Chocolate Caramel Mousse Torte
Serves: Serves 12-18
 
Ingredients
  • 16 oz. good quality Dark Chocolate Chips
  • 6 large Eggs
  • 8 oz. Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 T. Vanilla
  • 10 oz. Heavy Cream
  • 8 oz. good quality Dark Chocolate Chips
  • ⅓ C. Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1½ C. Sugar
  • 1 C. Water
  • 2 T. Butter
  • ¾ C. Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 3 T. Water
  • 1 pkg. Gelatin(I use Knox)
  • 2¼ C. Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ¼ C. Cocoa Powder(for rolling and dusting)
Instructions
  1. TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TORTE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the outside of a 9" springform pan with tinfoil. Melt the 16 oz. over a double boiler. Stir until smooth, remove from heat and let the chocolate cool slightly. Beat the eggs and dark brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium/high speed for about 10 minutes, or until pale and thickened(more like lightly whipped cream). Fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture until combined. Mix the 10 oz. cream and vanilla together and pour into the chocolate egg mixture. Fold in until just combined and pour into the prepared springform pan. Place the springform into a larger pan and place in the oven. With the oven rack slid out, pour boiling water into the larger pan around the torte until it comes ½ way up the sides of the torte pan. Carefully slide the rack back in the oven and allow the torte to bake for 60-70 minutes, or until set. When finished baking, remove the torte from the water bath and allow to cool in the fridge, covered, until firm. This will take at least 2 hours(use the freezer to speed up the cooling process, but don't allow to freeze!)
  2. TO MAKE THE TRUFFLES: Place the 125 g. dark chocolate chips in a bowl along with half of the ⅓ C. heavy cream. Microwave for 45 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth. Add in the remaining cream and whisk until combined. Refrigerate while making the caramel mousse.
  3. FOR THE CARAMEL MOUSSE: Place 1½ C. sugar into a medium saucepan. Pour the 1 C. water on top of the sugar and stir just to wet all of the sugar. Place the pan on medium/high heat. As the sugar water begins to boil, brush down the sides of the pan with a basting brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
  4. As the sugar starts to boil, do not stir. Meanwhile, place the ¾ C. heavy cream in the microwave for about 45 seconds, taking care not to let it boil over. place near your boiling sugar, along with the 2 T. butter. After about 7-10 minutes the sugar will begin to caramelize and turn golden brown. Swirl the pan around to encourage thorough caramelization, but do not stir.
  5. When your caramel is a deep golden brown, remove it from the heat. I recommend using oven mitts for the next step. Place the butter in the pan and whisk furiously to incorporate the butter(the caramel will bubble and splatter, so take care). When the butter is incorporated, add the heavy cream and quickly whisk it in to the caramel.
  6. Allow the caramel to cool for about 10 minutes.
  7. After 10 minutes, place the 3 T. Water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the package of gelatin over the water and allow it to soak for 5 minutes.
  8. While the gelatin is soaking, place the 2¼ C. of heavy cream in a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  9. Add ¼ C. of the caramel to the bowl of gelatin and microwave for about 10 seconds, or until the gelatin is melted(this happens quickly so watch closely!)
  10. Mix the gelatin and caramel together well. Pour the mixture into the pan of caramel and whisk together until well blended.
  11. Pour the caramel/gelatin mixture over the whipped cream and gently fold together until all of the caramel is incorporated into the cream.
  12. TO ASSEMBLE THE TORTE: Remove the chocolate torte from the refrigerator and carefully slice in half horizontally. remove the top half of the torte by placing a plate covered in plastic wrap over the top of the torte and inverting just the top half of the torte on to it.
  13. Rip off a piece of wax paper long enough to wrap around the perimeter of the torte. Fold the paper in half horizontally and wrap in around the base of the torte. while holding on to the paper to keep it in place, bring the sides of the spring form pan down over the paper(so that the paper is on the inside) and fasten it to the bottom of the springform pan.
  14. Place ⅓ of the caramel mousse on top of the torte and spread to even out and level. Very carefully place the top half of the torte on top of the mousse layer.
  15. Place half of the remaining caramel mousse on top of the chocolate torte and evenly spread it out.
  16. Place the remaining mousse in a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe stars of mousse evenly around the perimeter of the torte. Work your way inward, piping stars in circles until you reach the middle of the torte. Pipe on star of mousse in the very center. Chill the torte while you make the truffles.
  17. TO FORM THE TRUFFLES: Remove the chilled chocolate/cream mixture from the fridge. Using a very small scoop or a teaspoon, scoop out rounds of chocolate(try to keep them uniform in size) into a bowl of cocoa powder. Roll the chocolate balls until they form smooth balls and place them back in the cocoa powder. Roll the truffles around in the cocoa until evenly coated. Repeat with all of the chocolate/cream mixture. Remove the torte from the fridge. Dust the top of the torte with cocoa powder by placing the remaining powder in a small sieve and lightly tapping it over the top of the torte, moving the falling powder around until the top is evenly coated.
  18. Place 1 truffle on top of each of the caramel mousse stars(see pictures).
  19. Chill the torte again for 2-3 hours, or until the mousse is stable and more firm.
  20. Unlatch the sides of the springform and slide the sides carefully off of the torte.
  21. Carefully remove the wax paper from the sides of the torte and the torte is ready to serve!
Recipe by The Kitchen McCabe at https://www.thekitchenmccabe.com/2013/11/11/chocolate-caramel-mousse-torte/