Chocolate Mousse Cake

Total Time:  65 minutes

  • 10 oz.(10 ¾ oz.) bittersweet chocolate (must use a good chocolate)
  • 9 T (10) sweet butter
  • 6 large eggs, separated
  • pinch of salt (for egg whites)
  • ¾ c sugar (divided: ¼ c + ½ c)(add ½ t sugar to whites and to yolks)
  • 2 T brandy (+1/4 t)
  • 1 t confectioners’ sugar
  • Optional:  garnish with fresh raspberries
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚.
  2. Place a kettle of water over heat and bring to a boil (use for water bath when baking).
  3. Prepare an 8” or 9” spring form (8” pan will give you higher cake) – grease, line with parchment paper, and grease top of parchment inside spring form.
  4. Cover outside of pan with a double layer of heavy foil (to protect from water bath leaking into cake).
  5. In microwave melt together the chocolate and butter (1 min at power #7) stir with wisk, and then additional 20-30 sec.,power #7); stir after each power session; set aside to cool.
  6. Using electric mixer, whisk egg whites and salt until thick.  Add the ¼ c. sugar, and continue to whisk until stiff and shiny but not dry.  Set aside.
  7. In another bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining ½ c sugar until pale, frothy and increased in volume.
  8. Whisk in brandy.
  9. Fold in cooled chocolate mixture (make sure there are no lumps of chocolate).
  10. Fold about ½ c of whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Gently fold in remaining whites.
  11. Pour mixture into prepared spring form and place pan inside a larger cake pan or roasting pan.
  12. Add the boiling water to pan so that water comes half way up side of spring form.
  13. Bake 35 minutes; top of cake will be hard and inside gooey  Check o make sure cake . Remove cake pan from water and place on a rack to cool completely.
  14. Unwrap foil and remove side of spring form. 
  15. Place cake on a serving platter.  Just before serving, dust top with confectioners’ sugar passed through a sieve.
  16. Optional:  garnish with fresh raspberries; serve with raspberry sauce.

Note:  If using extra large eggs, add another 3/4 oz. of chocolate, an additional tablespoon of butter and additional sugar (1/2 t of sugar to egg yolk mixture and 1/2 t of sugar to egg whites, and ½ t of brandy.

Adapted from The New York Times - Enjoy! - Elaine Harris