Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Torte

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Photo: GENTL & HYERS
Servings:
15

In the grand tradition of European pastry, this torte alternates layers of crisp butter-wafer cookies with a dense bittersweet chocolate mousse. Best served chilled and thinly sliced, this dessert is elegant; the cookies are store-bought, so it's delightfully easy, too.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 65 percent cacao), chopped

  • 3 cups heavy cream

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 12 ounces crisp oval butter wafer cookies (20 total)

  • Good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

  1. Make mousse: Put chocolate in a large bowl, and set aside. Heat 1 1/2 cups cream over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan until cream is steaming and small bubbles form on edges.

  2. Pour cream over chocolate. Stir until mixture is smooth. Let cool completely.

  3. Put remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture, one-third at a time.

  4. Assemble torte: Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on sides. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) over bottom of pan to cover. Arrange 5 cookies on top in a single layer to cover, breaking them to fit as necessary. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) on top to cover; smooth into an even layer. Repeat process with remaining cookies and mousse until pan is full.

  5. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface, and refrigerate torte until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

  6. Remove plastic wrap from surface. Invert torte onto a serving plate; unmold, using overhang to coax it out. Remove plastic wrap. Dust with cocoa.

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