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Total Time:
2 hrs 10 mins
For the dark chocolate mousse layer
- 150 g
dark chocolate, chopped
- 200 ml
double cream
- 2
medium eggs, separated
For the white chocolate mousse layer
- 3
sheets gelatine
- 100 g
white chocolate, chopped
- 2
medium eggs, separated
- 2 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 250 ml
double cream
- Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) springform cake tin with baking parchment. Line outside of tin with a few sheets of aluminium foil (to make tin water tight); sit in a large roasting tin.
- Step 2For the cake, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Take off heat and set aside to cool for 5min. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the egg whites and half the sugar until fluffy. Add the rest of the sugar and continue beating until the meringue is thick and shiny.
- Step 3Whisk the butter into the cooled chocolate, followed by the egg yolks. Stir in half the meringue mixture, then fold in the rest. Scrape into the prepared tin and smooth to level. Pour hot water into the roasting tin until it comes about 2.5cm (1in) up the outside of the cake tin. Bake for 40min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in tin (outside of water bath), then chill for 1hr (still in cake tin).
- Step 4Remove cake from tin. Wash the cake tin. Reassemble and lightly grease sides and line base and sides neatly with baking parchment. Return cake to tin, top down.
- Step 5To make the chocolate mousse layer, melt the chocolate as before. Set bowl aside to cool for 10min. Beat the cream in a bowl until it holds soft peaks. Whisk the yolks into the chocolate mixture. Next, with clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks.
- Step 6Scrape the cooled chocolate mixture into the cream and fold together. Fold in the egg whites, being careful to not over-fold. Scrape into the prepared tin, spreading to level (making sure it touches the sides). Chill for 30min.
- Step 7To make the white chocolate mousse layer, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5min. Meanwhile, melt chocolate as before. Take bowl off heat. Lift gelatine out of water, squeeze out excess and stir into hot chocolate to dissolve. Stir in egg yolks and vanilla. Cool for 10min.
- Step 8Beat the cream in a bowl until it holds soft peaks. With clean beaters, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the chocolate mixture into the cream, followed by the egg whites. Scrape into tin, level then chill to set, about 3hr.
- Step 9Around 30min before you want to glaze the mousse cake, soak the gelatine sheets in cold water to soften, about 5min. Heat the cream, cocoa, sugar and 100ml (3½fl oz) water in a medium pan, whisking to dissolve. Bring to the boil, whisking, then take off heat, add chocolate and whisk again to dissolve.
- Step 10Lift gelatine out of the water and squeeze out excess. Mix into the hot chocolate glaze to dissolve. Strain twice through a fine sieve into a glass jug (this step is important to remove any bubbles). Allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- Step 11Unclip tin and transfer mousse cake to a rack positioned over a clean tray. Carefully peel off baking parchment. Pour on glaze, making sure it covers the top and drips evenly down the sides, spreading with a palette knife to help. If using, decorate with Bronze Crunch Pieces. Chill for 30min or until needed.
- Step 12Transfer to a cake stand to serve.
Get Ahead
Make to end of step 8 a day ahead. Glaze up to 5hr ahead; chill
Per serving:
- Calories: 645
- Protein: 10g
- Fat: 44g
- Sat fat: 26g
- Carbs: 52g
- Sugar: 51g
- Fibre: 2g
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
