Author: Chocolate Covered Weekly

This chocolate cake is made with mayo. And it comes to us via the brand new Duke’s Mayonnaise Cookbook, created by author, recipe developer and food stylist Ashley Strickland Freeman. This recipe is a bit more detailed and takes a little more time than most recipes, but the extra effort is absolutely worth it. Y’all are going to love it! Ganache frosting can be used as-is or whipped with a mixer to make it lighter. (Stacey Little/Southern Bite)

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 24 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup Duke’s Mayonnaise
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache frosting

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 tablespoons corn syrup

For the chocolate mousse filling

1-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon boiling water
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two (8-inch) round cake pans (I use vegetable shortening) and dust with cocoa powder.
Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat the mayonnaise and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour mixture alternately with the water, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at medium-low speed for 1 minute. (Batter will be thin.) Stir in the vanilla.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes at 350 degrees for 21 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to wire racks. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled, split each layer in half.
Make the ganache frosting and the chocolate mousse filling.
Place one cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Top with one-third of the chocolate mousse filling; repeat the process twice. Place the remaining layer on top. Spread the ganache frosting on the top and sides of the cake before slicing.

For the ganache frosting

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan until the cream is hot. Pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
For a shiny look, let stand until spreadable (20 to 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. For fluffy chocolate frosting, beat the mixture with an electric mixer until fluffy.

For the chocolate mousse filling

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl. Let stand until the gelatin softens. Stir in the boiling water to dissolve the gelatin.
Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat 1/2 cup of the cream and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the cream is steaming. Pour over the chopped chocolate; add the gelatin and stir until smooth.
Beat the remaining 1 cup of cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold a small amount of the whipped cream into the chocolate; gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until combined. Use immediately. (The mixture will firm up as it stands.)

This cake is for the true chocoholic who loves a dark, rich chocolate flavor. Those who might want a little more sweetness should consider using semisweet or milk chocolate rather than the bittersweet called for in the recipe.

This recipe originally appeared on SouthernBite.com. For more great recipes, visit the website or check out ”The Southern Bite Cookbook.” You can find this post at AlabamaNewsCenter.com.

This pie is only as good the chocolate you use. And if you’re going to treat yourself to a chocolate cream pie, why hold back? Buy the kind you most enjoy savoring, be it semisweet or dark. Similarly, if you’re not making your own pie crust, spend a few extra dollars on a pre-made one that’s all-butter. This pie is meant to be indulgent.

You may have leftover pudding and/or whipped cream once you have assembled the pie.

Make Ahead: The pie crust can be made and kept at room temperature up to 1 day in advance. The pudding can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 4 days. If making the pudding in advance, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding to prevent skin from forming.
Storage Notes: Leftover pie may be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. The crust may get soggy after 1 day.

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE PIE
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, divided
• 4 cups (946 milliliters) half-and-half
• 1/2 cup (65 grams) cornstarch
• 1/4 cup (25 grams) Dutch process unsifted cocoa powder
• 10 ounces (285 grams) chopped chocolate, preferably semisweet
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 blind-baked pie crust, store-bought or homemade (see related recipe), cooled (see NOTE and headnote)

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
• 2 cups (480 milliliters) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (65 grams) unsifted confectioners’ sugar
• 4 ounces (115 grams) mascarpone
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 good-quality chocolate bar, for shaving

DIRECTIONS
Make the pie: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar until combined (the mixture should be thick and pale in color as you whisk the ingredients together). Set aside.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat, whisk together the half-and-half, the remaining 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder and cook, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped chocolate and continue to whisk until the pudding comes to a boil. The mixture will start to thicken fairly fast.
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, then remove from the heat; the mixture should be thick, like pudding. Add the egg yolk mixture and butter and whisk vigorously to combine, for 1 minute. Whisk in the salt and vanilla until combined.
Pour the pudding into the blind-baked pie shell (you do not have to wait for it to cool if you’re pressed for time), cover with a piece of plastic wrap and gently press it to the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate the pie for about 4 hours, until fully set.
Make the whipped cream: At least 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve the pie, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld mixer and a free-standing large bowl), combine the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, mascarpone and vanilla. Beat the ingredients on medium-low until fully mixed, then increase the speed to high and whip the mixture until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Pile the whipped cream on top of the pie, then use a vegetable peeler to shower it with chocolate shavings. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes.
Serve cold.
NOTE: To blind-bake a pie crust, position a baking rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Gently line your deep-dish pie crust (already fitted into the pie plate, crimped as per your preference, and chilled in the freezer for at least 30 minutes) with foil and weigh it down with pie weights, beans, rice or pennies. Place the pie dish on top of a large, rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil with the weights and continue to bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the pie crust is light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before filling.

From food writer Allison Robicelli, as appeared in the Washington Post.

The following recipe is adapted from Kitchen Remix. It’s a bit messy on your work surface—be warned—but worth the cleanup.
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise
½ tbsp. packed light brown sugar
8 (½-inch-thick) slices sturdy white bread
About 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate baking disks (about ¾ cup)
Flaky salt

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and brown sugar. Arrange the bread slices on a work surface and spread the tops with the sweetened mayonnaise, to coat. Flip the slices over and brush the other sides with olive oil. Divide the chocolate among four bread slices, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cover the four chocolate-topped bread slices with the remaining slices, oil-side down.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Place two of the sandwiches in the hot skillet and cook until the bottoms are golden brown and caramelized, from three to four minutes. Flip the sandwiches and cook until the second sides are golden brown and the chocolate is melted, about three minutes.

Transfer the finished sandwiches to a plate, wipe the pan clean, and cook the remaining sandwiches the same way. Let the sandwiches cool for a couple of minutes before cutting them in half and serving hot.

This four-ingredient chocolate fridge cake is fit for a king, and no baking is required. This easy-to-make chocolate biscuit cake was chosen by Prince William as his wedding cake.

Chocolate Fridge Cake
Serves 8 – 12

Ingredients:
• 8 ounces digestive biscuits or supermarket cookies of your choice
• 4 ounces of butter
• 10 ounces of dark chocolate or chocolate of your choice
• 5 ounces of light corn syrup, honey, or golden syrup

Instructions:
1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. (You can also use a spring form pan or 9 inch cake pan.)
2. Put the cookies in a Ziploc bag and break them up with a rolling pin or similar. Stop when you have a mix of differently sized broken pieces — you’re not aiming for crumbs here.
3. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. (Optional: Keep the butter on the heat a few minutes longer, until it has foamed up and browned.)
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate and syrup. Stir until well combined.
5. Reserve a few tablespoons of the chocolate mix for your glaze.
6. Add the broken cookies to the pan, stirring until they are well combined and coated.
7. Pour the mixture into your pan, gently pressing down into all sides. The cake will be jagged and lumpy.
8. Drizzle your reserved chocolate glaze on top.
9. Chill at least one hour. Bring to room temperature before unmolding and serving. Ascend to the throne.

Posted by Mary Elizabeth Williams, on Salon.com, adapted from BBC FOOD

The addition of coffee to a classic chocolate icebox pie gives the finished dessert a complex and slightly bitter edge.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup hot coffee
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur, if desired
1 chocolate graham cracker crust, store-bought or homemade, chilled
Whipped cream, to garnish

Instructions:

Combine the coffee, cocoa and vanilla in a small cup and set aside.
Heat the chocolate in a saucepan set over low heat on the stove, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Stir the chocolate until completely melted and let cool for several minutes.
Whip the cream, sugar and salt with a hand or stand mixer until soft peaks form.
Stir the coffee mixture and coffee liqueur, if using, into the melted chocolate. Using a whisk, fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
Spread the filling evenly into the cooled crust. Refrigerate the pie for at least 1 hour before serving, or until the filling is firm. Garnish the pie with whipped cream and chocolate chips as desired just before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

This chocolate cake recipe is perfect for those craving something sweet but don’t have some key baking ingredients. It comes together quickly and easily — just combine the dry ingredients, then the wet ones and blend. The results are a pleasing single-layer cake with a light texture and mildly sweet chocolate taste. The strength of the flavor depends on your cocoa powder, like the richness of Hershey’s Special Dark, but it’ll work with whatever you have on hand. You can use bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour — if you use the latter, reduce the amount by two teaspoons. The halved recipe can be baked in a 7-inch round pan if you prefer a smaller cake. To make one with two layers, double the ingredients. The cake is frosted, in the photo, with a simple chocolate ganache and decorated with a rim of toffee bits.

Cake ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spoon and level
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar, preferably superfine
Just under 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup sour cream, plain yogurt or buttermilk
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons any mild vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Chocolate ganache ingredients (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Toffee bits (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center position. Generously grease the pan with a baking spray that contains flour. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment and grease the paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt and whisk to mix thoroughly. In another bowl or a 4-cup measure, whisk the sour cream (or yogurt or buttermilk), vegetable oil and vanilla until blended. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and whisk or beat with an electric mixer until combined. Don’t overmix.

3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean and the cake just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan (25-30 minutes). Small cracks may form on the top, which will dome slightly. Don’t overbake or the cake will be dry.

4. Remove the cake from the oven and cool it on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake, pressing it toward the pan sides. Invert the pan onto the rack, gently remove it and carefully lift off the paper liner. Leave the cake inverted (the bottom is now the top) and let it cool completely. Once it is cooled, frost it (optional) and store it at room temperature for a day, refrigerate it for several days or freeze it for a month.

5. If you’re using the chocolate ganache, heat the cream in a microwave-safe bowl in a microwave oven until it’s steaming and close to boiling. Remove it from the oven, add the chopped chocolate, make sure all of it is submerged in the cream and let the mixture rest for several minutes until the chocolate melts. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, smooth and shiny. Set it aside until it’s tepid and thickened slightly. Pour it over the cake’s top and spread it with an offset metal spatula. Decorate with toffee bits, if desired.

This cake recipe, by Dr. Vera Dawson, is a variation of one published in Gourmet Magazine and is adjusted for altitudes of 7,800 feet and above and can be found at VailDaily.com.