Chocolate Mousse Cake

Can I tell you - I just discovered the most delicious, sublime chocolate dessert that took about 15 minutes to make. And it's like biting into a piece of smooth, sophisticated, grown-up chocolate super - heaven. I broke my own rule though, the one where I urge you not to try something new right before you have people coming over for dinner. I thought I could let it slide, after all, it's only dessert, it's not like totally necessary to serve a dessert, so if you mess it up, it could go virtually unnoticed... Right?, (long pause..) Yikes!!! That's so NOT cool, man! Dessert is, at least in my book, the best part of dinner and when I'm lucky enough to be somewhere that it is being offered, it makes my heart skip.

So, after all this reconfiguring of my priorities, I am pleased that even though this time I broke my own rule - it was ok - and dessert was served and received decidedly well. I guess that speaks for the simplicity of this chocolate-mousse cake, it's quite easy, low maintenance and decadent. Even if it has to be made one day in advance, and then sit on your counter, (for a very long and painful 24 hours), it's well worth the wait : )

Chocolate Mousse Cake

From Eating and Living, John Pawson and Annie Bell

Serves 6

1 lb good quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

4 oz. unsalted butter

2 heaping spoons sugar

4 organic eggs

1 TBLS all-purpose flour

cocoa powder, for dusting

1/2 lb berries

Preheat oven 425. Butter an 8" springform pan, (I used a 10" and so my cake is thinner), with removable base. Put chocolate, butter, and half the sugar in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of boiling water, stirring occasionally.

Put the eggs and remaining sugar in a bowl in a food processor and whiz for 10 minutes until mixture has increased in volumes several times over and pale, almost white. (My eggs never got whitish, more pale yellow). Transfer to a large bowl and carefully fold into the flour. Then gently fold melted chocolate into mixture.

If you are using a chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa, the mixture may break, or curdle, in which case, whisk in 2-3 tbls of water to emulsify it. At this point, the mixture will still be runny. It will partially set as it cooks and further when it cools.

Pour the mixture into the cake pan and cook for 6 minutes. The rim should have just set and the center will still appear to be liquid.

Allow the cake to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and leave in a cool place (not the fridge), overnight.

To serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove it. Dust the surface with cocoa powder and serve with scattered berries.