Connor’s 17th birthday cake. You’ll need a spring-form pan.
CAKE LAYER
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c sugar
1/2 c plus 2 T cocoa powder
2 eggs
2 oz baking chocolate
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c milk
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Preheat oven to 325º and butter and flour your spring-form pan, bottom and sides.
Melt chocolate in a small saucepan placed in a larger saucepan full of boiling water (double boiler). Set aside to cool down.
Use electric mixer to beat the sugar, cocoa and butter together until creamy, at least 3 minutes. When the chocolate has cooled down but is still warm, add it to the butter and sugar. Beat on low until thoroughly blended, scraping down the sides. Then beat for at least 3 minutes on medium-high.
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl, then heat the milk in the microwave, but don’t let it boil.
Add milk alternately with flour mixture to the chocolate on low until thoroughly blended, scraping down the sides. Then beat on medium-high for another 3 minutes.
Pour into prepared spring-form pan. Don’t fill any higher than 1/3 of the way! If you have extra, you can bake it in greased cupcake tins and make some mini-mousse. Bake about 20 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
6 oz high cocoa content dark chocolate
1 t gelatin powder
2 T water
1/2 milk
3/4 c heavy cream
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Chop up chocolate finely and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
Put 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top of it and let it “bloom”.
Heat the milk to a simmer in a sauce pan just to the boiling point. Remove from heat! (excessive heat will ruin the gelatin) Then, add the gelatin to the hot milk and stir until entirely dissolved. Pour this over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts completely. Set aside, but work quickly now, you don’t want the chocolate to cool enough for the gelatin to set!
Whip the cream to soft peaks. Scoop about a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate and fold in. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you work, gently turning the mix in on itself. Then fold in the rest of the cream.
Pour the mousse onto the cake in the spring-pan and spread it out, making sure you have enough space to add the final mousse layer. If you have too much, you can add it to your mini-mousse or put it into a small dish or two to set up on its own. Put the cake in the refridgerator to start to set up while you make mousse mixture II.
MILK CHOCOLATE or WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
6 oz high quality milk chocolate or white chocolate
1 t gelatin powder
2 T water
1/2 milk
3/4 c heavy cream
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Chop up chocolate finely and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
Put 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top of it and let it “bloom”.
Heat the milk to a simmer in a sauce pan just to the boiling point. Remove from heat! (excessive heat will ruin the gelatin) Then, add the gelatin to the hot milk and stir until entirely dissolved. Pour this over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts completely. Set aside, but work quickly now, you don’t want the chocolate to cool enough for the gelatin to set!
Whip the cream to soft peaks. Scoop about a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate and fold in. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you work, gently turning the mix in on itself. Then fold in the rest of the cream.
Pour the mousse onto the cake in the spring-pan- fill it to the top and spread it out. If you have too much, you can add it to your mini-mousse or put it into a small dish or two to set up on its own. Put the cake in the refridgerator to start to set up.
Fahy Family Recipes 