Chocolate Chestnut Mousse Recipes

Steps:

• Bring chestnuts, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until milk is reduced by one-quarter and chestnuts smash fairly easily against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon, 15-17 minutes.
• Meanwhile, finely chop 4 oz. chocolate. Using a peeler, shave remaining 1 oz. chocolate; set aside until ready to serve.
• Purée chestnut mixture in a blender on high speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add chopped chocolate and 1 tsp. brandy and blend on high speed until chocolate is melted, about 30 seconds. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (if lumps form, stir vigorously until smooth), 15-20 minutes.
• Whip 2 cups cream with a whisk in another large bowl until it just barely holds soft peaks. Stir one-third of cream into chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in remaining cream just until incorporated. Transfer mousse to a large serving bowl, cover, and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
• Whip remaining 1 cup cream and 1/2 tsp. brandy with whisk in a large bowl to medium peaks. Garnish mousse with reserved chocolate shavings and serve with whipped cream alongside.
• Do ahead
• Mousse can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Steps:

• Make ganache:
• Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low. Whisk in chocolate until smooth and remove from heat. Transfer ganache to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened but spreadable, about 2 hours. (If ganache becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)
• Make cake layers while ganache chills:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• Pulse chestnuts with flour, baking soda, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
• Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or about 6 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla (mixture will look a little separated). Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly among pans and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks, then invert onto racks and remove parchment.
• Make mousse and assemble torte:
• Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, and stir in Cognac. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of softened butter, about 1 hour. (If mixture becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until softened.)
• Beat cream in a bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks, then chill, covered, while beginning to assemble torte.
• Put 1 cake layer on cardboard round on a rack set in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep). Spread 1/2 cup ganache evenly over top of layer and sprinkle with all of chopped marrons glacés. Top marrons glacés with another 1/4 cup ganache and cover with another cake layer.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add sugar and beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir whipped cream into chocolate Cognac mixture, then stir in one third of whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon mousse immediately onto cake layer (it sets quickly), spreading evenly, then top with third cake layer. Chill torte, covered, until mousse layer is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency at room temperature, chilling, covered, if it becomes too soft.
• Glaze cake:
• Reserve 1 1/4 cups ganache in a metal bowl, then spread remainder over top and side of torte to seal in crumbs. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Set bowl of reserved ganache over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until ganache reaches a pourable consistency. Remove bowl from heat and cool 5 minutes. Pour ganache evenly over top of torte, making sure it coats all of side. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze (let excess drip into baking pan). Transfer cake on cardboard to a cake stand or plate using 2 large heavy metal spatulas and chill until set. Garnish just before serving.

Steps:

• Lightly coat an 8-inch round cake pan with oil, and line with plastic, leaving a 4-inch overhang.
• Finely grind chestnuts in a food processor. Heat ground chestnuts, milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form at edge.
• Whisk together yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium heatproof bowl.
• Slowly add hot chestnut mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pan; cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer. Add vanilla and butter. Beat on medium speed until cool, about 5 minutes. Stir half the chestnut mixture into melted chocolate.
• Beat 1 1/4 cups cream until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold half the whipped cream into plain chestnut mixture and the other half into chocolate-chestnut mixture.
• Pour chestnut mousse into prepared pan. Cover with 12 chocolate wafers, working in a circular pattern. Top with chocolate-chestnut mousse and remaining 12 chocolate wafers. Fold plastic overhang over top to cover cake. Refrigerate overnight.
• Uncover cake; place a platter on top, flip, and unmold. Remove plastic. Beat remaining 1/4 cup cream until soft peaks form. Spread on top of cake. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Steps:

• Bring chestnuts, milk, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Partially cover; cook until chestnuts are very soft and milk is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Process mixture in a food processor until very smooth (if needed, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time).
• Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Refrigerate puree 1 hour.
• Stir together sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook until syrup registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (carefully tilt pan to fully submerge thermometer tip).
• Meanwhile, put yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer running on low speed, gradually pour syrup down side of bowl. Increase speed to high; beat until pale, fluffy, and cool, about 8 minutes.
• Whisk cream in a clean mixing bowl until soft peaks form; set aside.
• Stir egg mixture into puree; whisk until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream. Chill, with plastic wrap directly on surface, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate& butter in a heavy saucepan on very low heat, remove pan from heat Stir in the Chestnut puree, a little at a time, mashing with the back of the spoon to break up large pieces (small bits of puree will remain in the mixture) Add vanilla& salt.
• Beat until stiff and fold in a 1/2 cup cream.
• In a fresh bowl beat egg whites with the cream of tartar.
• Heat sugar and 3 tbsp water to boiling, stirring until it reaches 240F degrees.
• Slowly beat the hot syrup into the egg whites.
• continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold in the chocolate mixture, making sure no streaks of egg white remain Pour into a 2 quart clear or ceramic bowl.
• Cover and refrigerat for 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve Beat the remaining cream with the icing sugar.
• Pipe the cream on the mousse and garnish with cherries.

Steps:

• In a food processor puree the chestnuts with enough confectioners' sugar to make it taste sweet. Add enough rum to make it the puree loose enough to fold into whipped cream; season with some instant espresso and vanilla. Chill until serving time.
• Whip the cream and sweeten lightly with confectioner's sugar and chill until serving time.
• Right before serving fold chestnut puree and cream together and transfer to serving glasses; garnish with shavings of bittersweet chocolate.

Steps:

• Combine the marshmallows, 1/2 cup of the cream, and salt in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula until the marshmallows have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave the chocolate chips on high in a large microwave-safe bowl until mostly melted, 2 minutes. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the chocolate chips and stir until completely combined. Set aside until completely cool, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, whip the remaining 1 1/2 cups cream in a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed or a whisk until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate, covered, until the chocolate mixture is ready.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in three batches. It'll take a while to completely incorporate, so be patient. Serve immediately or divide into individual serving dishes or ramekins and refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted, about 2 minutes. Blend the chestnut puree, almond extract, salt and 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in half of the melted chocolate.
• Beat the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form. Reserve 1/2 cup for topping. Fold one-quarter of the remaining whipped cream into the chestnut mixture, then fold in the rest. Chill up to 8 hours.
• Divide the mousse among dessert glasses. Top with the reserved whipped cream. Remelt the remaining chocolate in the microwave, if necessary, then drizzle on top.
• Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted, about 2 minutes. Blend the chestnut puree, almond extract, salt and 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in half of the melted chocolate.
• Beat the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form. Reserve 1/2 cup for topping. Fold one-quarter of the remaining whipped cream into the chestnut mixture, then fold in the rest. Chill up to 8 hours.
• Divide the mousse among dessert glasses. Top with the reserved whipped cream. Remelt the remaining chocolate in the microwave, if necessary, then drizzle on top.

Steps:

• Whip 1 cup of the heavy cream to soft peaks in a medium bowl (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Add the egg, egg yolks, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla extract, salt and 1 tablespoon water to a medium heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until the mixture is pale, hot to the touch and has almost doubled in volume, about 4 to 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, if necessary. Remove from the heat and continue whisking until cooled, about 2 minutes.
• Put the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and gently stir for about 3 minutes to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg mixture into the melted chocolate in 3 additions until combined. (The mixture may get very thick.) Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions until it is fully incorporated. It is important that the chocolate mixture is not warm to ensure that it combines smoothly with the whipped cream without seizing up.
• Divide the chocolate mousse among four 4-ounce ramekins and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Top each chocolate mousse with whipped cream and serve. (For a softer texture, allow the ramekins to sit at room temperature while you whip the cream.)

Steps:

• Whip cream until stiff and set aside.
• Soften gelatin in rum, then set over warm water until liquid
• Beat egg yolks with sugar until thick and pale in color. Beat in gelatin-rum mixture.
• Fold whipped cream, chestnuts and hazelnuts into yolk mixture.
• Turn mousse into cooled pie shell, mounding it toward the center.
• Prepare chocolate curls slowly and carefully by drawing a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler across the brand flat surface of the chocolate, which should shave off in long curls. Sprinkle curls generously over top of the pie and then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.