Chocolate Mousse Cake with Cashew Crème

My mother and her friend, whose birthday we were celebrating, are veritable chocoholics. The darker and more chocolaty, the better. (I broke my addiction by eating nothing but chocolate for a few weeks during the ChocolART chocolate festival in Germany. You read that right. Nothing but chocolate. And I got a chocolate massage, too. And, eventually, nauseous. Anyway.)

The Chocolate Mousse Cake (page 445) covered in Chocolate Ganache (page 502) seemed only natural. Upon tasting it, my mother's first words were “You've surpassed yourself.” (Technically, her first utterance was “Mmmmh.”) Suffice to say they positively adored it. There was plenty of praising involved, yes.


There was Cashew Crème (page 501) too, and it was truly delectable. Miha, the birthday girl, likened it to crème brulee. I'll liken it to a romantic gondola ride, were said ride a silky dessert cream.

Moist layers holding between them smooth, creamy mousse—even my chocolate-jaded stomach could agree: more please! Some assembly required, but the result is worth it. Though if you decide to stop and eat the un-moussed, un-frosted cake as-is, I wouldn't blame you; nor if you just spoon the mousse right out of the food processor. The stuff's fantastic. Luckily, there's plenty of it. So go ahead and help yourself to a spoonful or five.



I wrote a dedication (Happy Birthday Miha) with almond slivers to go along with the swan I'd shaped out of marzipan. Nuts go well with chocolate, so go nuts with the décor. Speaking of nuts; when I repeated it for Thanksgiving—they demanded it—I was too eager to assemble and didn't wait for my cake to cool (patience!); it broke into pieces, sliding slowly much like chocolaty plate tectonics. My grandma gave me a lesson in thinking fast and adapting to kitchen mishaps: we filled the cracks with walnuts. Everyone loved the touch. And the cake, again. We took some to an out-of-town friend. She loved it too.


- - Ulpia, no stranger to chocolate hangovers - -