Double chocolate mousse cake

I have found this recipe a long time ago and knew straight away I had to make it… but I haven't got around to it for such a long time.  I have been asked by a friend to make something very chocolatey and very naughty.. and this was the first cake that came to my mind.  Beautiful and elegant dessert, light soufflé- like cake and smooth, rich chocolate mousse… chocoholics' heaven!

Recipe comes from 'Crave, a passion for chocolate' by Maureen McKean.


Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 115g unsalted butter
• 115g dark chocolate
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 130g caster sugar

For the mousse:

• 75g unsalted butter
• 75g dark chocolate
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 85g caster sugar
• 1 1/2 gelatine leaf
• 1tbsp cherry liqueur 

To make the cake melt the butter with chocolate in a small saucepan and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks with cocoa powder and add the chocolate mixture.

In a large bowl whisk the egg whites, slowly adding sugar, whisk until stiff.

Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, a little at a time.

Line the base of a 20cm cake tin, then line the sides with a long stripe of baking paper (about 10cm taller than the tin).  

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 25-30 minutes.

Take the cake out the oven and leave to cool,  the cake should collapse, forming space for the mousse.  If that doesn't happen while the cake is cooling, gently make a shallow cut at the top of the cake 2cm away from the edges, all the way around the cake. 

Leave to cool completely in the tin.

To make the mousse melt the butter with chocolate in a small saucepan and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks with cocoa powder and add the chocolate mixture.  

In a large bowl whisk the egg whites, slowly adding sugar, whisk until stiff.

Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, a little at a time.

Soak the gelatine in cold water, then dissolve in 2tbsp of hot (not boiling) water and add to the mixture. Add the liqueur and mix until just combined.  

Pour the mousse onto the cake and leave in the fridge to set over night.

Enjoy!