Strawberry and Chocolate Mousse Cake

Finally, here's the first recipe of 2017! This one was served on my dad's birthday and it was an instant hit! ENJOY!


Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

• Just follow the recipe of your favorite chocolate cake recipes or our 'Extreme Chocolate Cake' recipe

For the Dark Chocolate Mousse

• Hot Water                                    - 5 Tbsp
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder      - 2 Tbsp
• Dark Chocolate (chopped)          - 100 Gms
• Cold Heavy Cream                     - 1 1/2 Cups
• Granulated Sugar                        - 1 Tbsp
• Salt                                              - 1/8 Tsp 

For the Strawberry Mousse

• Unflavored Gelatin                     - 1 1/2 Tsp
• Water                                           - 1 1/2 Tbsp
• White Chocolate                         - 175 Gms
• Cold Heavy Cream                     -  1 1/2 Cups
• Fresh Strawberries (chopped)     -  1 1/2 Cups

For Garnishing

• Strawberries (cut in thin slices)  - 10-15
• Cocoa Powder                            - 1-2 Tsp

Recipe

For the Chocolate Cake

1. Bake the cake in a circular spring form pan* and let it cool

For the Chocolate Mousse

1.  Mix the hot water and cocoa powder together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Mix in the salt and sugar in the heavy cream and then whip it until it forms stiff peaks^.
3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or using the double-boil method**.
4. Add the cocoa mixture into the melted chocolate until well-combined.
5.  Fold half the chocolate-cocoa mixture into the cream to lighten it.
6. Then fold that into the remaining cream until no white streaks are shown.
7. Your chocolate mousse is ready!

For the Strawberry Mousse

1. Whisk together the gelatin and water together in a small bowl and set aside for 2-3 minutes. 
2. Blend 1/2 cup of the fresh strawberries into a puree with a blender or food processor. 
3. In a bowl, combine the white chocolate, strawberry puree, 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and the salt. Melt using the microwave or using the double-boil method**.
4.  Melt the gelatin in the microwave and whisk it into the melted chocolate mixture.
5. Whisk the remaining 1 cup of cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. 
6. Fold half of the whipped cream into the chocolate-strawberry mixture until incorporated, then fold in the remaining whipped cream. 
7. Gently fold in the remaining 1 cup chopped strawberries. 
8. Your strawberry mousse is ready!

Assembly

1. Put the chocolate mousse on top of the cake in the spring form pan and spread it out evenly.
2. Refrigerate for about 1-2 hours or until the mousse is set and then pour the strawberry mousse on top of the chocolate mousse and spread evenly.
3. Let the whole cake set in the fridge for about 4-5 hours or overnight.
4. Take out the cake from the pan.

Garnish

1. Dust some cocoa powder on the cake evenly.
2. Put strawberry slices in a flower formation.

Your Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake is ready!

*Spring-Form Pan: A spring-form pan is a type of cake pan that has removable sides. 

**Double-Boil Method: A double boiler consists of a bowl placed on top of a pan of simmering water. It is used to melt chocolate.

^Stiff Peaks: When you whisk your cream, the peaks of the cream should stand up straight and if you tilt the bowl, the cream should not move. This is called the 'stiff peaks stage'.

Tips and Tricks

• You can use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate.
• Heavy cream is same as whipping cream.
• You can use a normal cake pan instead of a spring-form pan.
• You can even use raspberries instead of strawberries 
• You can even add another layer of vanilla mousse, which is basically the strawberry mousse without strawberries but instead add a little vanilla essence according to your taste