Dark Chocolate and White Coffee Mousse Cake

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This mousse cake features three distinct layers: chocolate cake base, chocolate mousse center, and white coffee coffee topping.

Yield: one 8-inch round cake

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Inactive Steep Time45

Total Time1 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Servings:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a round 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a microwave safe bowl, melt together finely chopped chocolate and butter at half power for 60-90 seconds. Stop every 15 seconds to stir mixture. Continue to heat until mixture is smooth and melted. Make sure microwave is at half power, otherwise the chocolate will burn. Alternatively, melt chocolate and butter over a bain-marie.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and brown sugar. Beat until airy and light in color. Stir in vanilla and slightly cooled chocolate-butter mixture.
In another bowl, whisk together egg whites and salt. Beat until soft peaks. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter in three additions. Add sifted cornstarch and gently fold in until even distributed.
Pour batter into prepare cake mold. Bake for 15-20 minutes until top of cake springs back when touched and toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool slightly in pan before unfolding. Let cool on wire rack. The cake will slightly shrink in diameter.
Carefully remove parchment bottom. Cut cake to fit inside an 8-inch ring mold. Line ring mold with plastic cake wrap. Gently place cake at the bottom of the mold. Set aside as you prepare chocolate mousse.

Bloom gelatin sheet in a bowl of cold water for 3 minutes. Once soft, squeeze out excess water from gelatin sheet. Add gelatin to milk. Microwave for 10-15 seconds until gelatin has melted and milk is warm to the touch. Set aside.
Melt chocolate using microwave technique at half power or use a bain-marie. Let melted chocolate cool for 3-5 minutes.
Pour warm milk into melted chocolate in three additions. Use a rubber spatula to stir and combine mixture.
Beat cold heavy cream with an electric mixer to soft peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into chocolate batter in three additions.
Pour chocolate mousse on top of chocolate cake and level with a small offset spatula. Refrigerate cake as you prepare white chocolate coffee mousse.

In a small saucepot, bring milk and coffee beans to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30-45 minutes. Strain milk and discard coffee beans.
Similar to previous mousse, bloom gelatin sheet in a bowl of cold water. Squeeze out excess water and place gelatin in coffee milk. Microwave for 10-15 seconds until gelatin has melted and milk is warm to the touch.
Melt white chocolate using microwave technique at half power or use a bain-marie. Let melted chocolate cool slightly, then add milk mixture in three additions. Mix to combine.
Whip cold heavy cream using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Pour mousse on top of dark chocolate mousse and refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, dust top of cake with sifted cocoa powder and shaved chocolate. Carefully remove ring mold, unwrap cake, and serve.

Over-mixing the whipped cream will result into a grainy textured mousse. Whip whipped cream to SOFT peaks. It will continue to stiffen as you fold soft whipped cream into other ingredients.
Gelatin conversion:
- 1 (0.25 oz.) envelope granulated gelatin = 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin = 3 sheets leaf gelatin

Storage and Leftovers:

Keep acetate strip on until you are ready to serve cake. Otherwise, you run the risk of drying out the edges of the cake.
Uncut, fully assembled cake will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Overtime, the mousse will start to separate.
Store cake slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days.