Chocolate Mousse Cake

This decadent chocolate mousse cake is a perfect make ahead dessert option. It's easy to put together, tastes amazing and lends itself to plating with lots of different accompaniments.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Makes one loaf tin sized mousse cake.

• Make one chocolate mud cake recipe in a shallow slice tin.
• Once cooled, prepare a high sided loaf tin with a light oil spray and baking paper.
• Cut a piece of the slab cake to fit snuggly in the bottom of the loaf tin. (You can drizzle the cake with 1/8 of a cup of sugar syrup, liqueur or sherry if you like).
• Make the chocolate mousse.

Chocolate Mousse 

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
• 1 tablespoon water
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
• 35g (1 oz) butter
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoon icing sugar

  Method:

• Place gelatine and water into a small bowl to bloom.
• Put the chocolate, butter and cocoa powder into a small saucepan. Heat over a medium heat until melted and smooth.
• Remove from the heat and stir the gelatine mixture through until it's completely dissolved.
• Cool to room temperature (not cold or hot to touch).
• Add the yolks, one at a time and whisk through quickly. (If the chocolate is too hot it will cook the egg yolks). Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until soft peaks form.
• In another bowl, whisk the egg whites, gradually adding the icing sugar until thick and glossy.
• Gently fold the egg white mixture through the chocolate mixture.
• Fold in the whipped cream until completely combined.
• Pour onto the cake slab and leave to set in the fridge.
• Make chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

• 60ml (2 fl oz) cream
• 125g (5 oz) dark chocolate

Method:

• Bring the cream to the boil.
• Turn off the heat and whisk in the chocolate.
• Whisk until smooth and glossy - all the chocolate should be completely melted.
• Leave to cool a little, then pour over the set chocolate mousse and return to the fridge to set completely.
• Pop the finished mousse cake into the freezer about an hour before you cut it so that you get a nice crisp cut. (Make sure you use a hot knife and wipe it dry in between cuts for a better presentation).