Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte and the Best Party Dessert

Everyone always wants to be the one person at the party who brought the best dish. Whether it's your great-grandmother's lasagna recipe with homemade sauce or cupcakes you bought from the grocery store, everyone wants their offering to be valued above all others.  Let's say you're bringing dip to a party.  It's your favorite recipe.  You've got your dip carefully prepared, and on your way, you're thinking of how everyone will fall into raptures over your dip.  As soon as you set it on the table, you envision there will be a marked change in the room.  The very presence of your delicious offering will brighten every face and put a sparkle in every eye.   You can hardly wait for the onslaught of love and adoration your dip will bring you.

You finally arrive and enter the room with an air of importance.  You masterfully deposit your dip into the center of the table and uncover it with a flourish.  The dip seems to radiate deliciousness, making the cheese ball and the vegetable tray tremble in fear.  It's not long before the first chip breaks the surface of the pristine dip.  You discreetly watch people's reactions out of the corner of your eye, while pretending to be paying attention to another conversation.  And then it comes.  "Wow!  This is amazing!"  "Did you try this dip?"  "Who brought the dip?  It's fantastic!"  "I can't stop eating it!"  "I need this recipe!"  Suddenly, everyone is ecstatic.  You become a hero, with the magical dip that saved a mediocre party, transforming it into something spectacular.  You think proudly to yourself that your dip could very possibly save the world.

Believe it or not, this could happen to you.  Only instead of a dip, the magical dish is a dessert.  Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte.  This dessert provides the most delicious slice of chocolatey heaven you will ever experience.  No lie.  I saw it first on Annie's Eats and fell in love with the triple chocolately layers.  Every time I bring this dessert to a gathering, the chocolate fiends in the room are entranced.  The layers are rich and delicious, yet light and velvety.  An all around winner.  People have asked me to bring this again and again.  It never fails to please.

You will love this Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte and so will all your friends.  You will be the hero who saved the party.  You will be the superstar with the out-of-this-world dessert that has everyone swooning.  I promise. 

Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte
Posted on Annie's Eats

Ingredients: 

For the bottom layer:
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus extra for greasing the pan
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¾ tsp. instant espresso powder
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

For the middle layer:
2 tbsp. cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
5 tbsp. hot water
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (or you can use semi-sweet chocolate)
1½ cups heavy cream
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

For the top layer:
¾ tsp. powdered gelatin
1 tbsp. water
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups heavy cream

Directions:

To make the bottom layer, butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. (I lined the bottom of the pan with a parchment round for easy removal later.) Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325˚ F. Combine the butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in a large heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Crumble half of the brown sugar into the mixing bowl with your fingers to remove any lumps. Beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges and the center has just set but is still soft (should spring back after pressing gently with a finger), about 14-18 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour. Do not remove the cake from the pan. (If not making the second layer right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to proceed.)

To make the middle layer, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Once melted, remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 2-5 minutes.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar and salt on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the cocoa powder mixture until smooth. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Pour the mousse into the springform pan over the cooled cake and tap gently on the counter 3 times to remove air bubbles. Gently smooth the top with a spatula. Wipe the inside edge of the pan to remove any drips. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the top layer.

To make the top layer, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes to soften. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring ½ cup of the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and let stand about 1 minute. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup of cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds. Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Gently spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours.