| Prepare the mold by fitting the inside bottom
of it with a circle of card paper, I use a white paper plate cut to
fit. Slice the chocolate cake in three layers. The bottom of the cake
will be the last piece inserted into the mold. The diameter of the
other two slices may need to be trimmed to fit easily into the mousse
filled mold. |
| Make the mousse filling by mixing the vanilla into
the already smooth pastry cream. While the whipped cream is
whipping in the chilled bowl, mix the boiling water and gelatin together
and stir into the pastry cream. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry
cream until it is uniform in color and appearance. |
| Using a spatula apply 1/4 to 1/2 inch of mousse
to the side of the mousse mold. With a pastry bag and a flat tip (#1D)
apply a layer of mousse to the bottom of the mold, directly to the
paper circle. Sprinkle the 4 ounces of chocolate chips to the inside
edge of the mousse dome. Patt them in nicely with the tip of your
spatula. |
| Using the (trimmed) top layer of the cake - lay
it carefully down into the mold. Press evenly and firmly. Brush with
1/3 of the syrup. Apply 1/2 the remaining mousse mixture and spread
evenly to the edge of the cake. |
| Using the (trimmed) center slice of the cake - lay
it carefully down into the mold. Press evenly and firmly. Brush with
1/3 of the syrup. Apply the remaining mousse mixture and spread evenly
to the edge of the cake. |
| Lay in the last layer of the sliced cake and press
down evenly and firmly. Apply the remaining syrup. Dress the edges
of the mold with a spatula, be sure the mousse filling comes up to
meet the edge of the last layer of cake. |
| Freeze solid - overnight. It must be rock hard in
order to un-mold. |
| In a bowl of hot water dip the frozen mold just
up to the lip - for about 5-8 seconds. Invert over an 8” cardboard
cake circle. Press firmly on the mold and the cake should pop right
out. Re-dip if needed. Center on cardboard. Peel the paper circle
from the top of the mousse cake. |
| Hold the cake in your hand (under the cardboard)
and with the pastry bag filled with soft ganache draw a line aroound
the lower edge of the cake. Working over a bowl of chocolate sprinkles,
apply the sprinkles to the lower edge of the cake. |
| With 1-1/2 ounces of firm ganache and using a small
star tip place continuous shell border around the edge of the cake
top. (Just in from the edge) |
| Warm the remaining ganache gently in on a Bain Marie
and pour about 3-1/2 ounces of very liquid ganache on top of the cake
to fill the border area. Tip and roll the cake to ensure the ganache
runs out to the meet the shell border. The cold mousse cake
will thicken the ganache quickly, you really only have one chance
to get this right. |
| Stored chilled for several hours before serving.
Cut with a sharp serrated knife that has been rinsed in hot water
after each cut. |
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