Neapolitan Mousse Cakes

Neapolitan Mousse Cakes

Makes 10 8 x 8 cm (3 x 3-inch) cakes

• Chocolate Almond Cake
• Vanilla Mousse
• Strawberry Mousse
• Dark Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Almond Cake

• 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, extra for greasing
• 30 g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa, extra for dusting moulds
• 60 g (½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 150 g (1 cup) whole blanched almonds, toasted and cooled
• 225 g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 5 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F). Line rimmed baking sheet with non-stick baking paper or silicone baking mat. Using pastry brush, grease ten 8 x 8 cm (3 x 3-inch) ring moulds with softened butter. Dust with cocoa and arrange on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2½ cm (1-inch) apart.
2. In small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat, occasionally swirling pan, until it begins to brown and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, using fine mesh sieve, sift cocoa two times onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Then sift together cocoa (for a third time), flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl.
4. In bowl of food processor, process almonds until finely ground. Add ground almonds and sugar to cocoa mixture and whisk together until combined well.
5. Add egg whites, one at-a-time, whisking until just combined after each addition (do not over mix).
6. Stir the vanilla into the cooled butter.
7. Gradually pour the vanilla-butter in a thin, steady stream into the batter, whisking to just combine.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared ring moulds. Use the back of a demitasse spoon to spread batter evenly to edges of moulds.
9. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean, about 22 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack. Let stand 5 minutes, remove rings and transfer cakes to wire rack. Let stand until cooled completely.
11. Line rimmed baking sheet with non-stick baking paper or silicone baking mat. Arrange cakes on baking sheet, spacing 2½ cm (1-inch) apart.
12. See assembly.

Vanilla Mousse

• 500 ml (2 cups) heavy cream, 35%, divided
• 1½ vanilla beans, split and seeded
• 5 g (about 2 teaspoons) unflavoured gelatine
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) cold water
• 3 large egg yolks
• 75 g (1/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

1. Reserve 240 ml (1 cup) cream (keep chilled) and also reserve seeds from one-half vanilla bean (for whipped cream – reserve pod for another use). In a small saucepan, heat the remainder of the cream (240 ml or 1 cup) and seeds and pod from one vanilla bean over medium heat bringing just to the boil (small bubbles beginning to form around the sides of the pan). Remove from heat, cover and let steep, at least 20 minutes. (I recommend 30 for maximum flavour.)
2. In large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until combined well.
3. Gradually pour the warm cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
4. Prepare ice water bath, half fill a large bowl with ice, cover ice with cold water and set aside.
5. Sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water and stir until gelatine is dissolved. Let stand to bloom, about 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook the custard over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 4 to 5 minutes (do not let the mixture boil).
7. Remove from heat; add the bloomed gelatine and whisk until combined well.
8. Using fine mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a medium bowl. Set the bowl over the ice water bath and whisk constantly until the mixture cools and begins to thicken.
9. Meanwhile, in stand mixer fitted with whip attachment, beat heavy cream and seeds for one-half vanilla bean at medium speed until soft peaks form.
10. Remove bowl from ice water bath. Using large flexible spatula, fold one half of the whipped cream into the custard mixture and then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Using fine mesh sieve, strain mousse into medium bowl. (This step is optional but I recommend for an extra smooth texture.)
11. See assembly.

Strawberry Mousse

• 5 g (about 2 teaspoons) unflavoured gelatine
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) cold water
• 240 ml (1 cup) strawberry purée
• 56 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 360 ml (1½ cups) heavy cream, 35%

1. Prepare ice water bath, half fill a large bowl with ice, cover ice with cold water and set aside.
2. Sprinkle gelatine over cold water and stir together until gelatine is dissolved. Let stand to bloom, about 5 minutes.
3. In small saucepan, stir together strawberry purée and sugar until combined well. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat; add the bloomed gelatine and whisk to combine well. Using fine mesh sieve, strain the strawberry mixture into medium bowl.
5. Set the bowl over the ice water bath and stir (do not whisk because it creates bubbles) constantly until the mixture cools and thickens.
6. Meanwhile, in stand mixer fitted whip attachment, beat heavy cream at medium speed until soft peaks form.
7. Remove bowl from ice water bath. Using large flexible spatula, fold one third of the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture and then fold in the remaining whipped cream in two additions. Using fine mesh sieve, strain mousse into medium bowl. (Again, this step is optional but I recommend for an extra smooth texture and also to ensure it is seed free.)
8. See assembly.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 120 ml (½ cup) heavy cream, 35%
• 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
• 113 g (4 ounces) dark chocolate, 70%

1. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup just to boil (small bubbles beginning to form around the sides of the pan) over medium heat, stirring until corn syrup is dissolved. 
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the chocolate and place in small bowl.
3. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and let stand, 2 minutes.
4. Using a flexible spatula, gently stir together beginning in the centre of the bowl gradually working toward the edges pulling in as much as chocolate as possible until the mixture is smooth, glossy and combined well.

Assembling Mousse Cakes

• Fresh strawberries or chocolate curls, to garnish

1. To make paper collars, cut ten 25 x 10-cm (10 x 4-inch) strips of acetate paper or non-stick baking paper. Wrap one collar around the base of each cake keeping the base flush with the baking sheet. Secure each collar with three stripes of tape. Return to baking sheet. Cover loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap.
2. Prepare Vanilla Mousse.
3. Evenly divide the vanilla mousse between each paper collar. (The layers should be no more than 2½ cm or 1-inch high.) Cover the cakes with a couple of sheets of plastic wrap (don’t secure too tightly otherwise the collars will lose their shape).
4. Transfer the cakes on the baking sheet to the freezer. Let chill until firm, about 2 hours.
5. When vanilla mousse layer is firm, prepare Strawberry Mousse.
6. Remove the cakes from the freezer.
7. Evenly divide the strawberry mousse between each paper collar. (Again, the layers should be no more than 2½ cm or 1-inch high.) Again, cover cakes with plastic wrap.
8. Return the cakes to the freezer. Let chill until firm.
9. Remove the cakes from the freezer and immediately remove collars. (I recommend removing collars immediately after removing cakes from the freezer because removal is much easier when the cakes are firm. It makes for best presentation too.)
10. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of chocolate ganache in the centre (onto the surface) of each cake, gently coaxing the ganache to the edges, leaving a 6 mm (¼-inch) border. Chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator until thawed, about 15 minutes.
11. To serve, transfer each cake to a dessert plate, and top each cake with a fanned out strawberry or chocolate curls.
12. Buon Appetito!