Midnight Dream

This is a creamy chocolate mousse cake with a base that differs from the usual chocolate butter cake. The cake appears light as a cloud upon baking, but transforms into a rich, dense cake when chilled. Semi-sweet chocolate chips bring out the intense chocolate flavor of this richly satisfying dessert.

8-10 Servings

Ingredients:
For the base:
112 g butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbps Dutch Cocoa
3 pcs eggs, separated
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

For the mousse:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose cream ( 1 cup to chilled solid)
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 pcs eggs, separated
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
3 tbsp cold water
1/3 cup sugar

For the topping: (optional)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp confectioner sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose cream, chilled

Instruction:
Base:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 inch round sprinform pan with nonstick baking paper.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter, chocolate chips, and cocoa. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and cool.
3. Add egg yolks and flour to cooled mixture. Stir with a wire whisk until smooth.
4. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar. Increase speed to high and continue beating until stiff but not dry.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate-egg mixture into the egg whites. Pour into springform pan, tapping pan gently on the table to release any air pockets.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cake will shrink when it cools. Put the cake back into the pan.

Mousse:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the 1/2 cup all-purpose cream over low flame. Add chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
2. Stir a little of the chocolate mixture into egg yolks. Pour tempered yolks into the chocolate mixture.
3. In a bowl, combine gelatin and water. Add to chocolate-yolk mixture and heat to dissolve the gelatin. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl to cool until just warm.
4. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Gently fold in chocolate-yolk mixture until blended. Set aside.
5. Place the chilled all-purpose cream in medium bowl. With a wire whisk, mix cream until smooth, but do not whip. Add a little egg white mixture to lighten the cream.
6. Add the rest of the egg white mixture and fold until blended. Pour over cake.
7. Smooth top with a knife or angled metal spatula. Chill overnight.

Topping:

1. After the cake has chilled, run a wet metal spatula around sides of mousse. Release sides of springform pan.
2. Using a fine sifter, sift 1 tablespoon cocoa over cake. Sift about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar over cake.
3. Whip chilled cream with remaining powdered sugar and pipe cream around the edges of mousse cake. Transfer cake to a platter before serving.