White Mousse Cake
Submitted by carmal
White chocolate mousse layered over genoise sponge with candied citrus peel, pine nuts, and chocolate curls. A showstopping dessert with bright citrus and creamy white chocolate in every bite.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis layered cake pairs a light genoise sponge with a white chocolate mousse studded with candied citrus peel and pine nuts. The combination sounds fancy, but it’s really about building flavors in stages: bake the sponge, candy the peels, make the mousse, then stack it all together.
The genoise gets its lift entirely from beaten eggs, no chemical leaveners here. Yolks are whipped with sugar until they fall in a thick ribbon, then folded with stiff whites. That airy structure soaks up the mousse without going soggy, which is exactly what you want in a layered cake.
Candied orange, grapefruit, and lemon peels bring a bright, bitter-sweet bite that cuts through the richness of the white chocolate and cream. Pine nuts add a buttery crunch that you don’t expect in a dessert like this, and that surprise is what makes it memorable.
Chef Tips
- Beat the yolks until the mixture is pale and thick enough to leave a trail that holds for 3 seconds. This is the “ribbon stage” and it’s key to a light genoise.
- Melt the white chocolate over barely simmering water and let it cool before folding into the cream. Hot chocolate will deflate the whipped cream instantly.
- Freeze the chocolate curls on a lined tray before handling. They melt from hand heat in seconds and turn into smudges.
- Save the citrus syrup from candying the peels. It’s incredible drizzled over pancakes or stirred into cocktails.
Variations
- Dark chocolate version: Swap white chocolate for bittersweet for a more intense, less sweet mousse.
- Tropical twist: Replace the citrus peels with candied ginger and toasted coconut flakes.
Ingredients
Directions
Grease, flour and line bottom of 15½- x 15½-inch jellyroll pan with waxed paper.
Beat egg yolks with ¾ cup sugar until mixture falls in ribbon when beaters are lifted.
Stir in ¼ cup flour and vanilla. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Fold into yolk mixture. Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) 20 minutes.
Cool. To make mousse, combine 1 cup sugar, lemon juice and water in saucepan.
Add citrus peels and cook until tender.
Drain peel, reserve syrup for another use.
Using half of chocolate, make chocolate curls with vegetable peeler.
Place curls on waxed paper-lined tray and freeze to harden.
Meanwhile, melt remaining chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water.
Cool. Whip cream until stiff.
Alternately fold half of chocolate, all of peel and half of pine nuts into cream.
Add remaining melted chocolate, half of remaining peel and half of remaining pine nuts until incorporated into cream.
Cut genoise crosswise into 4 equal rectangular layers, (If using purchased loaf cake, split into 4 layers.)
Spread some of white chocolate mousse on first layer.
Top with another cake layer.
Spread with more mousse. Repeat with next 2 layers, spreading mousse over top and sides.
Cover top and sides with frozen chocolate curls.
Delicately place reserved peel and nuts over chocolate curls.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
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