Hi, experts. Normally when I fill a cake with chocolate I use a whipped ganache, but I would like something lighter and more like a mousse. Recipe anyone? Thank you.

By Panini (Panini) on Wednesday, January 24, 2001 - 08:12 pm: Edit

4lb 8oz good choco
1lb 8oz good butter
doz. whole eggs
3 qts. Heavy Cream 42%++

Melt chocolate and butter over double boiler
Ribbon eggs and add to chocolate
You should end up with a ganache consistancy
fold in Heavy cream
retard for 10 min. and fill cakes

this is the easiest one we have.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, January 25, 2001 - 08:40 am: Edit

Hum....I too use raw eggs but only when I can't figure out how to avoid them. I don't mean this as a criticism (honestly) but don't you worry Panini? I've even bought dryed egg whites to phase out using fresh...although it takes more effort and time and sometimes I just can't go there...but*?>

Anyway, why not use mousse? For my chocolate cakes I pour a layer of ganache on each cake layer then top with mousse, then cake etc... I think that is the best taste combo. I like the richness the ganche offers and then the lighter mousse as a contrast.?? Just a thought.

By Claudia (Claudia) on Thursday, January 25, 2001 - 09:09 am: Edit

Thank you, Panini and W. I guess I was worried about mousse being runny until it is set. Do you let it set first for a while? I like the contrast idea. I use raw eggs; I purchase them from a local farm, figuring that the smaller the production, the cleaner they will be. So far, so good.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, January 25, 2001 - 09:40 am: Edit

I use plastic cake bands around my cakes and let the mousse set in the cake (spray them with "pam spray" and it peels off nicely). That provides a really stong/stable finished product. Years ago I'd let it set in a bowl, then use it. Using the cake bands cuts out one step and provides a better result (you also will have you cakes centered better for easier frosting).

P.S. You can control the consistancy of your mousse several ways. Even the thinnest will set up in a few minutes. You also can use chocolate bavarian (close in taste to mousse). Put it in the same size pan you use for your cakes, freeze it (use a torch to release, you can always have them on hand in the freezer) then layer as you would mousse. You work with it while it's frozen...no problems, very easy.

By d. on Thursday, January 25, 2001 - 06:57 pm: Edit

I do choc. mousse like Panini but heat the eggs with sugar to 140 degrees. Then fold into chocolate. I like using whole eggs rather than wasting my time dirtying more mixing bowls and separating the eggs.
I also use the 3 " cakeband like W. does. I freeze all our cakes that way.

By Panini (Panini) on Friday, January 26, 2001 - 01:23 pm: Edit

Sorry I wasn't clear. When I say ribbon I'm refering to whisking the eggs and a little sugar over an open flame We never use raw eggs for any uncooked products. The whipped cream is also brought to medium peak and folded in. This ie RTU and very stable.

By Claudia (Claudia) on Saturday, January 27, 2001 - 07:48 am: Edit

Thanks for the clarification. I assumed by "ribbon" you meant whipping the eggs to ribbon stage. I reduced the recipe down to sample it and tried it (with raw eggs - but not for sale!) and after adding the cream, realized that you must have meant to whip that also. No matter for the purposes of experimentation; I whipped the whole thing up to proper consistency. I will try again doing it properly. I also will try the mousse with cake bands - I had a feeling that was what I needed, anyway. Thank you all so much.

By W.DeBord on Saturday, January 27, 2001 - 12:39 pm: Edit

Claudia it's easier to work with the cake bands if your bottom cake layer is 1" or more. Other wise the band falls inward and can be quite tricky to handle. You put your cake on a cardboard then spray band with Pam spray, then wrap around bottom cake layer snuggly but straight vertically and put a piece of tape to hold.

Then make your mousse.

Let your chocolate cool down a bit from melting, but don't let it get too cool. Whip your cream until it's firm but soft (not stiff, that makes folding in harder and changes the mousses texture a bit), set whipped cream aside while you whip your whites. Also avoid over whipping your whites, get them firm but not dry. Over whipped whites are also harder to work with and change the texture of your mousse.

I like to use a whisk to fold my mousse together. With any mousse recipe either with whole eggs,whites or ones using butter it's best to add your cold ingredient (whip cream) last or your chocolate will set-up before you can add the rest.