Chocolate Mousse Torte

from a French cookbook

Our family's Christmas Eve tradition

(a great gluten free option- but not fat free or sugar free by any means!!)

For the chocolate cake:
10 oz. semisweet choc. chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut up
8 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
chocolate curls to decorate

For the ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped
2 TBSP unsalted butter, softened.


1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter two 8-9 in. springform pans or loose based cake pans and line the bases with buttered wax paper. (Do you not have these? You could using regular-- I've just never made this recipe, so I'm not sure if it would come out ok)

2. Melt choc. and butter in saucepan over low heat, stirring lots. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks until blended. Pour into large bowl.

3. In a clean bowl, using a mixer, beat the egg whites slowly until frothy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed and continue beating until they form soft peaks, then stiffer peaks that just flop over a little at the top.

4. Stir a large spoonful of white into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining white until they are just combined (a few white streaks do not matter).

5. Divide about two-thirds of the mousse between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops evenly, and tap gently to release any air bubbles. Chill remaining mousse.

6. Bake for 30-35 min. until puffed; the cakes will fall slightly. Cool on a rack for 15 min. then remove the sides of the pans and let cool completely. Invert the cakes on to the rack, remove the cake pan bases and peel off the paper. Wash the cake pans.

7. To assemble the cake, place one layer, flat side down in one of the clean pans. Spread the remaining mousse over the surface, smoothing the top.  Top with the second cake layer, flat side up. Press down gently so the mousse is evenly distributed. Chill for 2-4 hours or overnight.

8. To make the ganache, bring the cream to a boil over med-high heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate all at once, stirring until smooth. Beat in the softened butter. set aside for about 5 min. to thicken slightly (it should coat the back of a spoon in a thick smooth layer).

9. Run a knife around the edge of the assembled cake to loosen it, then remove the sides of the pan.  Invert the cake onto a wire rack, remove the base and place the rack over a baking sheet. Pour the warm ganache over the cake all at once, tilting gently to help spread it evenly on all surfaces. Use a spatula to smooth sides, decorate the top with the chocolate curls, then allow to set. YUMMMMMO