The mocha mousse cake, also known as chocolate-coffee cake or chocolate and coffee mousse cake, is an elegant and enveloping dessert, designed for those who love intense and strong flavors. Ideal for serving at the end of a meal, this cake is the right choice to beautifully conclude a special dinner or surprise guests with a refined note. The cream, velvety and delicious, is created by the meeting of dark chocolate and instant coffee: an irresistible combination that gives the dessert depth and character. If you have leftover chocolate Easter eggs, this is the perfect occasion to give them new life in a simple yet impressive recipe. The base of the mocha mousse cake, unlike classic cheesecakes, is baked in the oven: it is prepared with dry biscuits and chopped hazelnuts, and once baked, it becomes compact and slightly crunchy, blending harmoniously with the mousse. For those who prefer to avoid baking, there is also a variant with a cold base, which I explain at the end of the recipe. The chocolate-coffee cake is a dessert that conquers at the first taste, with the elegant charm of chocolate and the unmistakable energy of coffee. An invitation to sweetness, to be enjoyed spoon after spoon.
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- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 8 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 615.39 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 45.21 (g) of which sugars 26.43 (g)
- Proteins 8.79 (g)
- Fat 45.28 (g) of which saturated 18.84 (g)of which unsaturated 15.66 (g)
- Fibers 4.84 (g)
- Sodium 348.38 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 5 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for a 9-inch diameter chocolate-coffee cake
To prepare the gluten-free mocha mousse cake I used gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. If you have celiacs check that the following ingredients have the label “gluten-free”: dark chocolate, unsweetened cocoa.
- 2 cups cups cookies (I used chocolate chip ones)
- 3/4 cup cups hazelnuts
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 tbsp tbsps butter (melted)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 10.5 oz oz 60% dark chocolate
- 2 eggs (medium, whites and yolks separated)
- 3 tsps instant coffee
- 3/4 cup cups heavy cream (unsweetened)
- 2/3 cup cups sugar
- as needed unsweetened cocoa powder
Tools
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Springform Pan 9-inch diameter
- Parchment paper
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 4 Bowls
- 1 Spatula
- Electric beaters
How to prepare chocolate and coffee mousse cake
To prepare the mocha mousse cake, start with the base: put the hazelnuts (1) in a mixer and blend them for a few moments. Then add the cookies (2) and a good pinch of salt. I used chocolate chip cookies, but if you prefer, you can use simple or cocoa dry biscuits. Blend again, this time longer, until you get a fine and homogeneous mixture (3).
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave, and add it to the cookies (4). Mix well (5), then also add the previously beaten egg with a fork (6).
Mix carefully until you obtain a soft and homogeneous mixture (7). Line a 9-inch springform pan. If you don’t have one of this size, consult this guide which will help you modify the doses according to the size of your pan. Pour the cookie mixture and, with the help of a spoon or your hands, flatten it into an even layer, covering the entire bottom and a few millimeters of the edges (8). Bake the mocha mousse cake base in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, then take it out and let it cool (9).
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate and coffee mousse: coarsely chop the dark chocolate with a knife (10). Then melt it in a bain-marie: to melt chocolate in a bain-marie, you need to put it in a thick-bottomed pot and place the pot inside a larger pot with lightly boiling water. Stir the chocolate constantly, and when it’s completely melted, remove it from the bain-marie and let it cool (11). Then add the instant coffee (12).
Carefully mix to combine it with the chocolate. Also, add 2 egg yolks (13). Keep the egg whites aside as they will be used later. In a separate bowl, whip the cream (14). Add it to the chocolate mixture (15).
With a spatula gently fold it in with slow movements from bottom to top (16) without deflating it. In the end, you should obtain a fluffy mixture (17). In another bowl, pour the egg whites (18).
With clean electric beaters, start beating them, and as soon as they become foamy, begin adding the sugar a little at a time (19). Continue to beat the egg whites until you obtain a perfect meringue (20). To test, flip the bowl: the mixture should remain attached to the bottom and sides, without sliding. Add it a little at a time to the chocolate mixture (21).
As with the cream, for the meringue, it’s important to fold it in with slow movements from bottom to top (22). This is what gives lightness and creaminess to the mousse. In the end, you should obtain a fluffy and homogeneous mixture (23).
Pour it over the now-cold base and level it well with a spatula (24). Cover the cake with a sheet of plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. After the resting time, remove it from the mold and decorate it with unsweetened cocoa powder (25).
You can serve the mocha mousse cake as it is, or accompanied by whipped cream. It is best enjoyed if taken out of the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before serving.
Storage
You can store the chocolate-coffee cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Variation with No-Bake Base
As mentioned, traditionally this type of dessert has a base similar to that of cheesecakes but requires baking; if you want to avoid this step, prepare the base without egg but with 120 g of melted butter. Line the bottom of the pan and place the base in the refrigerator until just before filling it with mousse.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use decaffeinated coffee?
Yes, I used decaffeinated instant coffee to allow even children to eat this dessert.
Can I use liquid coffee?
No, instant coffee is essential in this case because adding liquid coffee to the melted chocolate would cause it to seize and become unusable.
