Luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake (9" round)

Tomorrow its Ling's birthday and I had promise to make her a Chocolate Cake because she is a chocoholics.

Chocolate is also my all-time favourite special occasion cake. Not only does it wow people presentation-wise, but it’s pretty knock-your-socks-off tasty as well. Unless you’re a chocolate hater, this recipe isn’t for you.

Time is not at my side as I only have a few hours to prepare cake after work and I still need to source for the balance ingredients as we had only confirm the celebration yesterday for tomorrow gathering!

I pick this dense cake that offers an intense chocolate experience, complete with fudgy frosting for Ling. I always giddy with excitement when trying new recipe. You look forward to the outcome and fear if it don't succeed. The process of making this cake may be cumbersome due to many step, but definitely worth it. I hope she will enjoy the little surprise, people will rave at the cake, the skies will part and a rainbow will shine down on Ling and glitter will fall from the sky! Haha…

Are you ready to be self-indulgent?

Recipe: Luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake
Makes: 9" round tin

Ingredients:
Base Ingredients
A
• 120g egg whites
• 125g sugar (i use 80g)
B (Sifted)
• 20g corn flour
• 10g cake flour
• 20g cocoa powder
C
• 10g vanilla essence

Method:
1. Whip A till stiff. Add B 0 Mix till thoroughly combined. Lastly add C and slowly stir till combined.
2. Spread it into a grease and lined 9" round mould.
3. Bake at 150 deg C for 20 minutes. Leave to cool in oven with the door open ajar.

Cake Ingredients:
A
• 4 egg yolks
• 45g melted butter
• 75g water
• 30g cocoa powder 
• 60g sugar (i use 50g)
• 1g salt
• 90g cake flour
• 5g baking powder
• 10g vanilla essence
• 20g chocolate paste
• 10g ovalett
B
• 4 egg whites
• 4g cream of tartar
• 80g sugar (i use 60g)

Method:
1. Whip A till fluffy.
2. Whip B till soft peak. Fold both the mixture till lightly combined.
3. Pour it into a greased and lined 9" round tin. Bake at 180 deg C for about 30 minutes or till just firm to touch.
4. Leave to cool and cut into 2 layers.

Mocha Mousse Ingredients:
A
• 300g convertures' chocolate (i use 52% 250g, 72% 50g. u can try 40% milk convertures if u prefer sweeter taste)
• 100g unsalted butter
• 8g coffee powder
B
• 3 egg yolks
• 120g sugar (i use 100g)
C
• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 250g sour cream
D
• 500g whipped cream
E
• 8g gelatine sheet (soak in cold water for 5min and dissolves over a bowl of hot water.

Method:
1. Melt A over double boiler and keep it warm. (the mixture must not be tepid, and do not refrigerate!)
2. Whisk B till fluffy and white. Add warmed A slowly into B mixture.
3. Whisk lightly C till well-combined and add to the above mixture slowly.
4. Whisk D till firm perks and combined the mixture slowly with a spatula, add in E slowly in sequence.

ASSEMBLY
1. Place the base on a 10" board and spread the MOCHA MOUSSE onto it evenly.
2. Add a layer of the cake on top and repeat spreading the mousse till all the cake layers have been used up.
3. Cover the whole cake with the mousse and decorate with chocolate or chocolate ganache (optional) as desired.

Inspired by: Elisabeth Siahaja - Chocolate Love

Result: The overall taste is decadent, fabulous, absolutely divine and worth every calorie! HOWEVER, I felt the writer is not being honest in her recipe book. The mousse is too watery to be used and method to mix the mousse is not accurate, therefore I had edited to my own way. I left it overnight to make it more thick, but still not firm. Most recipe require to whip the cream on high speed until soft peaks form, however this recipe didn't.

I change from gelatine powder to gelatine sheet and different measurement. And
The Ganache in this recipe is way too much for a 8" or even 9" cake. You only require 1/3 of it if you are using to spread the top and outer layer of the cake.

Whip the cream until soft peaks form and add into the chocolate mixture. Chocolate should be room temperature, not cool. If it is too cool, the chocolate will flake when it comes in contact with the cold cream. If it is too hot, the cream will fall a part. Chill the mousse until ready to spread onto your cake. Then refrigerate for another at least 4 hours or up to overnight before you spread the chocolate ganache and it's ready to serve.

Psst: 2nd time i make this cake is a success! therefore i had edited the ingredients and methods above. For 6" recipe, click here!