Many of you have asked, and now you shall receive… The photo of a family dessert that I posted on Facebook a few days before Thanksgiving garnered a lot of attention. Lots of ooohs and ahhhhs and “recipe please”‘s. Since there’s still at least one major holiday left of 2015 that lots of you will celebrate, I thought I’d share my family’s recipe for Chocolate Mousse Torte.
My mom has been making this dessert for as long as I can remember. Before her, her mom and aunt made it. I’m not clear where the original recipe came from, but I’m fairly certain it’s from my mom’s aunt, my great aunt, Auntie Flo. My first, second, and third cousins (and some several times removed) also make this dessert every Thanksgiving. My aunt Char has lovingly dubbed it our family stone.
Aunt Flo’s Chocolate Mousse Torte is light but rich. There’s truly nothing like it. Thanksgiving is never the same without Aunt Flo’s dessert.
It’s a somewhat complicated recipe. Not complicated if you’re a seasoned baker well versed in whipping cream or if you’ve a penchant for crafting mousse. But if you’ve never done either before, it can be a bit intimidating. I typically call my mom every year for help.
“How do I know when the eggs are done?”
“Uh oh, did I turn my cream into butter?!”
This was the first year I didn’t have to. Proud daughter moment. Make sure your measurements are precise and your attention to detail is strong. Put in the effort and care and you’ll be rewarded with an amazing end result.
Before beginning, I would like to note that like most mousse recipes, this recipe contains raw eggs. It’s amazing and totally worth it, and there are pasteurized eggs on the market that you can certainly use in lieu of regular eggs, but I do think it’s worth mentioning for anyone with compromised immune systems or those who wish to steer clear of raw eggs. If you choose to use pasteurized eggs, it will take longer to incorporate air and will not hold quite as well, so keep that in mind while you’re baking.
Good luck and enjoy!
Aunt Flo’s Chocolate Mousse Torte
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb semi-sweet baking chocolate
- 2 eggs, separated, yolks slightly beaten
- 3 Tbsp boiling water
- 1 pint cream, whipped
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 box Famous Chocolate Wafers
- 1 banana, sliced
- maraschino cherries, for garnish
- chopped pistachios, for garnish
Directions
Melt the chocolate using a double boiler. Once melted, add the boiling water. Remove from heat and let cool.
Add the egg yolks and beat until chocolate is shiny.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. Beat the cream. Combine the cream with the egg whites. Fold the egg and cream mixture into the chocolate. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
In a buttered 9-inch spring form pan, place a layer of thin chocolate wafers on the bottom and edges. Cover with a layer of chocolate mixture and add another layer of wafers. Layer sliced bananas and layer the remaining chocolate mixture.
Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and place on a serving dish. Garnish with cherries and chopped pistachios. Serve and enjoy!
P.S. This dessert makes a great birthday cake, too 🙂
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What’s your family’s “Thanksgiving dessert?”
You know, the one you always have to have?
xo
