Chocolate Red Wine Mousse Cake

Husband and I have never been much into Valentine's day or for that matter any other Hallmark holidays. We however like chocolate cakes and for that reason alone I decided to make a big deal of  Valentine's day this year and celebrate it with this heavenly Chocolate Red Wine Mousse Cake...

The recipe is an adaptation of Michel Rostang's Double-Chocolate Mousse Cake from Dorie Greenspan's book Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours. I mostly followed her recipe, just made a tiny adjustment... replaced the brewed coffee with an equal measure of red wine... and created "one of the most elegant desserts ever"... so said the husband. We relished and enjoyed the dessert over the next 3 days, each time feeling decadent and wonderful....   

This is a flourless cake and is baked in two sessions. You first make the batter, bake part of it for the crust, chill the crust, then pour the remaining batter over the baked crust and bake the whole cake again. And then you chill it all over before serving. Yes. The process involved it is somewhat lengthy and tedious. However once you have baked, chilled and tasted the goey chocolately deliciousness, and seen the delight on your partners face,  you will forget about all the tiny details and will want to make the cake again for your special someone...  

Chocolate Red Wine Mousse Cake

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Recipe adapted from Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours

Prep time : 20-30 minutes active time + minimum 5 hours chilling time

Cook time: 15 + 30 minutes                                                               Total time: minimum 6 ½ hours

Yield : 3 4-inch cakes or 1 8-inch cake                                              Serves : 6

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocochips
• ⅓ cup Red Wine( I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 7 tbsps unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 pinches salt
• 4 large eggs, separated
• Cocoa powder for dusting
• Strawberries for garnish
• Whipped cream or ice-cream (optional) 

Cooking Directions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 400 °F.
2. Generously butter the sides of three 4-inch springform pan or one 8-inch springfoam pan.
3. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper and put the springform ring on it.
4. Melt the chocolate over a double broiler or a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Take care so that the bowl does not touch the water.)
5. Still holding the bowl over the pan of simmering, add the red wine and whisk until the mixture becomes smooth.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time.
7. Gently whisk in the sugar and a pinch of salt.
8. Then add the yolks one at a time and whisk until well combined.
9. In a large metal or glass bowl with a hand mixer, whip the egg whites with another pinch of salt until they are firm but still glossy.
10. Stir in one quarter of the egg whites to the velvety chocolate mixture, then using a spoon or rubber spatula gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
11. You now have 3 cups of batter in the bowl.
12. In case you are baking in three 4-inch rings, spoon ½ cup of batter into each of the rings and bake for 13 minutes. If baking in a 8-inch ring, spoon 1 cup of batter into the prepared ring and bake for 14-15 minutes.
13. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cake cool to room temperature. Then chill the base, still on the baking sheet, for at least 1 hour.
14. When ready to bake the second layer, preheat oven to 400 ° F.
15. If baking in three 4-inch rings, spoon ½ cup of batter into each of the rings and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the top is puffed and dry. If baking in a 8-inch ring, spoon 2 cups of batter into the prepared ring and bake for 30 minutes.
16. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cake cool to room temperature. Then chill it for at least 4 hours or overnight. 
17. Once thoroughly chilled, run a blunt knife around the edges of the springform pan and remove the ring. Carefully transfer the cake to the serving plate, dust with cocoa and serve with strawberries and ice-cream. 

Note: The crust is very soft and delicious and can be made into delicious chocolate red wine truffles. Just shape it into balls, chill the balls and roll over cocoa powder. Using the above recipe, I baked two 4-inch mousse cakes and one 6-inch cake crust and shaped the crust into truffles.

p.s: updated the recipe on 4/21/2014 after realizing from the comments that I had not listed sugar in the ingredient list. 

I shall be sharing this cake at the following parties....

Monday :  Mix it up Monday, The Scoop, Made with love Monday, 
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks, Recipe Sharing @ Jam Hands
Melt in your Mouth Monday, Inspiration Monday Party 
Recipe Sharing Monday, Inspire Me Monday, 
Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Maniac Monday Linky Party

Meatless Monday :  Meatless Monday My Sweet and Savory

Tuesday  Totally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box,
 Tasteful Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations, 
Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home ,  
Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings , Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles,  
Tasty Tuesday @ Anyonita Nibbles,  Hearth and Soul blog Hop @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen,
In & Out of the Kitchen @ Feeding Big & More, Tuesday's Table @ Love in the Kitchen, 

Wednesday : What's Cooking Wednesday @ Buns in my Oven, 
Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain, Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, 
Wine'd Down Wednesday, Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ All She Cooks
Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ Mom's Test Kitchen, Wednesday, Whatsit@White Lights on Wednesday,Create & Share @ The Trendy Tree House,  What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar & Dots Look, 
What I Made @ Creations by Kara

Thursday : Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive,
Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs, Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity,  
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage ,  Freedom Friday @ My Turn,  
Thursday's Treasures @ Food Done Light,  Pin it Thursday @ Sweet Bella Roos

Friday : Foodie Friday @ Simple Living and Eating,  
Friday Linky Party @ The Pin Junkie, Get Him Feed @ Anyonita Nibbles
 Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home,  Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes,
 Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm, Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, 
Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts, Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club, 
The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog Recipes