Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Torte Recipes

Steps:

• Finely chop chocolate; reserve. In a double boiler, whisk yolks, sugar, and salt until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, quickly whisk in chopped chocolate until melted and cocoa until smooth (mixture will be thick). Cool to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Whisk half of whipped cream into room-temperature chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula. Divide mousse among four serving dishes. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Remove mousse from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with shaved chocolate.

Steps:

• Make mousse: Put chocolate in a large bowl, and set aside. Heat 1 1/2 cups cream over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan until cream is steaming and small bubbles form on edges.
• Pour cream over chocolate. Stir until mixture is smooth. Let cool completely.
• Put remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture, one-third at a time.
• Assemble torte: Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on sides. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) over bottom of pan to cover. Arrange 5 cookies on top in a single layer to cover, breaking them to fit as necessary. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) on top to cover; smooth into an even layer. Repeat process with remaining cookies and mousse until pan is full.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto surface, and refrigerate torte until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
• Remove plastic wrap from surface. Invert torte onto a serving plate; unmold, using overhang to coax it out. Remove plastic wrap. Dust with cocoa.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Grease the top of the paper, too.
• In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt together chocolate and butter. Heat in 30-60 second increments and stir well after each to avoid overcooking the mixture. Cool for 5-8 minutes.
• Pour butter mixture into a large mixing bowl and add chocolate. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Stir in flour, cinnamon, cayenne and salt, followed by the pecans and chocolate chips.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 38-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, with a few crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a serving platter. Remove parchment paper and cool completely.
• Before serving, whisk together 2 tbsp cocoa powder with 1 tsp cinnamon. Sift over the top of the torte.

Steps:

• To make the sour cream cake: butter and flour an 8 or 9 inch cake pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks and the vanilla. In a measuring jug, whisk the sour cream and the milk together until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture alternately to the creamed butter mixture, ending with the milk mixture. Fold in the egg whites, then pour into the prepared pan. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a plate and continue cooling to room temperature. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to finish the cake.
• To make the almond praline: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and the water over low heat. Stir together until the sugar has melted, then increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced almonds with the sugar syrup and toss until well coated. With a slotted spoon, transfer the nuts to a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let the nuts cool and break them apart. The nuts should remain whole but be coated with a sugary golden coating.
• To make the chocolate mousse: chill a bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer in the freezer for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a double boiler, melt the chocolates over simmering water and stir in the cinnamon. In the frozen mixing bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks (do not over beat). Remove the double boiler insert holding the melted chocolate from the pan. With a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate. Fold the remaining cold cream into the chocolate mixture, 1/4 at a time, mixing it as little as possible just to get it all incorporated.
• When ready to assemble the torte, cut the sour cream cake in half horizontally with a long sharp knife. Place 1 layer of the cake on a serving plate and spread a thick layer of mousse on top of it. Sandwich the second layer over the top and spread a mounded layer of mouse over the top. Spread a layer of mousse around the edges, covering the cake completely. Gently press the sugared almonds into the mousse evenly around the edges of the cake. Using a very sharp vegetable peeler, shave long thick curls of chocolate over the top of the cake and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high heat speed until thick and bright yellow.
• Heat 1 cup cream in a medium saucepan until just at a simmer, then slowly whisk about half of the hot cream into the yolk-sugar mixture to temper it. Slowly add the remaining hot cream, then transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes (do not boil).
• Add the semisweet chocolate to a bowl and slowly pour the egg-sugar-cream mixture over it. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted, then add the vanilla and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
• Beat the the confectioners' sugar with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it just holds stiff peaks. Reserve 1/2 cup for garnish. Gently but thoroughly fold the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Spoon the mousse into a piping bag, then pipe the mousse into 6 teacups. Dollop the reserved whipped cream on top and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate covered almonds and serve.

Steps:

• Make ganache:
• Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low. Whisk in chocolate until smooth and remove from heat. Transfer ganache to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened but spreadable, about 2 hours. (If ganache becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)
• Make cake layers while ganache chills:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• Pulse chestnuts with flour, baking soda, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
• Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or about 6 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla (mixture will look a little separated). Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly among pans and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks, then invert onto racks and remove parchment.
• Make mousse and assemble torte:
• Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, and stir in Cognac. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of softened butter, about 1 hour. (If mixture becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until softened.)
• Beat cream in a bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks, then chill, covered, while beginning to assemble torte.
• Put 1 cake layer on cardboard round on a rack set in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep). Spread 1/2 cup ganache evenly over top of layer and sprinkle with all of chopped marrons glacés. Top marrons glacés with another 1/4 cup ganache and cover with another cake layer.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add sugar and beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir whipped cream into chocolate Cognac mixture, then stir in one third of whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon mousse immediately onto cake layer (it sets quickly), spreading evenly, then top with third cake layer. Chill torte, covered, until mousse layer is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency at room temperature, chilling, covered, if it becomes too soft.
• Glaze cake:
• Reserve 1 1/4 cups ganache in a metal bowl, then spread remainder over top and side of torte to seal in crumbs. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Set bowl of reserved ganache over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until ganache reaches a pourable consistency. Remove bowl from heat and cool 5 minutes. Pour ganache evenly over top of torte, making sure it coats all of side. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze (let excess drip into baking pan). Transfer cake on cardboard to a cake stand or plate using 2 large heavy metal spatulas and chill until set. Garnish just before serving.

Steps:

• Pulse cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; pulse until combined. Press onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling., In a small saucepan, sprinkle 2 teaspoons gelatin over 1 tablespoon cold water; let stand 1 minute. Heat and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved; remove from heat., Place bittersweet chocolate and 1/2 cup cream in a metal bowl over a small saucepan of hot water; heat and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in gelatin mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl; cool completely. Repeat twice with milk and white chocolates., In a large bowl, beat vanilla and remaining 3 cups cream until stiff peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream (a third of the total whipped cream) into cooled bittersweet chocolate; spread over crust. Refrigerate until set, 25-30 minutes. Repeat twice with milk and white chocolates, keeping remaining whipped cream chilled until needed., Refrigerate torte, covered, until set, about 4 hours. To serve, loosen sides from pan with a knife. Carefully remove rim from pan.

Steps:

• Set a rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch glass pie plate. Dust it with bread crumbs or cocoa powder. Set aside.
• Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over water over low heat. Bring it to a low simmer. Meanwhile, in a cup or small bowl, dissolve the coffee in the 1/4 cup boiling water and pour it over the chocolate. Cover and cook over low heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. Let cool slightly. (Alternatively, place chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water and pour it over the chocolate. Cover with a plate or kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Vigorously whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If there are still bits of unmelted chocolate, microwave in 15-second bursts, whisking between, until smooth and fully melted.)
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the yolks at high speed until they are pale, thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat at high speed for 5 minutes more until very thick. Reduce speed to low, and add the vanilla and cooled chocolate, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Wash the whisk attachment and mixing bowl.
• In the mixing bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff but not dry. Gradually, in two or three small additions, gently fold half the egg whites into the chocolate, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whites just until no whites show. Handling as little as possible, gently reserve about 4 cups of the mousse in a separate medium bowl; cover and refrigerate.
• Transfer the rest of the mousse into the pie plate; it will barely reach the top. Gently level and bake for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat, then leave it in the oven for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. (The mousse will rise during baking and then, while cooling, it will sink in the middle, leaving a high rim.) Wash the mixing bowl and whisk attachment and place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill.
• When the baked mousse is completely cool, remove reserved mousse from refrigerator. Handling as little as possible, transfer the chilled mousse to the center of the baked mousse. Mound it slightly higher in the center, but be careful to handle as little as possible or it will lose the air beaten into it. Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours.
• Make the whipped cream: In the chilled mixing bowl with the chilled whisk attachment, whip the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla on high speed until it holds a defined shape. Spread over the unbaked part of the mousse, excluding the rim; refrigerate. (Another way of applying the whipped cream: Use a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tube and pipe a lattice pattern over the top of the pie and a border around the edge.) Coarsely grate some semisweet chocolate over the top before serving, if desired. The torte is best eaten the day it's made, but it's not bad the next day.

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter sides of 9-inch spring-form pan; flour sides and tap out excess. Line bottom of pan with parchment or waxed paper round. Wrap bottom and sides of pan with large sheet of foil.
• Melt 12 tablespoons butter and chocolates in large bowl over large saucepan containing about 2 quarts barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until chocolate mixture is smooth. Cool mixture slightly, then whisk in vanilla and egg yolks. Set chocolate mixture aside, reserving hot water, covered, in saucepan.
• In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds; add half of crumbled brown sugar, beat at high speed until combined, about 30 seconds, then add remaining brown sugar and continue to beat at high speed until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 2 minutes longer. Using whisk, stir about one-third of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions using whisk. Gently scrape batter into prepared springform pan, set springform pan in large roasting pan, then pour hot water from saucepan to depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide roasting pan into oven; bake until cake has risen, is firm around edges, center has just set, and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers about 170 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Remove spring-form pan from water bath, discard foil, and cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Run thin-bladed paring knife between sides of pan and cake to loosen; cool cake in springform pan on wire rack until barely warm, about 3 hours, then wrap pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 8 hours. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.).
• To unmold cake, remove sides of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between cake and pan bottom to loosen, then invert cake onto large plate, peel off parchment, and re-invert onto serving platter. To serve, use sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping knife in pitcher of hot water and wiping blade before each cut.

Steps:

• Brush 9-inch-diameter springform pan with oil. Place each chocolate in separate medium bowl. Combine 1/4 cup water and gelatin in small bowl. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat yolks and sugar in large bowl until mixture is pale yellow and very thick, about 5 minutes. Bring half and half just to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk hot half and half into beaten egg mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Remove custard from heat. Add softened gelatin; stir until gelatin dissolves. Strain mixture into large glass measuring cup. Immediately pour 1/3 of hot custard over each. Stir each chocolate with separate spoon until melted and smooth. If mixture cools before chocolate is completely melted, set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir just until chocolate melts. Cool chocolate mixtures to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• Beat cream in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Divide whipped cream equally among bowls of chocolate, using about 1 1/3 cups cream for each. Fold whipped cream into chocolate in each bowl.
• Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Smooth top with spatula. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Pour milk chocolate mixture over bittersweet chocolate layer. Smooth top with spatula. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Pour white chocolate mixture over milk chocolate mixture. Smooth top with spatula. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. (Torte can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with plastic and store in refrigerate.)
• Run sharp knife around sides of pan. Remove pan sides. Cut torte into wedges and serve.

Steps:

• Stand 16 wafers around inside edge of plastic wrap-lined 9-inch round pan. Melt 3 oz. chocolate as directed on package.
• Beat pudding mixes and 2 cups milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP; pour into prepared pan.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk with mixer until blended. Stir in 1 cup of the remaining COOL WHIP; spread over pudding. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Shave remaining chocolate into curls. Invert torte onto plate; remove plastic wrap. Top torte with remaining COOL WHIP, berries and chocolate curls.

Steps:

• Combine the first three ingredients; press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes. Cool. Place each flavor of chocolate in a separate bowl; set aside. In another bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand for 1 minute or until softened., In a small bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually whisk in half-and-half. , Transfer to a large saucepan; cook and stir over medium heat until a thermometer reads 160° and mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes., Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Immediately pour a third of the egg mixture over each flavor of chocolate; quickly stir each until melted. Cool for 10 minutes. , In a large bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold a third of the whipped cream into each bowl. Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with milk chocolate mixture, then white chocolate mixture., To serve, carefully run a sharp a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Remove side of pan. Garnish if desired by drizzling with melted chocolate to create pine boughs and topping with chocolate Almond Pinecones.