Vanilla and Chocolate Mousse Cake
Creamy, light and absolutely divine vanilla and chocolate mousse cake.
Equipment
- Please read "WHAT IS THE BEST PAN TO LAYER AND ASSEMBLE THIS MOUSSE CAKE?" topic above!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 100 grams (3.5 oz) toasted ground hazelnuts
- 6 egg whites from large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
- pinch of salt
For the Filling:
- 20 grams (0.7 oz) unflavored ground gelatin
- 350 ml (11.8 fl oz, 1 1/2 cup-1 tbsp) cold water
- 250 grams (1 1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1000 grams (4 cups) heavy cream
- 100 grams (3.5 oz) dark chocolate chopped
Chocolate ganache
- 120 grams (4 oz) dark chocolate finely chopped
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) heavy cream
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven 350 °F (180 °C).
- Line the bottom and the sides of springform/round baking pan with parchment paper. Please read a topic above about what baking pan to use.
- I n a large bowl, add egg whites and about 1/3 of the sugar and using electric mixer beat on low speed. Gradually increase the speed and beat until the mixture begins to look frothy, then add the remaining sugar and salt. Continue beating until the meringue looks shiny (soft-peak stage).
- Using rubber spatula gently fold in ground toasted hazelnuts and sifted cocoa powder until fully incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. The cake will be puffy but will deflate as it cools. Let it cool to room temperature.
Filling:
- In a large saucepan pour water and add gelatin and allow it to dissolve for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy, about 5 minutes.
- Pour egg mixture into gelatin mixture and cook it on low heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes, or when mixture comes to boil. *see note 2.
- Divide mixture into two equal parts and pour it into 2 bowls. In one half add chopped dark chocolate, stir and allow it to melt and in another half add vanilla extract. Stir occasionally both mixture to prevent top from hardening. Allow it to cool to room temperature, until you mix heavy cream.
- While gelatin mixture cools, using stand or hand-held mixer, whipp half of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Pour in cooled chocolate gelatin mixture (be sure that mixture is not hot, otherwise it will start to melt whipped cream.), and using a rubber spatula mix gently until fully incorporated and there is no visible streaks of whipped cream. Spread onto cooled cake. Put the pan into refrigerator until you make vanilla mixture.
- Whipp other half of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Pour vanilla gelatin mixture and using rubber spatula mix gently until fully incorporated and there is no visible streaks of whipped cream. Spread vanilla mixture over chocolate mixture and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Make chocolate ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Place heavy cream in another heatproof bowl and microwave until very hot, almost boiling for about 1-2 minutes. Pour over chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. With a metal spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Remove cake from the fridge, then remove springform (if using round cake pan with loose bottom, lift it from the cake pan) and carefully remove parchment paper and spoon the ganache little by little around the sides and let drip off the sides. Do this with a small spoon and do one drip at the time. Then spoon or pour the rest of the ganache on top of the cake (maybe you don't need all) and level with an offset spatula.
- Place cake in the fridge for 15 minutes or until ganache hardens a bit. Decorate with chocolate shavings, fresh fruit, etc.
- Store it in the fridge in airtight container.
Notes
Note 1. I always suggest using a kitchen scale. If you don't have one, buy it! They are cheap and you will always ensure same results in baking!
Note 2. Before I pour gelatin and egg mixture into two same size pots, I beat mixture with hand mixer to prevent making clumps. I advise you to do the same.
Tried this recipe?Tag @mihaela_biteitquick on Instagram! I would love to see what you've baked!