I have been making this dessert for years and it is based from a recipe from Bon Appétit. It is not overly sweet and has a beautiful light texture. The key to making your mouse is beating your egg whites to the proper consistency. Too stiff and they are hard to blend and too soft, they tend not to hold up as well. If you like cappuccino and chocolate, this is your kind of dessert! This recipe looks more challenging than it is, but it does require a little patience and reading through the directions carefully. It’s best if you can make the dessert ahead and let it set in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Decadent and delicious!

Serves 12

for crust:

  • 1 package Nabisco chocolate wafers
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for fillings:

  • 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 6 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 5 large egg whites
  • 2 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

for whipped cream topping:

  • 1 1/2 cup whipped cream
  • 3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ounces of a semi sweet or milk chocolate bar for shavings (optional)
  • Cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

for crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a food processor, pulse wafers, sugar in processor until mixture is finely ground. Add melted butter to crumb mixture and process until crumbs are moist. Spray a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with Cooking spray and press prepared crumb mixture 2 3/4-inches up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust until just firm to touch, about 10 minutes and allow to cool completely.

for fillings:

Place butter, chocolate and 1 teaspoon of coffee powder in heavy medium saucepan over very low heat and whisk mixture until melted and smooth. Transfer to large bowl and set aside while you prepare your meringue.

In a small heavy sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Allow syrup to come to a boil and use a candy thermometer allowing it to reach 240°F.

Meanwhile, using electric mixer, with whisk attachment, whisk whites in large bowl to soft peaks (until the egg whites are just starting to hold). Gradually pour the hot syrup into the mixing bowl until the egg whites are medium to stiff (so when you remove the whisk, the peaks still retain their shape)

Fold about 1/3 of meringue into lukewarm chocolate mixture to lighten and then fold in remaining meringue. Set aside.

Clean out your mixing bowl. Combine 1/4 cup cream and 5 teaspoons of espresso powder in the mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Add 2 1/2 cups cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat until firm peaks form. Using a spatula, fold in 1 1/2 cups of coffee whipped cream into the chocolate meringue, until it is well incorporated which will make your mocha mousse.

Spoon half of mocha mousse over bottom of crust. Then spoon half of coffee whipped cream over mousse using an offset spatula to spread an even layer. Repeat the layering with remaining mocha mousse and, coffee whipped cream.

for whipped cream:

Clean out your mixing bowl once again. Add all ingredients for whipped cream to your bowl and whip the cream until whipped cream forms. Spread almost to the edges of your torte. Using a peeler, shave chocolate from a bar and sprinkle on top along with a bit of cinnamon as desired. Loosely cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours (can be made 1 day ahead, keep refrigerated.) Gently run a knife around edges of spring form pan to loosen from sides and release. Enjoy!