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French Chocolate Mousse Cake

You'll notice she uses an old scarf to line the cake plate, but you can use cheesecloth or muslin, called étamine in France. I was told that it was best eaten two days after it’s made, although once it's thoroughly chilled, I think you're good to go. It does slice more easily when cool, but tastes better when the slices are closer to room temperature. (Think of that as another French paradox.) Lastly, don’t worry if your cake isn’t sliceable; if not, simply serve portions with a large spoon. It will taste just as good.
Servings 8 servings
  • 250 grams (9 ounces) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 45 ml (3 tablespoons) water
  • 190 grams (7 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 3 tablespoons sugar, preferably light brown
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • In a medium saucepan, warm the chocolate, water, and butter over low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth.
  • Remove from heat, add the sugar, and let cool to room temperature. Stir in egg yolks and beat a few moments until smooth and creamy, about 5 to 10 seconds.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, but aren't too stiff or dry. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until almost smooth, then fold in the rest. (If the chocolate mixture has gotten too thick, you can rewarm the mixture slightly over a pot of barely simmering water or just over the very low flame on the stovetop if the outside of the mixing bowl is heatproof.)
  • Moisten well a muslin cloth or a clean (lint free) tea towel, and line a 8-inch (23 cm) round glass or earthenware baking dish such as a pie plate, with it, letting the sides overhang the edges over the dish. (You can use a 9-inch/23cm pan or plate, which will result in a slightly lower cake.)
  • Scrape the batter into the dish and smooth the top. Lift the sides of the damp cloth and fold it over the batter, enveloping it.
  • Let chill for 1- 2 days before serving.

Notes

To serve, open up the towel and invert onto a serving plate. To get very clean slices, you can either wave a sharp knife over a flame and slice it with the warm blade, wiping it clean between each slice. Dipping it in a pot of very hot water works, too. You could serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, but the cake is often served by itself.