Intense Chocolate Mousse Cake
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s recipe by Ashley Barajas
From Nigella Lawson: "There is very little that needs to be said about a chocolate mousse cake. This one lives up to its name. It is gloriously intense. But the whisked egg whites ensure that it has a balancing lightness. A slice of it, with a smattering of fresh raspberries and a dollop of cream, or better still, sour cream, is the perfect finale. It may also invite a certain inelegant gluttony at the end. I have noticed that even those who claim not to go in for desserts come back for more. The confectioners' sugar is optional, of course, and may be excluded for Passover."
Course Dessert
Cuisine Jewish, Passover, Pesach
9-inch springform pan
aluminum foil
microwave-safe bowl OR double boiler
mixing bowl
wire whisk or electric mixer with whisk attachment
roasting pan
tea kettle or pot for boiling water
spatula or spoon
Ingredients:
- 10 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 9 tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 large eggs room temperature and separated
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 tsp confectioners' sugar *see attached note at bottom
PREPARATION
Heat oven to 350° degrees. Position the oven rack in the lower center of the oven. Cover the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with a double layer of foil and lightly butter or oil.
Using a microwave oven or double boiler, melt together chocolate and butter; set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until pale, frothy and increased in volume. Whisk in brandy, then fold in chocolate mixture. Place a kettle of water over heat, and bring it to a boil**.
Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and salt until thick. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and continue to whisk until stiff and shiny but not dry.
Fold about 1/2 cup whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in remaining whites, being careful not to let the mixture deflate.
Pour mixture into lightly-buttered springform pan, and place pan in a roasting pan. Add boiling water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 45 minutes; top of cake will be hard and inside will be gooey.
Remove cake pan from water, and place on a rack to cool completely. Unwrap foil and remove side of springform pan. Place cake on a serving platter. Just before serving, dust top with confectioners' sugar passed through a sieve.
* Confectioner’s sugar has corn starch but the Rabbinical Assembly has now since approved corn for consumption during Passover. If you do not wish to use it, you can either omit or make your own with 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon potato starch in a food processor until you achieve the desired consistency.
** Alternate cooking: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Omit water bath and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and crack open oven door and let cake remain in oven for an additional 15 minutes.
Revised Recipe PDF
Link to original recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11001-intense-chocolate-mousse-cake Keyword Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Passover Cake, Passover Desserts
