Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake (Dairy Free Variation)

 I found this recipe last year and held on to it because it sounded delicious! Over the summer I made it for a coworker's bday and made it DAIRY FREE! It was such a huge hit! When I was preparing for my youngest son's 17th bday I showed it to him and he decided he must have this for his birthday too. His doesn't need to be dairy free so I made it with dairy products, but it is incredibly easy to swap out if you need DF!   I also would like to try this with raspberries in place of strawberries! 

Crust:

32 Oreo cookies, crushed fine (I used Dark Chocolate, you could use regular, or they did at one time have Chocolate/Strawberry filled, but that one disappeared, if you can find them use them!!)

1/2 cup butter (dairy free, I used Country Crock Plant butter with Almond oil, but that has since been discontinued, I have used the avocado oil version in baked goods with great success

pinch of salt

Filling:

2.5 tsp gelatin

3 TB cold water

1- 11.5 oz bag Signature Reserve Extra Dark Chocolate Chunks (these are sold at Safeway, they worked for my dairy free friend, but they do have a warning the "May" contain milk, so if you have a severe allergy, any dairy free semi sweet or dark chocolate would work)

3 cups heavy cream , divided (Silk Dairy Free heavy cream was my replacement, I hear country crock has one now as well, but I LOVED the Silk!)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 lbs fresh strawberries

Ganache Topping:

1- 11.5 oz Signature Reserve Extra Dark Chocolate Chunks(see above for sub)

2/3 cup heavy cream (see above for sub)

Assembly:

Crust:

Place a circle of parchment paper in a 9-inch springform, combine crushed Oreos, melted butter and salt, press into pan and set aside

 

Mousse:

Combine gelatin and water, let sit for 5-10 minutes.  

Place chocolate chips in a heavy pan with 1 cup heavy cream, bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring often until the chips are melted and it is smooth and glossy. 

Remove from heat, microwave your softened gelatin for 10 seconds,  then add to chocolate and stir until dissolved.  (you can skip the microwave step if you wish, I just felt it incorporated better this way)

 Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.

 

Whisk the remaining 2 cups heavy cream and powdered sugar in a mixer until stiff peaks form.

 Stir in a good scoop of the cream into the cooled chocolate, then fold in the remaining cream.

Prepare about 10 strawberries(depending on size) buy cutting off the tops and slicing them in half top to bottom, put cut strawberries around the edges of the pan

Then slice off the tops and use whole strawberries to fill in the entire pan. (you should have a few berries left for topping, dice or slice those up for your decorating style)

Gently scoop the mousse filling around the strawberries (you can pipe it in with a pastry bag if you like)

Gently tap the entire cake on the counter to fill in any air pockets, then spread over the tops creating a  flat top, refrigerate 4-6 hours

Ganache Topping:

Heat  the 2/3 cup heavy cream and  about 2 cups of the chocolate chips (reserve a small handful from the bag for some topping) on low heat, stirring often, until it is smooth and glossy. 

 Refrigerate until thickened about 20 minutes, then spread over mousse (still in the spring form)  (Sorry missed this step in pictures)

Immediately top with remaining chocolate chunks and the diced or sliced strawberries

Chill at LEAST 6 more hours

Gently insert a thin knife around the edges of the spring form to loosen it from the pan, remove spring form

Slice and serve!!!

 

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Puffs

 I found a cheesecake puff recipe last month and made them for a coworkers birthday. They were SO delicious and EASY I decided to modify them and make them for my own birthday!   Happy 40th to ME!

This made 6 puffs. 

If you want to double this recipe, don't  double the jelly sauce, MAYBE 1.5x  if you like it really sauce, but this makes MORE than plenty....and is excellent on ice cream, mixed into yogurt or on a PB and J sandwich!

1 puff pastry sheet, thawed

Jelly Sauce:

1 cup raspberries

1/3 cup sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

2 TB  cold water

1 1/2 TB cornstarch

Cheesecake Filling:

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Additional fresh raspberries, about 6-8 per puff.

Puff Pastry:

Preheat oven to 400 and line a pan with parchment paper.

Unfold the sheet and cut along the fold lines into thirds. 

Then cut each third in half to make 6 pieces.

Bake for 15 minutes until they are puffed and golden brown. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Jelly Sauce: 

In a saucepan combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice, mash berries lightly and cook over medium heat until the berries have released their juices. Simmer for 5 minutes.

In a small dish combine cold water and cornstarch, set aside.

Remove berries from heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. You will notice it thicken up pretty quickly. Allow to cool completely.

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:

Combine the softened cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. Beat on high for about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Assembly:

Split each pastry into 2 pieces

Spread cream cheese evenly into the bottom layer of each piece. 

Place fresh raspberries on cream cheese layer (6-8 per piece)

Drizzle jelly sauce over the top to taste. 

Place top of pastry over the sauce.

Sprinkle each puff with powdered sugar and ENJOY!

Lemon White Chocolate Angel Food Cake

I made this for my husbands 40th birthday!! And it was so delicious I made it again for a co-worker's birthday!

15 large egg whites( jumbo use 12)
1 1/2 t cream of tartar
1 1/2 c sugar divided
1 c sifted flour

1/4 t salt

juice from 1 lemon, divided

zest from 1 lemon, divided

4 oz bar white chocolate, divided

roughly 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Separate your eggs while they are cold but allow them to come to room temp before whipping.

Coarsely grate 3 oz of white chocolate, reserve the remaining ounce for later.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar at high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add 3/4 c sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks. Beat in  2 tsp lemon juice.









Sift flour, remaining sugar, and salt together then gently fold into egg whites 1/2 c at a time.

Gently fold in the all but 2 tsp of the lemon zest, reserve the 2 tsp for later, and the 3 oz grated white chocolate.

Pour into ungreased tube pan and cut with butter knife to remove air bubbles.











Bake in preheated 350 oven for 40-45 minutes, until it springs back when lightly touched.











Invert entire pan(I put a bottle in the hole of the center tube and stand it on that) and cool completely.

While it is cooling add remaining lemon juice and the 1 oz white chocolate to a double boiler. 

Over medium heat melt the chocolate










Stir in powdered sugar until you get a slightly thick but still runny consistency.

When the cake is cool remove from pan. Drizzle topping over the top and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest.

Chocolate Raspberry Angel Food Cake. With Orange and Mint variations

I made this one with Orange Chocolate for my 15 year old's birthday last week and it was such a HUGE hit I decided to make it again. When I went to the store I saw Raspberry Chocolate and I had to give that a whirl too......

12 jumbo egg whites(or 15 large)
2 t cream of tartar
1 1/2 c sugar divided
2 t vanilla
2/3 c sifted flour
1/3 c baking cocoa powder
1/4 t salt

*2-3.5 oz bars Raspberry Chocolate, divided use

*Fresh Raspberries

* you can sub Orange Chocolate and Orange Slices for another delicious treat, add in the zest of a medium orange with the vanilla too!

*2/9/2022. I did one with mint chocolate today !! I used  7.6 oz bag of dark chocolate and mint swirl dove promises....4 oz shredded in the cake( couldn't find a mint chocolate bar) and a tsp of peppermint extract...I melted the rest of the dove and drizzled it over the top.....then added mint fudge baking chips and mint leaves as garnish....photo at the bottom 

Separate your eggs while they are cold but allow them to come to room temp before whipping.

Grate 4 oz of the chocolate on the large holes of a grater, set aside.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar at high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add 3/4 c sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks. Beat in flavoring

Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt together then gently fold into egg whites 1/2 c at a time, then fold in the 4 oz grated chocolate.

Pour into un-greased tube pan and cut with butter knife to remove air bubbles.

Bake in preheated 350 oven for 40-45 minutes, until it springs back when lightly touched.

 Invert entire pan(I put a bottle in the hole of the center tube and stand it on that) and cool completely.

Remove from the pan onto a plate.

Grate 1 oz of the remaining chocolate and set aside.

Over a double boiler (or in 20 second bursts in a microwave) melt the remaining 2 oz of chocolate with 1 tsp coconut oil.

Decorate the cake with fresh raspberries, drizzle melted chocolate over the top, then sprinkle with the grated chocolate!

Slice and ENJOY!!!!

Mint Version:

I am not a fan of posting pics of myself but I am super proud of my angel food creations so here one is lol

 Orange Version:

  It was a little messy because I was hiding the money cake hole!!