Chocolate Mousse Cake

6/27/2006

For the chocolate cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

pound unsalted butter, soft but

still cool

4 large eggs, room temperature

5 cups cake fl our, sifted

cup unsweetened Dutchprocessed

cocoa powder, sifted

2 tablespoons baking soda

teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

For the chocolate mousse:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

4 large pasteurized eggs, separated

cup sugar

cup heavy cream

For the chocolate ganache:

1 pint heavy cream

24 ounces semisweet chocolate

chips

4 tablespoons soft butter

Cook s note: At City Tavern, the Chocolate Mousse

Cake was served as mousse between two layers. This

recipe from the cookbook says to slice the layers in

half horizontally so there are four layers of cake and

three layers of mousse. Either way works.

To prepare the chocolate cake: Preheat oven to

350 degrees. Lightly spray two 9 or 10-inch round or

springform cake pans with vegetable cooking spray

and line bottoms with parchment paper circles. In

the bowl of an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter

on medium high to light and fl uffy, scraping the side

of bowl often.

Add eggs slowly, scraping bowl often. In a separate

bowl, sift together the fl our, cocoa powder, baking

soda, and salt. Add to the butter-sugar mixture alternating

with the milk. Divide the batter between two

prepared pans (don t overfi ll; bake any excess batter

as cupcakes or a small cake). Bake 30 to 35 minutes

until fi rm to the touch, or until a toothpick inserted

in the middle comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on

wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans

and completely cool.

To prepare the chocolate mousse: Place water

in bottom pan of a double boiler so that the top of

the water is inch below the upper pan. Place the

chocolate squares in the upper pan. Then place the

double boiler over the low heat. Stir the chocolate

constantly until it is melted. The water in the bottom

of the double boiler should not come to boiling while

the chocolate is melting. Remove melted chocolate

from heat. Add pasteurized egg yolks and beat well.

Set aside to cool.

In a chilled bowl of an electric mixer with chilled

beaters, beat the cup of heavy cream on low to medium

until soft peaks form. Cover with plastic wrap

and refrigerate until chilled. In a separate clean and

dry bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites

until they begin to foam, slowly add the cup sugar,

and whip to medium stiff peaks. Gently fold the

chilled whipped cream into the chocolate mixture

until the cream is just combined into the mixture.

Do not overfold. Gently fold the reserved whites into

the chocolate until just combined. Cover the mixture

with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour

before using.

To make the ganache: In a heavy 1-quart saucepan,

bring 2 cups heavy cream and soft butter just

to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from

heat. In a large bowl, place chocolate chips. Pour hot

cream over chocolate and let set 1 minute. Whisk to

thoroughly combine ingredients and allow to cool.

When mixture is room temperature, cover with plastic

and refrigerate until 1 hour before ready to use.

To assemble the cake: When the cake has cooled

completely, using a serrated knife, carefully cut each

cake in half horizontally to make a total of 4 layers, 2

per cake. To assemble, place fi rst cake layer on large

serving plate. Alternate cake layers and mousse fi lling,

spreading mousse evenly onto each cake layer.

Frost the outside of the cake with Chocolate Ganache.

Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Source: City Tavern Cookbook