Double Chocolate Mousse Cake

Queen Bead's Note:

This decadent chocolate binge looks impressive, but is surprisingly easy to make. I found this recipe in the September 1989 issue of Good Housekeeping, and it has been my most requested dessert ever since. I had only been experimenting with gluten-free baking for a year at that point, and it was a treat to find a recipe that needed no alterations. The recipe said it serves 16, but I've yet to meet someone who can finish that large a piece! One friend dubbed this "sin on a plate".

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

Cake

• 2 (8 ounce) packages semisweet baking chocolate (16 1 oz. squares)
• 2 cups butter or 2 cups margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 large eggs

Glaze

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup

Garnish

• 1 (1 1/2 ounce) envelope whipped dessert topping mix
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Prepare the cake a day ahead of when you want to serve it. The cake is very dense, and takes a long time to cool, so don't start too late in the day. :).
2. Place a cookie sheet on the oven rack in case the springform pan leaks. Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 10" x 3" springform pan.
3. In a 3 quart saucepan, over low heat, heat chocolate, butter or margarine, sugar, half & half cream, vanilla, and salt until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly.
4. In large bowl, stir eggs slightly with a fork. Do not use a mixer, as this will over beat the eggs and the cake will scorch on the edges and fall in the middle.
5. Slowly stir chocolate mixture into eggs until well blended: pour into springform pan.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is level and not concave.
7. Cool cake completely, in pan, on wire rack. When cake is cool, run a sharp knife around the side of the pan, and remove the side of the pan. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled - minimum 6 hours, but overnight is best.
8. After cake is chilled, place cake, still on pan bottom, on a cake plate. Put strips of waxed paper between the pan bottom and the cake plate, to catch the drips of glaze. (Helpful Hint: Use a clean piece of that grippy carpet underlay between pan bottom and plate to keep the cake from sliding around as you try to slice it.).
9. If the top edge of the cake is higher than the center of the cake, or very uneven, you can trim it with a sharp knife if you want a prettier cake.
10. Prepare Chocolate Glaze as follows.
11. In 2 quart saucepan, over low heat, heat chocolate chips and butter or margarine until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove pan from heat. Beat in milk and corn syrup.
12. Spread warm glaze over top and sides of cake. Discard waxed paper.
13. Prepare whipped topping, beating until stiff peaks form. Pipe whipped topping around edge of cake. Refrigerate if not serving right away. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerater for a few days, or can be sliced and frozen, though the whipped topping is not as nice after freezing.

Reviews

[dbcreates]

This is a TEN STAR recipe, both in ease of prep and the rave reviews. I'm making 2 to take to a party tomorrow because everyone whined that they didn't get any last year! I have a few changes: I use either Valhrona 70% or if I'm feeling wealthy, Amano 73%. Guittard's 'Burgundy' chocolate (avail. @ baking suppliers) is my 'go-to' chocolate that I use for everything with superb results. But when cooking for chef or foody friends, I use the 'spensive stuff. I use 1/3 cup palm sugar for a deeper, more sultry flavor, and I use 2 knives to 'slice' through the eggs w/o incorporating air. DO NOT use margerine (for anything). Serve w/heavy whipping cream (try to get the stuff w/o additives) and I add in 1/4 cup whole milk or goat yogurt and a bit of sugar. Superb, and NEVER any left over! Garnish w/ sugared basil or mint leaves, raspberry/cointreu coulis, and a serene smile.

[Bake Em N Take Em]

this is tasty, that rich chocolate I was looking for. I used the glaze which was really thick but tasted nice & instead of the whipped topping I just used whipped cream.

[Pritha]

This was delicious! And a little slice satisfied my sweet tooth so it lasted long and kept me from eating too much- great great recipe! I skipped the glaze and used a glass tart dish