Chocolate Espresso Mousse Cake

Now that I've moved onto accommodation on campus this year, I meet a few friends for potluck on the weekends. It's something to look forward to; and frankly, I get sick of my own cooking sometimes. At times like this, I am happy to pass the savoury mantle to others, and just bring along a dessert. 

Last week, I made (yet another!) flourless chocolate cake, and this recipe from David Lebovitz was a hit.  Like my favourite flourless chocolate cake recipe, the chocolate flavour in this cake is just as pronounced, and would satisfy any and all chocolate cravings. It's an easy-peasy recipe that yields a rich creamy chocolate mousse cake. So creamy, in fact, that David recommends cutting the cake with dental floss instead of a knife.  

Photos courtesy of R Wang.

Chocolate Espresso Mousse Cake

I used a 9-inch springform pan, serves 12-16 slices
Recipe taken from David Lebovitz

Ingredients

12 ounces (340 gr) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 (100 ml) heavy cream
2/3 cup (160 ml) brewed (extracted) espresso
5 large eggs, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (100 gr) sugar

1. Lightly butter a 9-inch (23 cm) spring form pan and wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, to seal it watertight. Set the cake pan in a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, large enough to make a water bath or bain marie.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C).

3. Put the chopped chocolate with the cream and espresso in a large heatproof bowl.

4. Set the chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring gently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

5. In a standing electric mixer, whip the eggs, salt, and sugar and whip on high speed until they hold their shape, about 5 minutes.

7. Fold half of the whipped eggs into the chocolate, then finish with the remaining eggs.

8. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan. Add warm water to the roasting pan so that it reaches half-way up the outsides of the spring form pan, creating a water bath.

9. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the cake is slightly firm, but will still feel soft in the center. (About an hour is perfect for a cake baked in a 9-inch spring-form pan. It's a little tricky here: the middle may still jiggle and look deceptively underdone - even as the top is browned - by the end of the first hour. But it's fine. The mousse cake sets as it cools.) 

10. Remove the cake pan from the water bath and set on a cooling rack until room temperature.

To serve: Slide a knife along the outside edge of the cake pan to release it from the pan. Release the outside ring of the spring form cake pan. Can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Author's notes:

Because the cake is delicate, I slice it with a thin, sharp knife dipped in very hot water and wiped clean before making the next slice. Or you can also use a length of dental floss (unflavored, please…) pulled taut and drawn across the diameter of the cake, to make wedges.


This cake can also be frozen and sliced icy-cold with a hot knife, right out of the freezer. It tastes pretty darn good cold with a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt—a great warm weather dessert for summer. 

Big chunks of it would be good embedded in a batch of ice cream.