If you’re planning on a dinner party, consider this chocolate mousse cake for dessert. It’s got a chocolate cookie base that’s easy as can be to make – just whiz and add butter – and the chocolate mousse is light and creamy. The velvety chocolate ganache on top is soft wonderful.
My friend Madonna is having a big housewarming dinner party at her place this weekend and I tested this wonderful cake today. John’s dad gave it two thumbs up and John, who rarely eats dessert, ate an extra-large piece. While he was eating he must have said, “Maureen, this is SO good,” about four times.
Rob said, “Maureen, I think this cake will get a definite pass.” Do I need to tell you he was a teacher all his life? He taught physics in a Melbourne university. He’s never actually told me I had a fail but I can tell when things aren’t to his liking. This cake definitely ‘passed’ with flying colours.
Helping my friend get ready for her housewarming has kept me really busy. This weekend we went to Super Amart and she bought the nicest dining room table and chairs. She’s a delight to be around – one of those people you enjoy spending time with because she’s most always looking forward. Once she’d decided on her purchase she had this worried look on her face.
“What’s wrong? I thought you liked it. No?”
“I love it! What if they can’t deliver it in time for the party?” she moaned.
“Good grief — just ask before you pay the money.”
“Oh, right.”
Do you ever semi-panic for nothing? Yes, it will be delivered on-time and yes, the party is on. We’ve done the shopping for linens, food, candles and more. I’m sure I’ve mentioned to you I hate to shop? I like to buy, I hate to shop. All this shopping just shows what a good friend I am. (I’m trying not to laugh as I type this.)
I think if I’d had a piece of this cake waiting for me at home every time I shop, I might get into shopping mode more often.
- 1 packet Chocolate Ripple Biscuits (any crumbly chocolate cookie will work)
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 220 grams dark cooking chocolate
- 2 eggs separated
- 1½ cups cream
- 4 sheets McKenzie's Gelatine Leaves (1.67 grams each)
- 4 tablespoons Cointreau liqueur
- 100 grams dark cooking chocolate
- 2 teaspoons glucose syrup (or corn syrup)
- 4 tablespoons cream
- 40 grams unsalted butter
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F
- Grease and line a springform cake pan
- In a food processor, whiz the biscuits (cookies) until finely crushed
- Sprinkle melted butter over the crumbs and whiz again just to combine
- Tumble crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan and press down. I used the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumbs firmly.
- Place in oven for 10 minutes then remove to cool
- Place gelatine sheets in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften, then squeeze out the water.
- Add liqueur to a small saucepan and add the gelatine.
- Stir over medium heat until the gelatine dissolves.
- In a bowl over simmering water, stir the chocolate until melted. Cool for 5 minutes and then add the cream and then the egg yolks and stir til smooth.
- While whisking, slowly add the gelatine mixture.
- Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and using a metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
- Pour over cooled crust and chill for an hour or until firm.
- In a bowl over simmering water, add the chocolate, butter, cream and glucose (or corn) syrup until the chocolate is melted and the mixture smooth.
- Pour over the mousse and chill for an hour or until firm.
- To cut, heat a knife in a container of hot water and it will make the cutting much easier.
- Serve with cream, ice cream and berries.
Boy, I’d become a shopaholic if I had this waiting for me. And I truly despise shopping (for everything except food and drink related items!). This gets a pass from me, too!
You have the best “culinary consultants” in the world. I love having happy recipients for my baking. And this looks absolutely amazing! Chocolate and chocolate – oh yes!
G’day! I LOVE chocolate mousse Maureen, true!
Your photo and recipe looks decadently delicious too!
Cheers! Joanne
Thanks, Joanne. I hope you’re having a fabulous week!
I can definitely relate with your friend being a bit nervous Maureen. I had an open house many years ago and I was a basket of nerves. However, I didn’t have this heavenly cake waiting for me. If I did, I’m sure I would have felt quite calm and satisfied. Just gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing, Maureen.
WOW! I don’t even know what to say, the chocolate base, the mousse, the ganache… it’s incredibly gorgeous and luscious and wonderful!
Valentine’s Day written all over it…
This looks incredibly luscious! I’ve made lots of flourless chocolate cakes, but this one looks like it has a completely different texture, I need to try it!
Oh, man. I think by now you know how well this would go over at my house! This is chocolate perfection, my friend!!! xo
Everyone here loved it.
WOW Maureen! This cake is just stunning! I can only imagine how creamy and luscious it is! Your reward for a great day of shopping! : )
absolutely 🙂 I earned that cake. LOL
This cake looks so good, but I’ll have to wait a few days to try it- I need to lose a few pounds from my recent binge of eating Red Velvet Cake (my latest post)! Glad that the crust is easy to make with crumbled cookies!
It was really easy to make this. I’m happy with it.
Goodness, how lush this cake looks. Maureen, I used to be a better shopper. I’d gladly return to those shopping skills solely for having this as a reward. Brava!
Oh my gosh, Maureen!! This looks absolutely fantastic, pure luscious decadence. I must make it. Soon. Like this week. 🙂
This is gorgeous! Dying over the silky chocolate texture going on in that first photograph!
I prefer creamy after dinner dessert over cake-y things, so this one is perfect, Maureen. Looks absolutely delicious! 🙂 ela
What an absolute dream, I’d be in chocolate heaven with this cake!
Wowee! This is stunning! And it looks intensely chocolaty yet really much lighter than a traditional mousse. I love it and absolutely love the individual desserts you created; they are gorgeous! Definitely trying this one! The flavor (chocolate with cointreau you know I love) and the texture, these are one hell of a sexy dessert!
Everyone loved it – even dessert fussy John.
Urrrgh, shopping! I do pretty much all of my shopping online to at least limit the pain of shopping. I love new treasures I just hate what’s involved in obtaining them.
Love the multilayered chocolate effect. A real chocolate lover’s dream boat!
It was a delightful dessert. I agree about online shopping, I do it all the time. I’ve never bought furniture online. I much prefer to look and touch before I buy that sort of purchase.
The texture of this cake looks wonderful Maureen! And I suspect John is like Mr NQN so I’m thinking that that is high praise indeed 😀
Oh Maureen it looks so damn delicious and your e right I too could handle shopping if I thought this would be at the end! It must be nice ti spend time with your friend. You are also great to spend time with so that makes two of you
A piece of this cake would sure keep me from “semi panicking” at ALL times!
Gorgeous 3 layer cake Maureen! By the way – what are “McKenzie’s Gelatine Leaves” just gelatin?
They are gelatine sheets and I put McKenzie’s name in there because they are smallish – smaller than the titanium ones I get from the fancy cooking store for panna cotta. I put the grams on there. They are about 2″ x 4″ in size. 🙂
This looks like heaven on a plate. I think cookie crusts are the best! If everyone had a slice of this each day, the world would be a happier place. 🙂
I should present this at the UN!
My heart almost stopped when I saw this. I absolutely love chocolate mousse.
I’m here to do CPR, Norma!!
The texture looks perfect, and I love love love the fact that it’s a no bake. I also like the idea of using the bottom of a drinking glass to press in the crumbs, I find that the hardest part of these no bake cakes. I am going to make this asap. Yummmm!
There’s probably a nifty way to do the crumbs, Minnie and maybe even some special tool but the glass works fine for me. 🙂
I’d definitely be like your husband. This looks like my ultimate chocolate cake.
John doesn’t normally like desserts. I can count on the fingers of one hand the desserts that he’s eaten the whole serving.
Oh my goodness! =)
I love chocolate, this sounds ***so good!!!!***!
Pinning!
Oh my. Oh my! This looks and sounds so divine. I see very special Valentines’ Day written all over this cake.
If only I lived with a man who thought being romantic on Valentine’s Day was a good thing. He says, “I’m romantic every day, Maureen.”
riiiight. 🙂
I’m being overloaded with chocolate and that is a very good way to go! This looks spectacular, Maureen! And though I’m not a great shopper of clothes, I love to shop for the home!
I should have mentioned that I can spend an entire day in a cooking shop 🙂
Lordy, how truly rich and delicious! Now I want a slice xox
I could make one for you 🙂
I love to buy and hate to shop as well, Maureen. 🙂 Especially clothes.
My already snug pants would never forgive me if I made this so I’ll have to enjoy it vicariously. (err … how much powdered gelatin would I need to substitute for the gelatin sheets?
I’m not sure. I don’t use gelatin enough to know. I buy whatever is in the store unless it’s panna cotta and then I use the heavy duty sheets from the fancy cooking store. Maybe someone else will tell us.
I have to try this !!!! This looks sooooooooo good !!!
It was 🙂
Oh this cake really deserves two thumbs up and I’m sure it won’t disappoint. I can’t get over the image of it being so moist and rich. My mouth is watering.
Would it be bad to make this cake just for the two of us? I’m with you on the shopping most of the time!
I wouldn’t even care if your side was just the teensiest bit bigger than mine, Claire. 🙂
This cake looks wonderful, so rich and delicious. I semi panic for nothing and then can’t remember why I was panicking. GG
I don’t do it often but I live with a man whose motto has always been, “She’ll be right” and it drives me up the wall. So I have to panic for both of us.
If I was there the slice shown above would have been yours and the whole thing would have been mine. 🙂 Maureen, you are so making me crave this chocolate mousse cake. You are such a bad girl!
I love being bad, Denise. 🙂
oh gosh Mareen, I am drooling over here!! I love chocolate mousse, your chocolate mousse looks so delicious! I could eat a huge slice right now, maybe two! 🙂
Check out my cheesecake with strawberry topping, I found the most beautiful strawberries at the local Sam’s store that had been shipped in from southern Florida.
Michael
Oh, this looks amazing – your photos perfectly capture the chocolate decadence!
Chocolate mousse is a no-fail winner. Everytime. And this looks like the perfect dinner party iteration!
Thanks, Sarah, here’s hoping we have a good time!
I think if I had a piece of this as payment I might be coerced into doing lots of things I don’t really care for. Holy Schmoly Maureen this looks totally amazing! It’s certainly a chocolate lovers dream come true! (that would be me)
On my goodness! What a tempting dessert! My husband adores chocolate and would be very happy with a very large slice!
I don’t like to shop either. I’m a shop assistant’s dream. I needed a dress for Archie’s 21st. I went into one shop, tried on one dress and bought it. I can’t stand making a day of it. I needed to buy Alfie a new mattress for his bed. I couldn’t stand the thought of having to go to the shops so I just went on-line and bought one. My daughter is so different. She likes to go shopping ALL DAY EVERY DAY and often asks me to go with her. I cringe. John’s dad must be so intelligent. I have no mental capacity for physics. I screw up my face at the very mention of the word. Love, love, love your dessert xx
hi maureen
this surely looks yum. I do love chocolate! but i am not a huge fan of gelatine and I normally do not make any recipe that includes it. Not for ideological reasons just I dislike the texture. Do you find that the leaves give it a better texture rather than the powder?
cheers
sherry
I didn’t find this rubbery if that’s what you mean but you could make this cake with your normal chocolate mousse recipe and it would work just fine. 🙂 Hope you are well, Sherry!
What is it about chocolate that makes me go weak in the knees??? Oh, and my husband is not very good with compliments, so when he says “Mmmm! This is good!” I know I have a winner. It’s the “interesting” comment that bothers me!
This is beyond delicious, Maureen. The chocolate mousse filling looks perfectly smooth and creamy. A perfect treat for V-Day!
What a dessert! I’m sure it will be a huge hit at the party!
Maureen, this looks so beautiful and I can almost taste it. This would be a wonderful Valentine’s Day dessert! Have fun at the party. 🙂
I’m sure I will. I know what’s for dessert. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by.
Gonna have to go and make that chocolate mousse cake now, aren’t i? You’re killing me! Seriously – looks fab. Chocolate mouses is my fave, and chocolate cake is my partner’s fave … so we’ll both be happy! Lovely of you to share this x
Is it terrible that I want to just dive mouth first into that cake and eat my way out. It’s gorgeous. 🙂
This is so beautifully decadent!!
we are doing Vday night here at home for once and I am browsing through a million ideas of what to cook and this cake looks like it would be the perfect dessert. So rich and moist and i love mousse? I mean who doesn’t! great job and pics
It looks decadently delicious!
wow this cake is incredible! I love how you’ve served it with berries! I love window shopping, I hate shopping with a purpose it’s so stressful!
This cake does look absolutely delicious Maureen! Sounds like one heck of a party you girls are throwing. Wished I was there 🙂
I love shopping more than the buying, kind of strange huh? Anyway your cake looks incredible!
Yum! Your cake looks just heavenly, Maureen!
Hi Maureen,
This cake looks heavenly! Rich, decadent and so chocolaty. Yum!!!
omg, pinned.
This chocolate mousse cake looks SO good! Yum! Thanks for sharing.
Wow, what a beautiful cake…I love the creamy mousse in it…the intensity of the dark chocolate just look so decadent…yum!
Have a great week Maureen 😀
That chocolate mousse squeezed between cookie and ganache is truly perfection. I think this is the kind of dessert that could be a smile to the most grumpy face. Just gorgeous!
Oh Maureen! This is simply Orgasmic! or Divine! Or Perfection personified! I have many more words, but I am assuming you get the idea. Now I wish I had invitation to this party!
Wow, this mousse cake looks delicious! This chocolatey dessert is definitely scromptuous!!
Great job!
I’d give this an A+! That mousse looks so creamy and I love the chocolate biscuit crust. Great for Valentine’s day!
This mousse cake recipe sounds wonderful – not only it looks gorgeous, but I like the fact that everyone enjoys it! Definitely a great chocolate dessert for Valentine’s Day!
Simply decadent.
Holy Cats! That is one serious cake, a chocolate lovers dream! My husband and dear friends who are chocoholics would devour this cake:-) Gorgeous, Hugs, Terra
Oh wow this looks so beautiful I can understand why this cake went down so well with your friends. What a beautiful dessert for a dinner party simply stunning 🙂
I know what you mean about shopping and buying – a world of difference! And what a friend you are – making and testing the recipe out 🙂 A delicious recipe too (I saw cointreau on the ingredients list!)