Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake

Name: Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake
Yield: Serves 12 to 16
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick), unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus extra for greasing pan; 7 ounces (198 grams), bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (see note); 3/4 teaspoon, instant espresso powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons, vanilla extract; 4 large, eggs, separated; pinch, table salt; 1/3 cup packed (about 2 1/2 ounces/71 grams), light brown sugar, crumbled with fingers to remove lumps; 2 tablespoons, cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed; 5 tablespoons, hot water; 7 ounces (198 grams), bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (see note); 1 1/2 cups, cold heavy cream; 1 tablespoon, granulated sugar; 1/8 teaspoon, table salt; 3/4 teaspoon, powdered gelatin; 1 tablespoon, water; 6 ounces (170 grams), white chocolate chips (see note); 1 1/2 cups, cold heavy cream; , Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for serving, optional (see note)

Desserts or Baked Goods
Chocolate
Cakes

Appears in Cook's Illustrated November/December 2009, America's Test Kitchen TV

To rate a perfect 10, this triple-decker confection would need to lighten up and lose its one-note texture.

SERVES 12 to 16

TIME 1¾ hours, plus 1 hour cooling and 2½ hours chilling

Why This Recipe Works

This is a members' feature.