cover with aluminium foil. Bake for 30–35 minutes. Remove the foil and allow to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold.
While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate mousse. Place both the creams into a cold bowl and whisk together until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until required.
Place the chocolate, water and vanilla in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water) and stir until melted. Allow to cool slightly (the mixture may split).
Place the eggs, extra yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water). Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed for 8 minutes or until the mixture is warm, thick and fluffy.
Remove the bowl from the heat. Add ½ cup (125ml) of the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and, using a metal spoon, fold to combine++. Add this chocolate and egg mixture to the remaining egg mixture and gently fold to combine.
Place mixture over an ice bath and very gently fold until cooled+++. Remove from the ice bath, add the whipped cream and gently fold to combine.
When the cake is cool, spoon over the chocolate mousse mixture and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight until set.
Remove from the tin and place on a serving plate. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before dusting with cocoa, to serve. Serves 12
COOK’S NOTES
+ We used Glad to be Green® Compostable Brown Paper.
++ Using a metal spoon to gently fold the egg mixture ensures you keep as much fluffy volume as possible.
+++ To create an ice bath, place ice and enough water to just cover the ice in a large bowl. Placing a second bowl on top allows it to evenly cool down.
Photography: Chris Court
© DONNA HAY GROUP
