Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake with Mirror Glaze
The ideal get-ahead finish to a festive meal. Chocoholics beware!
Hands-on time 50min, plus cooling and chilling. Cooking time about 1hr 20min. Serves 12
for the cake ◆ 75g (3oz) unsalted butter,
softened, plus extra to grease ◆ 225g (8oz) dark chocolate, chopped ◆ 3 medium eggs, separated ◆ 100g (3½oz) caster sugar for the chocolate mousse layer ◆ 150g (5oz) dark chocolate, chopped ◆ 200ml (7fl oz) double cream ◆ 2 medium eggs*, separated for the white chocolate mousse layer ◆ 3 sheets leaf gelatine, we used
Costa Fine-leaf ◆ 100g (3½oz) white chocolate,
chopped ◆ 2 medium eggs*, separated ◆ 2tsp vanilla extract ◆ 250ml (9fl oz) double cream for the mirror glaze ◆ 15g (½oz) sheets leaf gelatine,
about 8 ◆ 60ml (2½fl oz) double cream ◆ 60g (2½oz) cocoa powder ◆ 200g (7oz) granulated sugar ◆ 40g (1½oz) dark chocolate, chopped to decorate, optional ◆ Waitrose Cooks’ Homebaking
Bronze Crunch Pieces
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) springform cake tin with baking parchment. Line outside of tin with a few sheets of aluminium foil (to make tin water tight); sit in a large roasting tin. 2 For the cake, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Take off heat and set aside to cool for 5min. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the egg whites and half the sugar until fluffy. Add the rest of the sugar and continue beating until the meringue is thick and shiny. 3 Whisk the butter into the cooled chocolate, followed by the egg yolks. Stir in half the meringue mixture, then fold in the rest. Scrape into the prepared tin and smooth to level. Pour hot water into the roasting tin until it comes about 2.5cm (1in) up the outside of the cake tin. Bake for 40min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in tin (outside of water bath), then chill for 1hr (still in cake tin). 4 Remove cake from tin. Wash the cake tin. Reassemble and lightly grease sides and line base and sides neatly with baking parchment. Return cake to tin, top down. 5 To make the chocolate mousse layer, melt the chocolate as before. Set bowl aside to cool for 10min. Beat the cream in a bowl until it holds soft peaks. Whisk the yolks into the chocolate mixture. Next, with clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. 6 Scrape the cooled chocolate mixture into the cream and fold together. Fold in the egg whites, being careful to not over-fold. Scrape into the prepared tin, spreading to level (making sure it touches the sides). Chill for 30min. 7 To make the white chocolate mousse layer, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5min. Meanwhile, melt chocolate as before. Take bowl off heat. Lift gelatine out of water, squeeze out excess and stir into hot chocolate to dissolve. Stir in egg yolks and vanilla. Cool for 10min. 8 Beat the cream in a bowl until it holds soft peaks. With clean beaters, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the chocolate mixture into the cream, followed by the egg whites. Scrape into tin, level then chill to set, about 3hr. 9 Around 30min before you want to glaze the mousse cake, soak the gelatine sheets in cold water to soften, about 5min. Heat the cream, cocoa, sugar and 100ml (3½fl oz) water in a medium pan, whisking to dissolve. Bring to the boil, whisking, then take off heat, add chocolate and whisk again to dissolve. 10 Lift gelatine out of the water and squeeze out excess. Mix into the hot chocolate glaze to dissolve. Strain twice through a fine sieve into a glass jug (this step is important to remove any bubbles). Allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. 11 Unclip tin and transfer mousse cake to a rack positioned over a clean tray. Carefully peel off baking parchment. Pour on glaze, making sure it covers the top and drips evenly down the sides, spreading with a palette knife to help. If using, decorate with Bronze Crunch Pieces. Chill for 30min or until needed. 12 Transfer to a cake stand to serve. PER SERVING 645cals, 10g protein, 44g fat (26g saturates), 52g carbs (51g total sugars), 2g fibre GET AHEAD Make to end of step 8 a day ahead. Glaze up to 5hr ahead; chill.