Black Tie Mousse Cake

I love decadent, rich desserts.  One of my favorites is the Black Tie Mousse Cake from Olive Garden.  I googled it one day to see if I could find a copycat recipe . . . and I did!  Not gonna lie, this recipe is a bit labor intensive--nothing difficult, it just takes some time.   In the end it's worth it--so beautiful and so yum.  It's made in a 9" springform pan and I cut this into 14 slices and it was just the right size serving.  Olive Garden version has mini chocolate chips all around the outside, but I don't care for the waxy, hard bits with the smooth cake.

Here's a view of the whole cake right after I made it 

Black Tie Mousse Cake

 Bottom Layer:

1 devils food cake mix

1 small box chocolate pudding mix

2nd Layer:

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp knox unflavored gelatin

1 Tbsp cold water

2 Tbsp boiling water

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

Third Layer:

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp knox unflavored gelatin

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

Fourth Layer:

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp butter

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Bottom Layer: Mix cake mix according to directions and stir in dry pudding mix until well blended.  Bake in greased springform pan as directed on box.  Let cool.  Remove springform band and cut top of cake off to make the cake an even layer.  Replace springform band around cake and refrigerate.

2nd Layer: In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and cream cheese and heat until melted and combined.  Set aside and let cool.  Combine gelatin with cold water and mix well.  Then add boiling water to gelatin mix and stir until mixed well and clear.  In a bowl with mixer, beat cream and sugar together until it starts to thicken.  Add gelatin and mix until stiff peaks form.  Add 1/4 cream mixture to the chocolate mixture and mix until completely combined.  Then fold in the rest of the cream to the chocolate mixture.  Spread over the cake layer in the springform pan.  Refrigerate.

Third Layer: In a small saucepan heat cream and vanilla until it comes to a boil, then remove from heat. In a bowl with mixer, beat egg yolks until pale.  Add sugar, flour, gelatin and beat until mixed well.  Add a small amount of the hot cream to the egg mixture and stir together.  Then slowly pour the rest of the cream into the egg mixture until all blended.  Pour mixture through a fine strainer back into saucepan and heat until custard begins to thicken.  Immediately remove from heat, cool slightly, then pour on top of chocolate mousse in the springform pan.  Place in FREEZER while making the fourth layer.

Fourth Layer: Place chocolate chips in a medium size bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring butter and cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate chips.  Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir together until smooth.  Let it cool until it starts to thicken.  Remove cake from freezer and pour half the chocolate mixture on top of the cake.  Cover the chocolate icing with plastic wrap to keep it from hardening.

Microwave the white chocolate chips in 30 second increments until melted.  Place in a ziploc bag with a small tip cut off.  Squeeze on top of the chocolate frosted layer in long stripe lines top to bottom.  Then take a butter knife and run the it the opposite direction of the white lines, cutting right to left the first cut, left to right the second cut, right to left, etc.

Place cake in fridge for at least one hour until set up.  Carefully remove the springform band and spread the rest of the icing around the edges of the cake.  Refrigerate, then serve cold.