Orange Mousse Chocolate Torte Food

ORANGE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE MIRROR CAKE

Steps:

• Mix crushed cookies, orange zest and butter; press onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Set aside. , In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over orange juice; let stand 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside. , For filling, melt chocolate with 1/2 cup cream in microwave; stir until smooth. Cool slightly; stir in dissolved gelatin. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and cocoa until smooth. Gradually add chocolate mixture and orange zest; mix well. In another bowl, beat remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into cream cheese mixture. Spoon over crust. Refrigerate, covered, until set, about 4 hours. Freeze, covered, overnight., For glaze, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; set aside (mixture will solidify). Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine sugar, milk and remaining water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Add baking chips; stir with a whisk until melted. Stir in food coloring; mix well. Cool glaze, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 90°, about 40 minutes. , Place cake on an inverted 9-in. pie plate in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. pan. Remove the sides of the springform. Pour cooled glaze over frozen cake, allowing excess to drip off. Let glaze set 15 minutes before removing drips from bottom edge of cake. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

ORANGE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the first six ingredients until blended. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until the mixture is thickened and reaches at least 160°. Remove from the heat; stir in melted chocolate until smooth., Pour into dessert dishes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until serving. Garnish with whipped cream and orange peel if desired.

DREAMY ORANGE MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring the orange juice to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar, the salt and yolks until smooth. Whisking constantly, add half of the reduced orange juice to the yolk mixture to temper. When it is all incorporated, return the tempered yolk mixture to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula to prevent the eggs from scrambling, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Strain the mixture into a clean bowl and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and the zest. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until chilled through, at least 5 hours.
• Pour the heavy cream into a medium bowl, and add the vanilla and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream on medium speed just until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes, being careful avoid over-beating. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold half of the whipped cream into the chilled orange mixture. Pour that mixture into the remaining whipped cream and continue to fold until completely incorporated. Divide the mixture among six 3-ounce serving bowls or espresso cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, put the gingersnaps in a resealable plastic bag and smash gently with a rolling pin. Sprinkle on top of the mousse, and serve.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• To make the sour cream cake: butter and flour an 8 or 9 inch cake pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks and the vanilla. In a measuring jug, whisk the sour cream and the milk together until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture alternately to the creamed butter mixture, ending with the milk mixture. Fold in the egg whites, then pour into the prepared pan. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a plate and continue cooling to room temperature. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to finish the cake.
• To make the almond praline: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and the water over low heat. Stir together until the sugar has melted, then increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced almonds with the sugar syrup and toss until well coated. With a slotted spoon, transfer the nuts to a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let the nuts cool and break them apart. The nuts should remain whole but be coated with a sugary golden coating.
• To make the chocolate mousse: chill a bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer in the freezer for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a double boiler, melt the chocolates over simmering water and stir in the cinnamon. In the frozen mixing bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks (do not over beat). Remove the double boiler insert holding the melted chocolate from the pan. With a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate. Fold the remaining cold cream into the chocolate mixture, 1/4 at a time, mixing it as little as possible just to get it all incorporated.
• When ready to assemble the torte, cut the sour cream cake in half horizontally with a long sharp knife. Place 1 layer of the cake on a serving plate and spread a thick layer of mousse on top of it. Sandwich the second layer over the top and spread a mounded layer of mouse over the top. Spread a layer of mousse around the edges, covering the cake completely. Gently press the sugared almonds into the mousse evenly around the edges of the cake. Using a very sharp vegetable peeler, shave long thick curls of chocolate over the top of the cake and serve immediately.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in a double boiler on low heat.
• Put all other ingredients in the blender and blend until creamy. You will need to stop and scrape the bowl a few times. This will insure that it will be smooth.
• Once the chocolate is melted, add to the Vita-mix and blend some more.
• Pour in a big bowl or individual serving bowls. Refrigerate for at lest 1 hour .
• Serve garnished with orange rind and fresh mint.

FROZEN ORANGE MOUSSE TORTE WITH BOYSENBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until nuts are coarsely chopped. Add melted butter and blend until moist crumbs form. Press nut mixture onto bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Bake crust until golden, about 8 minutes. Freeze while preparing mousse.
• Make mousse:
• Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Whisk until candy thermometer registers 170°F, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat yolk mixture until cool and thick, about 6 minutes. Beat in liqueur.
• Beat 2 cups cream and orange peel in bowl to stiff peaks. Fold in yolk mixture. Pour mousse into crust. Cover and freeze overnight. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead; keep frozen.)
• Cut around pan sides to loosen torte. Release pan sides. Transfer torte to platter. If desired, spoon lightly sweetened whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream around top edge of torte; place orange triangles between rosettes. Garnish with whole pistachio nuts. Cut torte into wedges. Serve with Boysenberry Sauce.

MAIDA HEATTER'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• Set a rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch glass pie plate. Dust it with bread crumbs or cocoa powder. Set aside.
• Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over water over low heat. Bring it to a low simmer. Meanwhile, in a cup or small bowl, dissolve the coffee in the 1/4 cup boiling water and pour it over the chocolate. Cover and cook over low heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. Let cool slightly. (Alternatively, place chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water and pour it over the chocolate. Cover with a plate or kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Vigorously whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If there are still bits of unmelted chocolate, microwave in 15-second bursts, whisking between, until smooth and fully melted.)
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the yolks at high speed until they are pale, thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat at high speed for 5 minutes more until very thick. Reduce speed to low, and add the vanilla and cooled chocolate, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Wash the whisk attachment and mixing bowl.
• In the mixing bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff but not dry. Gradually, in two or three small additions, gently fold half the egg whites into the chocolate, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whites just until no whites show. Handling as little as possible, gently reserve about 4 cups of the mousse in a separate medium bowl; cover and refrigerate.
• Transfer the rest of the mousse into the pie plate; it will barely reach the top. Gently level and bake for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat, then leave it in the oven for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. (The mousse will rise during baking and then, while cooling, it will sink in the middle, leaving a high rim.) Wash the mixing bowl and whisk attachment and place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill.
• When the baked mousse is completely cool, remove reserved mousse from refrigerator. Handling as little as possible, transfer the chilled mousse to the center of the baked mousse. Mound it slightly higher in the center, but be careful to handle as little as possible or it will lose the air beaten into it. Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours.
• Make the whipped cream: In the chilled mixing bowl with the chilled whisk attachment, whip the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla on high speed until it holds a defined shape. Spread over the unbaked part of the mousse, excluding the rim; refrigerate. (Another way of applying the whipped cream: Use a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tube and pipe a lattice pattern over the top of the pie and a border around the edge.) Coarsely grate some semisweet chocolate over the top before serving, if desired. The torte is best eaten the day it's made, but it's not bad the next day.