Tuesday, March 29, 2011

triple chocolate mousse cakes


As soon as I saw this post, I knew that I wanted to make this dessert.  But, the recipe uses raw eggs that are not cooked all the way through (not recommended for kids).  Then I remembered an episode of America's Test Kitchen where they made a triple chocolate mousse cake, with no raw eggs!  So I used that recipe instead, and made them into individual cakes.  The perfect occasion arose when we went to visit the California Academy of Sciences Museum with my friends Sue and Cecila and our significant others and kids - I made these as snacks for us, but we ended up eating them after the museum, following a belated birthday dinner for Sue.


Since I didn't have a whole bunch ramekins of the same size, I used four 3.5-inch ramekins, two 3-inch ramekins, and then improvised with four additional 3-inch cake rings with which I lined the bottom with aluminum foil.  I buttered all of these and then dusted them with cocoa powder.


The bottom layer of the dessert was a moist chocolate cake.  The recipe from ATK uses a flourless chocolate cake, but I decided to use my favorite homemade chocolate chocolate recipe instead.  This may have been a bad decision, as the cake baked in the cake rings all fell apart when I unmolded them!  I suppose the flourless chocolate cake would have provided a more stable and dense cake, but in the end I was glad I went with the regular chocolate cake, since the resulting cake was very moist and not too heavy with the mousse. 


After trimming the cakes to be one-inch tall and then surrounding them with little parchment paper cuffs, I used a pastry bag to pipe and fill them with the middle layer - a rich bittersweet chocolate mousse - and then let them set in the fridge for about an hour.  Then I piped the top layer, which was a light white-chocolate mousse.  Normally I am not a big fan of white chocolate, but in this case it complimented the dessert well (and made for a nice color contrast).


And with the leftover pieces of cake trimmings and leftover mousse, I used drinking glasses to assemble little parfaits (can't let leftover cake and mousse go to waste!).

56 comments:

  1. Oh my... I've tried triple chocolate mousse tart in Italy last year, which was perfection on a plate and have been trying to find a similar recipe to it! Yours look I must say come pretty close to it. Beautifully done :)

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  2. @gourmantine - thank you! i'm extra flattered especially since i am in awe of your food blog!

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  3. This looks soooo delicious! I might have to try to make these for my hubby - I know he'd love them! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. @Amy Ross - the recipe is in the link to America's Test Kitchen site:
    http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/detail.php?docid=20859

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  5. Oh wow, I want to eat the entire row of the triple chocolate mouse cakes as shown in the last picture. These are very pretty and look delicious. I like that you used an Ina Garten recipe for the cake portion - I just can't get enough of her!

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  6. Would love the recipe. Can't get it off ATK unless I subscribe to their "free" trial.

    Dianne

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  7. Oh wow this looks delicious! I love Mousse!!!! Sending some #chocolatelove your way! Stop by my blogs and say hello!

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  8. @Dianne - no problem, just send me your email address and i'll send you a picture of recipe from the ATK book!

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  9. Hi! I've been looking for the perfect flourless triple chocolate cake recipe, and this might just be it!! They look amazingly delicious! I went to ATK site but it seems that you have to subscribe in order to get the recipe. Would it be possible to get the recipe from you?

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    1. @Lily - no problem! just send me your email address and i'll send it to you! thanks!

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    2. I would love to make that yummy moose dessert,you are a wondeful artist.lindagencorelli@hotmail.com
      I am making my daughter a baby shower,maybe you can give me some good ideas of what to make,she is having a boy.
      Thank you so much,Linda

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    3. @Anonymous - will email you the recipe right away! :)

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    4. Absolutely beautiful!! I would love the recipe, too. tfsportsfan@att.net

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    5. @Sandra - just sent you the recipe! let me know how it turns out! :)

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    6. I would love the recipe also, it looks so light and indulgent!! mexigirl1977@yahoo.com

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    7. @Veronica Littrell - sure, sending it to you now! enjoy! :)

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  10. Hi Michele,
    What a lovely cake you made! Could you pls share the recipe? I would like to make a mousse cake for my husband's birthday next week. And I've tried accessing ATK's website, but it seems you need to subscribe to it...
    Would really appreciate your help! Many thanks...

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    1. @a.chander - sure, i can send it to you! just send me your email address and i'll get it to you right away! you can click the link under "contact me" to send me an email!

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  11. hi there! i am a homemaker and i want to try this cake for my little one can u pls....share the recipe......my email is jennifercruz526@yahoo.com. tnks a lot and god blesss u always!

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    1. @Anonymous - hi jennifer! i just sent you the recipe! let me know how it turns out! :)

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  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  13. Looks fantastic. Little work of art!! May I please have the recipe.
    My email is jpc70@y7mail.com
    Thanks Jeremy

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    1. @JPC - hi jeremey! just sent you an email with the recipe! enjoy!

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  14. Hi there, I was looking for a chocolate mousse cake without raw eggs & you have found pure perfection it seems! LOvely cake!!!!
    Please send me the recipe for the chocolate mouse, my email address is

    movegirl2011@gmail.com

    Thanks so much for sharing your work & recipes so generously!!

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    1. @Anonyous, no problem, i just sent it to your email! enjoy! :)

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    2. Thank you very much Michele, you're doing an awesome job! Can't wait to try this out!

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  15. This looks amazing! Could you send me the recipe please? Thank you! Brookeranta@yahoo.com

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    1. @Anonymous - sure, i just sent you an email! let me know how it turns out for you! :)

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  16. Hi,

    I'm having my in-laws over for supper on the weekend and want to impress them. This looks like a wonderful dessert. Could I get the recipe.

    Thanks so much!

    Stavroula
    pseftra@hotmail.com

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  17. Hi .This looks amazing!I would like to do it for a family dinner Could you send me the recipe please?Thank you!Kamialh 0902@hotmail.com

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    1. just sent you the recipe! enjoy!

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    2. hmm ... tried Kamialh0902@hotmail.com and 0902@hotmail.com and both were returned as undeliverable...

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  18. I would love this recipe as well please!! My email is sandy_hynh@yahoo.com. Thank you so much!!

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  19. Where is the recipe?

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    1. @Anonymous - send me an email, i'll gladly send you the recipe!

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  20. I would love this recipe, I'd been looking for a recipe minus the raw eggs...I love your idea of making it a whole cake rather than ramekin sized. My email is misshopey@gmail.com. Thank you so much!

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    1. @Hopey Rodriguez - just sent you the recipe! enjoy! :)

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  21. Please send the recipe for the whole cake to me at smilecam77 [at sign] gmail [dot] com. Thank you!

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  22. pls send the receip to shenaz4u@gmail.com

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    1. @shanu's - sending you the recipe now! enjoy! :)

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  23. Wow that looks amazing. Are you able to also send me the recipe please beef_special@hotmail.com
    Thank you :)

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    1. @kimmysphere - thank you! i've just emailed you the recipe!

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  24. Would love the recipe as well. Thank you very much! bunkiesbakery@gmail.com

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  25. Will someone please just post the recipe here?

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    1. i don't like to post other people's recipes so i tend to just link to them. the recipe can be found here:
      http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/detail.php?docid=20859
      but if you don't have access to ATK i can email it to you as well. thanks!

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  26. This recipe looks awesome! May I have the recipe as well? My email address is trina913@yahoo.com. Thank you!!

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    1. @Katrina Johnson - no problem! i've just emailed it to you! enjoy! :)

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  27. This is lovely! I would love the recipe. It is possible to email it? My address is nickyglevy@gmail.com Thanks!

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  28. Hi Michele,

    That dessert looks awesome. Can you please send me the recipe? My email address is dcatanyag@hotmail.com
    I am sure this will be well received this Thanksgiving.

    Thanks in advance. Dennis.

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