Double chocolate mousse cake
Double chocolate mousse cake with crème fraîche, cherries + pistachios
Serves 8
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
This recipe is based on a Danish classic called Gateau Marcel. I’ve added some tips to make it the perfect prep ahead Summer holiday/ Christmas/ anytime dessert.
This recipe is great as you make one recipe, but bake half into a loaf tin and then when it has cooled you add the remaining mousse on top! It then goes into the freezer. You can even pre slice (pop it back into the freezer pre sliced) and it is ready to be platted. Just leave it at room temperature for 10-20 minutes and then all you need to do is add the toppings.
This was very much enjoyed by all. The cherries and the crème fraiche balance out the richness and sweetness of the mousse and the pistachio or any toasted nut, adds a layer of texture. See notes for more tips.
Serves 8-10 or up to 16 if you are full after Christmas and only want a little taste or perhaps there are other dessert options.
Notes:
I used frozen sweet dark cherries for the cherry part. If I was using fresh, I probably wouldn’t cook them, rather just mix fresh pitted cherries in orange juice and zest.
A note on eggs. My eggs are small here so I used 6 eggs. It ended up being 180g whites and 90g of yolks. Use 5 eggs if yours are large.
See end of recipe for an alternative to cherries. It is also great with no fruit and just the crème fraiche, toasted nuts and flaky salt.
INGREDIENTS
Mousse
200g unsalted butter
200g 70% dark chocolate
5-6 eggs - separated, see note on eggs
200g caster sugar – I used half white, half golden
1 tsp flaky salt
Cherries
400 g pitted dark and sweet cherries
1 orange – zest and juice
1 splash Cointreau – optional
To serve
200g crème fraîche
½ cup slithered pistachio or any lightly toasted nut - hazelnut / walnut/ peanut or toasted coconut flakes would work
METHOD
Line a 23 x 13cm and 7cm loaf tin well with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 170 fan.
Chocolate mousse
Melt the butter and chocolate together on a low heat or over a double boiler until the chocolate ¾ melted. Remove and stir until fully melted. Add in the tsp of flaky salt and set aside.
Separate the eggs. The whites will make a French meringue with half the sugar and the yolks and remaining sugar get mixed together. Make sure no yolk gets into the whites and the bowl is super clean for the meringue. Use a stand mixer or hand beaters. The bowl for the yolks needs to be large so that the meringue can eventually get folded into it.
Meringue and yolks
Add the whites to a clean bowl with a pinch of salt and beat with a whisk attachment until frothy. Slowly add the sugar 1 T at a time. Whisk for a further 3-5 minutes. Test the meringue by rubbing a little through your fingers, it’s ready when you can’t feel any sugar.
While it’s beating (unless you don’t have any free hands!) Whisk the yolks and sugar together until pale and fluffy. I just did this by hand.
Fold the chocolate butter mix into the yolk mix in 3 parts.
Then fold the meringue into the chocolate yolk mix in three parts. Fold it gently by scooping down and folding over. You want all the air to remain but you also don’t want any bits of egg white either. Slowly does it.
Approximately half will go into the tin. About 400-450g will do. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Leave the remaining mousse on the bench.
Cooking and storing
When it is cooked, the mousse will have risen to the top of the tin, because there is no leavening agent it will then collapse. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Gently push down the mousse cake so it is in an even layer. When 30 minutes is up, spread the remaining chocolate mousse on top and even out the top. Freeze until set.
Once frozen, cover well.
Freezing this mousse is the easiest way to get it out of the tin and to also slice it. You can either slice it and plate it, or slice it and layer it between baking paper and pop it in a container and back in the freezer. Use a hot, sharp knife to slice it.
Cherries
Place the frozen cherries in a pot with the orange zest and juice and Cointreau if using. Once the cherries are thawed and soft but still whole, remove them then reduce the liquid down by half. Pour back over the cherries. These can be done in advance.
To serve
Add slices to a serving plate. Let the frozen mousse turn back to mousse at room temp. Dollop on a tablespoon of crème fraîche and top with cherries and pistachio. Add a little bit of flaky salt to finish.
Double chocolate mousse cake with crème fraiche, cherries + pistachio
A crowd pleaser for sure!
As an alternative to cherries, oranges are delicious with this mousse cake. They also can be made in advance.
Syrupy oranges
50 g sugar
100 g water
1 orange , zest of plus slice up or segment the flesh
2 orange (3 total) peeled and sliced - one blood orange is also lovely
Method
Peel and slice the 3 oranges. Do it over a plate so you can catch any juice.
Heat the sugar, orange zest and water in a small pot and bring to a simmer and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Cool.
Add the orange slices and juice into the syrup and let them sit for a while. I made them in advance and put them in the fridge. They were still great the next day too.
