Chocolate Mousse Cake with Mirror Glaze

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This chocolate mousse cake is an entremet made with a chocolate insert and a mirror glaze. Light and airy chocolate mousse made with cooked eggs surround a dense flourless chocolate cake covered with white chocolate and condensed milk-based mirror glaze.

It is wonderful to see that aha moment when people see the hidden chocolate torte inside this chocolate mousse cake. The mirror glaze is the most in trend and one that's so easy to master.

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About this mousse cake

The cake is quite simple and easy to make but it does have a lot of waiting time in between steps. There are three components to the dessert, the torte, mousse, and glaze. Each, of course, is independent on its own.

• The chocolate torte is my flourless chocolate cake - it can be eaten as a dessert on its own or serve warm with a dollop of ice cream. But inside this, it adds a very different texture (dense) compared to the light and airy mousse.
• The chocolate mousse is the classic recipe I've used before in a few recipes. While it can be poured into individual serving cups or silicon molds today we freeze it in a springform pan for this entremet.
• The mirror glaze is white chocolate and gelatin-based often used on entremets. This glaze, when poured over a cake gives an ultra-shiny appearance like the surface of a mirror. Hence the name mirror glaze.
• Timeline and process
  • Chocolate Torte - 60 mins then chill for at least 3 hours
  • Chocolate mousse - 30 mintues
  • Assemble -10 minutes - freeze 6 hours.
  • Mirror glaze - 30 minutes
  • Thawing - The cake needs to thaw in the fridge for at least 4 to 6 hours so it's not hard.

Ingredients and substitution

• Eggs - Here, I am cooking the yolks and whites so any eggs will work. If you want to use raw eggs I suggest you look for pasteurized eggs.
• Whipping cream - This has got to be 35 to 38 % fat or the mousse will not set. For the topping, you can use any whipped cream.
• Chocolate - You can use any good quality chocolate - dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate. I am using 60% coverture Callebaut chocolate.
• Butter - I always use unsalted butter so I can control the quantity of salt in my baked recipe but if salted butter is all you have, feel free to use it. Just omit the salt in the recipe.
• Gelatin - This is what helps the mirror glaze stick to the cake. So yes a critical element. Use a good quality non-flavored gelatin for the best results
• Condensed milk - Believe it or not this is the star of the show in this recipe. This is where that mirror glaze effect comes into play. Condensed milk is usually sold in cans but can be made at home too. You can use homemade condensed milk too.
• White Chocolate - We use white so we can play with color and achieve all those different colors but you can use dark chocolate too! Of course, once you add dark chocolate there is only one color - brown - so you won't be able to make the blue, reds, and all those fancy colors.

Step by step instructions

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Chocolate insert

• Preheat the oven to 300°F/ 150°C / Gas Mark 2
• Line a 9-inch round springform cake pan with parchment paper on the inside and wrap with aluminum foil on the outside
  Pro tip - the parchment on the inside is for easy removal and the foil will prevent water from getting into the pan when baked in a water bath (similar to a cheesecake)
• Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl until all the chocolate has melted. Then, add the sugar and combine until all the sugar has almost dissolved.
  Pro tip - the heat in the chocolate will help dissolve the sugar and the sugar will help cool the chocolate before the eggs go in.

• Next, add the eggs one at a time making sure to incorporate each egg before you add the next.
  Pro tip - adding eggs one at a time will emulsify with the butter better and incorporate easily.
• Finally, add the coffee/espresso mixture and vanilla extract.
  Pro tip - The color of your chocolate torte will depend on the chocolate you use. A higher percentage of cocoa will give a dark chocolate torte.
• Pour into the prepared baking pan. Place the pan in a baking tray on the center rack. Pour hot water on the outside of the pan – about 2 cups.
  Pro tip - the water outside the pan will create moisture in the oven preventing the cake from drying out. So the cake essentially bakes in a wet steam oven rather than dry air.
• Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes. When done the center should be almost set.
  Pro tip - It will continue to cook in the residue heat and will set further as it cools.
• Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes then cool completely before you wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until ready to use.
  Pro tip - the cake will be slightly puffed up when just baked, but it will sink as it cools.

Chocolate Mousse

• Place a saucepan with 2-inches of water on medium heat. You will need 3 heat-proof bowls that can be set on the saucepan.
• Bowl 1 - In the first bowl, add the chocolate and butter. Place it over the saucepan with simmering water. Let the chocolate melt. Stirring when needed. Set aside to cool slightly.
  Pro tip - Chocolate can seize if any steam gets into it. So, keep the heat on medium to low and stir as necessary.
• Bowl 2 - In the second bowl, add the egg yolks and 2 tbsp of sugar. Combine well. Then, place it over the saucepan with simmering water. Using a whisk, stir continuously until all the sugar is melted and the yolks are barely warm. And set aside.
  Pro tip - You want the heat to be on medium to low (not high) to prevent the eggs from cooking. You don't need a thermometer but as a guide, it should be about 149 F.
• Bowl 3 - In the third bowl, add the egg whites and the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar. Place it over the saucepan with simmering water. Use a clean whisk to stir until all the sugar has melted. We want the mixture barely warm.
  Pro tip - Keep the heat on medium to low (not heigh) to prevent the eggs from cooking. You don't need a thermometer but as a guide, it should be about 144 F.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream with vanilla extract to almost stiff peaks - And set aside.
• Using the same mixer and whisk attachment (no need to clean the bowl), whip the egg yolks until light and fluffy - set aside.
• Clean the mixer bowl and whisk attachment as we need a clean grease-free bowl. Then whip the egg whites to stiff peaks - And set aside.
  Pro tip - It is very important to clean the bowl and whisk as any grease will prevent the egg whites from whipping to a stiff meringue.
• Combine
  • First, add the whipped yolks to the chocolate mixture - fold gently but don't overmix.
  • Next, add the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture - fold gently but don't overmix.
  • Finally, add the whipped egg whites to the chocolate mixture - fold gently until you have no white streaks.

Assemble

• Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and a cake collar on the sides.
• Pour the chocolate mousse into the prepared pan. Then place the chilled chocolate insert in the mousse. Shake the pan and smooth the mousse around so it is a flat surface.
  Pro tip - chocolate insert is heavy so I prefer to place it on the bottom of the mousse cake but you can push it more towards the center if you prefer.
• Wrap the springform pan in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight until firm
  Pro tip - make sure the pan is on a flat surface so the cake is leveled otherwise you will have a slanted mousse cake.

Mirror Glaze

• Add half the water in a small bowl with gelatin and let it soak for 3 to 5 mins to bloom. 
  Pro tip - it is important that the gelatin soak well or it can give you a very grainy glaze.
• In a heavy-based saucepan - add glucose, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and remaining water. Let come to a boil over low to medium heat.
  Pro tip - a heavy-bottom pan will prevent the condensed milk from scotching a the bottom. If it does do not scrape it as it will ruin the taste and texture of the glaze.

• Once all the sugar has dissolved - and the mixture has come to a nice slow boil. Take it off the heat. Let rest for a minute before you add the white chocolate.
  Pro tip - the reason we let it cool a minute is so that the white chocolate does not split as soon as it is added to the boiling mixture.
• Next, add the soaked/bloomed gelatin - Let it melt
  Pro tip -The heat in the mixture should be enough to melt the white chocolate.If not, use an immersion blender for just a few seconds

• Strain the mixture through a sieve or mesh.
  Pro tip - we strain to remove any undissolved gelatin or unmelted chocolate.
• Divide the glaze into the number of colors you need for your project. Color the glaze with food gel colors. I made ¼ cup water using titanium white gel food color and the rest I dyed into ice blue.
• Let the glaze come to almost room temperature between 90°to 95°F
  Pro tip- You don't want the glaze too hot as it can melt the dessert, but also, not too thick. It should be a pouring consistency otherwise it will not flow down the dessert.

• Pouring the glaze - place the frozen cake on a cooling rack over a large plate or baking sheet so the excess will drip down on the cake. Pour the glaze in a circular motion starting with one or two colors based on the desired effect. Use an off-set spatula to blend the colors.
  Pro tip - If you have air bubbles in the mirror glaze, hold the glaze a bit higher so the bubbles disperse before they flow down to the cake.
• Thawing - The cake needs to thaw in the fridge for at least 4 to 6 hours so it's not hard when you serve.

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Tips

• The chocolate you use will determine how delicious this cake turns out. Get a chocolate bar from the supermarket but pick one you would enjoy eating. NO cooking chocolate, and not compound chocolate.
• Plan this dessert in advance so you have enough to do the necessary steps
• The chocolate torte does not need to be frozen hard but since it delicate chilling it for at least 3 hours will make it easier to handle.
• The mousse must be prepared only after the torte is chilled because once prepared it does start to set.
• The mousse cake must be frozen otherwise it will be difficult to mold out of the cake.
• Make sure the cake is frozen for a few hours so the glaze solidifies as soon as it hits the cold cake. 
• The temperature of the glaze is important. You need the glaze to be pouring consistency at a temperature between 90 to 95 F.
• Glazes made with perishable ingredients like this one with condensed milk should always be refrigerated.
• Plan the colors you are going to use in advance and take note that both white chocolate, gelatine, and condensed milk are not white. So you are starting off with an off-white base. Some colors don't do well with this base. You may need more. 
• Mirror glaze is not white so if you need white you will need to use white gel food color also called titanium oxide. 
• Once glazed the cake must be left in the fridge to thaw so the moose is not too cold to cut. 
• Other pans for this cake. You can also use a silicone mold to set the mousse as I did in my chocolate mousse heart cake

Frequently asked questions

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