Double Chocolate Torte

I recently hosted a super girly surprise 30th Birthday party for a friend that happens to have... we'll call it an affinity for chocolate.  I was searching for something elegant AND decadent to start her third decade off right and stumbled upon this double chocolate torte recipe from Bon Appetit magazine also featured on a fave food blog of mine, Smitten Kitchen.

The torte consists of a rich, fudgey cake/brownie layer and a light and smooth, yet equally chocolaty, mousse layer.  A simple garnish of fresh raspberries gives it a "grown up" look while balancing out the richness of the chocolate.   The Birthday Girl is also pregnant with twins so I had to improvise on the chocolate mousse layer to avoid the raw eggs.  My whipped cream version worked quite nicely if I do say so myself...

This recipe does require a few hours of chilling time however it can be made a day or two ahead which makes it great for entertaining.  It serves 8-10 people easily. 

Cake Layer:

8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup of sugar
4 extra large eggs (or 5 large)
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour

For cake:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan; dust with sugar.

Melt chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.

Cool to lukewarm. Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt, then flour. Pour batter into pan. Bake until cake just rises in center (tester inserted into center will not come out clean), about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover; chill while making mousse..

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Double-Chocolate-Torte-104512#ixzz1aKr2Hdw2

Mousse Layer:

8 ounces of semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups of whipping cream
3-4 tablespoons of confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon of Cointreau/Grand Marnier, Kahlua or Vanilla extract

1 cup of fresh raspberries for garnish

Let the cake layer cool COMPLETELY before topping it with the mousse layer.  If its warm at all it will melt the whipped cream into a soggy mess.  Note: leave it in the springform pan until ready to serve.

Melt the chocolate with 2 tablespoons of the whipping cream in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth. 

Let cool to room temperature.  (You can put the chocolate in the fridge for 30 minutes to speed the process along.) 

Whip the cream (ice cold is optimal) in a standing mixer until it just starts to thicken.  Add the sugar and liqueor and whip until peaks form.  It should be thick but not clumpy. 

Add a large scoop of the whipped cream to the bowl of chocolate and gently fold to lighten the chocolate a bit.  Then add the rest of the cream and gently fold with a spatula until the mixture is  no longer has streaks of chocolate. 

Spread the mousse over the cake layer while still in the springform pan.  I used a metal spatula warmed in a mug of hot water to smooth the top before placing the raspberries along the edge of the cake.  Chill for a minimum of 4 hours before serving. 

When ready to serve, warm a sharp knife in a mug of hot water first.  This will help you make neater slices.

Decadent for sure- a tiny slice will do ya- and absolutely delicious.  This one will definitely be a go-to Special Occaison cake from here on out.  You could fancy it up it even more with piped florettes of whipped cream along the edge or some extra shaved chocolate over the top.   Either way, I'd highly reccomend a glass of port, bubbly or red wine with this one.