This Stracciatella Chocolate Mousse Cake is a chocolate lover’s delight. The butter biscuits and the hazelnuts make a perfect crust. Next comes the chocolate mousse layer, which is really light and airy and finished off with a creamy stracciatella whipped cream.
This is a no bake cake which makes it an excellent cake for summer when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. But I also think the cake is great for fall or winter, because the combo of the mousse and the stracciatella cream is what I call comfort food. I mean what could possibly be better than to let this lusciousness melt in your mouth while sitting inside at the table while it is raining or storming outside.
For this cake you can use dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate. I used a combo of semi-sweet and milk chocolate. But that’s up to your personal preferences. More important is to use high quality chocolate. This makes a big difference in terms of flavor.
Tools & Equipment
- 23cm/9-inch springform pan
- Cutting board
- Food processor
- Liquid measuring cup
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife
- Silicone spatula
- Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
Recipe Tips
Butter Biscuit Crust: In case you do not have a food processor, you can simply use a zipper bag. Place the butter biscuits in the bag, seal and crush with a rolling pin until the biscuits are completely turned into crumbs.
Chill the Cake: After you have prepared the cake, you should put it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. I highly recommend, if you have enough time, chill the cake in the fridge overnight to get the best result.
Release the Cake from the Pan: If you notice that the cake does not loosen easily from the pan, place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Then run a small knife around the rim of the pan and carefully release the cake from the pan.
Ingredients for Stracciatella Chocolate Mousse Cake
Step by Step Guide – How to Make Stracciatella Chocolate Mousse Cake
Make the Crust
Line a 23cm/9-inch springform pan with parchment. Place the butter biscuits in a food processor, pulse a couple of times until they turn into sandy crumbs.
Place the butter in a liquid measuring cup and melt in the microwave, then add the chocolate kisses and stir until completely melted and incorporated.
Add the hazelnuts and chocolate butter, pulse just a few times until the chocolate is incorporated with chunks of hazelnuts still present. Spread the mixture in the springform pan, press down firmly and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Make the Chocolate Mousse
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Let cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer whip the heavy cream with the vanilla sugar on medium until semi-stiff, for about 2 minutes.
Pour in the melted chocolate and beat on medium until stiff peaks form, for about 1 minute. Spread the mousse on the crust and smooth it out. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Make the Straccialla Cream Layer
Chop the chocolate into small chunks. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the heavy cream with vanilla sugar on medium until stiff, for about 2 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
Spread the stracciatella cream evenly over the chocolate mousse and smooth it out. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours, better overnight. Once chilled, release the cake from the pan. For decoration chop 5 chocolate kisses and spread on top.
Storage: You can keep the cake in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap leftovers in plastic and freeze in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, place it in the fridge overnight or let the cake sit at room temperature for a couple of hours.
My Summary for Stracciatella Chocolate Mousse Cake
Difficulty: Simple.
Taste: Buttery, nutty and full of high quality chocolate. Is there anything more I need to say, except maybe that this cake is incredibly tasty.
Texture: The crust is slightly crunchy thanks to the hazelnut chunks, while the chocolate mousse and stracciatella cream are light and creamy.
Time: The active prep time for this cake is about 45 minutes. The crust and also the chocolate mousse layer should be chilled in the fridge for 30 minutes each. When you’ re done with the cake, chill it again for at least 2-3 hours. I like to chill my cake in the fridge overnight, so it has the perfect texture the next day.
