Chocolate Mousse Cake

Prep Time: 15 mins + 3 hours cooling time  | Cook Time: 18 mins | Course: Dessert | Yield: 10 

Intense flourless brownie-like chocolate cake with a light airy magical chocolate ganache mousse thickly layered on top and dusted with cocoa. Dorie Greenspan calls this her Lisbon Chocolate Cake and it is perfection. Please note this cake requires about 3 hours of cooling time, but is perfect for making a day ahead of time. I have added ½ tsp vanilla and the occasional sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020555-lisbon-chocolate-cake 

Chocolate Cake:

½ cup butter, plus extra for the pan

5 oz bittersweet chocolate chips 

½ cup sugar

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray oil or butter a 9-inch cake pan, line with parchment and butter the parchment. I like to sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar as well. In a microwave safe mixing bowl, melt the butter for 1 minute, add chocolate chips and microwave 1 minute again. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Place strainer\sieve over the bowl and sift cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder and salt on top of the batter. Fold into the batter then add the eggs, stirring until incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the cake onto a plate and remove the parchment liner. 

Chocolate Ganache:

1 ¾ cups cream, divided

6 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

½ tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

2 Tbsp cinnamon sugar

In a microwave safe mixing bowl, add 1 ¼ cups cream and microwave for 1-2 minutes, until it boils. Add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and set in the fridge for an hour. Stir every 10 minutes or so.

After the ganache has chilled beat the remaining ½ cup of cream to medium peaks. Gently fold it into the ganache to create the mousse.

Cut two strips of parchment 3” wide. Place in the cake pan to create a sling. Set cake on top of the strips. Spread mouse on top and over the edges of the cake. Sprinkle with a generous dusting of cocoa and cinnamon sugar. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours or up to 2 days. The cake is best served at room temperature, remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving and using your sling, remove from the pan to a cake plate, slide parchment strips out from under the cake.