Easy Joes Coconut Mousse Cake Recipes

Steps:

• For the brownie: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk, butter, vanilla and egg until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• Unclasp the pan, remove the outer ring and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Line the ring with a 2 1/2-inch-wide parchment strip, making sure that it sits tightly and smoothly along the sides. Re-clasp the ring to the bottom of the pan with the cake in it.
• For the mousse: Roughly chop 4 tablespoons of the butter and put in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder until smooth; set aside. Chop the remaining 8 tablespoons butter and put in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder until smooth; set aside.
• Add 1/4 cup of the heavy cream to a small microwave-safe bowl and stir in the gelatin. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the gelatin is dissolved, about 1 minute. Cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the gelatin to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and add the sugar, vanilla and remaining 3 3/4 cups heavy cream. Whisk on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Divide the whipped cream mixture between 2 large bowls. Fold one bowl of the cocoa powder-butter mixture into each batch of whipped cream mixture and stir until no streaks remain (one bowl will contain dark chocolate mousse and the other will contain light chocolate mousse).
• Spread the dark chocolate mousse on top of the brownie in the springform pan. Use an offset spatula to even out and smooth the top. Spread the light chocolate mousse on top of the dark chocolate mousse and use an offset spatula to even out and smooth the top. Refrigerate until the mousse is set, 3 hours and up to overnight.
• For the ganache: Bring the heavy cream and butter to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Put the semisweet chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over top. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and shiny.
• Unclasp the springform pan and remove the parchment paper from the sides of the cake. Use a hot, dry offset spatula to smooth out the sides. Set a rack in a rimmed baking sheet and put the cake on top of the rack. Pour the ganache over the cake and let it drip down over the sides so the entire cake is covered. Swipe once across the top with a clean, large offset spatula to create a smooth top. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Hold a stencil or other tool with holes (such as a doily or a cooling rack) over the cake (do not lay it on the ganache; it will stick) and dust with more cocoa powder to create a decorative pattern. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preparation:
• Make the Hot Milk Cake as directed and make sure it is cool inside and out. (If frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator, 3 to 4 hours. or on the countertop for 1 to 2 hours. If time demands, you can thaw on the countertop. If time demands you can thaw on the countertop 1 to 2 hours, but be careful not let it sit too long before you begin working with it, as a cold cake is easier to cut.)
• Clear a space in the refrigerator large enough for the cake on a cake board. The mousse cake will need several hours to set up.
• If making the Coconut Simple Syrup now, let cool to room temperature. Make the Coconut Mousse as directed, allowing time for the gelatin-sugar mixture to cool before finishing.
• Set a revolving cake stand on a clean, dry work surface and place the cake, top-side up, on the stand. Using a serrated knife and holding the blade perfectly horizontal, remove any curve from the top of the cake to level it. While you saw gently with the knife, use your other hand to rotate the stand gradually and bring the cake toward you. Get eye level to the cake as needed to make sure you are holding the knife exactly level. Repeat to split the cake into three or four equal layers.
• Arrange all the cake layers on the work surface. Using your hands, tap off and brush away excess crumbs. Turn the original bottom layer flat-dark-side, or pan-side, up; reserve this to be the top layer of the assembled cake. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each layer with an ample amount of the coconut syrup.
• Line a clean 6-by-3-inch cake pan with plastic wrap, leaving about 3 inches of overhang all around the sides to use later as a handle. Take up the original top of the cake, which you leveled, to be the bottom layer of the assembled cake. Place the first layer of cake, syrup-side up, in the lined pan. Scoop 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the mousse on top of the cake layer and use an offset spatula to level it. Top with the second layer of cake, syrup-side up, and press down lightly to seal and secure. Add another layer of mousse. Repeat with the third layer if making a four-layer cake.
• Place the reserved top piece, flat-dark-side up, on top. Cover with plastic wrap and carefully transfer the cake to the refrigerator. Let set for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
• To unmold the mousse cake, wrap a hot towel around the pan for 1 minute and gently shake to loosen the cake. Invert the pan onto a cake board on a clean work surface, then gently lift the pan off. If it resists, give a little tug on the plastic-wrap "handle." When the pan is off, peel the plastic-wrap lining from the cake. Transfer the cake on its board onto the revolving cake stand, with a nonslip pad or damp paper towel underneath.
• This cake requires only one coat of icing. Using the offset spatula, smear a generous scoop of the icing on one side of the cake. Keeping the spatula in front of you, rotate the cake stand to spread the icing in a smooth coat about 1 inch thick. (It needs to be thick enough to hide the sides of the cake, but not drooping down the sides.) Add more icing as you go, but do NOT back track! The icing will be covered with coconut, so it is not important for it to be perfect; however, you want the cake layers aligned perfectly and the coat of icing to be straight up and down on all sides, as well as crumb free and smooth. As you frost the sides, push the icing up over the top edge of the cake to make sure the coverage is complete, then use this excess to frost the top, using the spatula to pull the icing across the cake toward the center. There should be enough icing from the sides to cover the top, but if necessary, add another small scoop.
• Using a cupped hand, apply the dried coconut to the sides and top of the cake, pressing gently to help it adhere. Very carefully transfer the cake on the board to a presentation platter. Gather up any excess coconut and press it onto the cake, or reserve for another use. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
• Stir 1/2 cup coconut milk into 1/2 cup Simple Syrup. Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Pour 3/4 of the puree into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface to soften. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1/2 cup of puree and the sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Stir the puree and gelatin into the warm puree and stir to dissolve the gelatin. If lumps remain, put the pan over low heat and stir just until the lumps dissolve. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until it holds medium peaks. Fold one-third of it into the coconut mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain. Pour the mousse into a bowl (or ramekins) and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter a metal 8-inch square cake pan. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper; lightly butter the parchment. Combine the cocoa and espresso powders in a medium bowl. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the milk is steaming and the butter melts. Whisk into the cocoa mixture; let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until very pale, thick and pillowy, 5 to 8 minutes. Beat 30 to 45 more seconds to stabilize the egg foam.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the flour mixture in 2 additions. Beat just until the batter is smooth and no dry flour remains.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and gently tap against the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out the cake onto a rack. Peel off the parchment but let it rest gently on top of the cake while it cools completely. Wipe the cake pan clean and reserve.
• Make the ganache: Combine 1/2 cup heavy cream, 4 ounces chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan. Gently cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. Let cool.
• Make the mousse: Combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and 4 ounces chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup heavy cream and the gelatin powder in a small microwave- safe bowl. Let stand until the gelatin absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes, then microwave until melted, 20 to 30 seconds, whisking. Let cool, stirring occasionally.
• Combine the remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, the sugar and espresso powder in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed to dissolve the sugar, about 1 minute. Stream in the cooled gelatin mixture, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until the mixture is thick and stiff peaks form. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture in 2 or 3 batches until the mousse is well blended.
• Assemble the cake: Line the reserved cake pan with 2 crisscrossed strips of parchment paper (this will help you lift out the finished cake). Carefully slice the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Lay the best layer cut-side up in the bottom of the pan and brush with some of the chocolate liqueur, if using. (Use a plate or small cutting board to move the layers; if your top cake layer is domed, use it for the middle of the cake.) Evenly spread half of the mousse on top with an offset spatula, all the way to the edges. Top with a second cake layer. Brush again with chocolate liqueur, then spread half of the ganache evenly on top. Add the final cake layer, cut-side up, and brush with the remaining liqueur. Top with the remaining mousse and ganache. (The assembled cake should fill the pan.)
• Refrigerate the cake until the top is set, about 30 minutes, then wrap the whole cake pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to set completely.
• Lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment pieces and transfer to a cutting board. Using a hot, dry serrated knife, slice the cake, wiping the knife in between cuts for clean edges.