Bombe aux Trois chocolat

From Julia Child's Menu Cookbook.

The only reason I made this was because I knew I would be sharing this cake at a big family feast holiday.  I made the brownie one day, the mousse another, assembled the day after that and made the cream and last of the three chocolates the day of.  If making the same day.  Start with the mousse so it has time to set a little.  Bake the brownie and then make the template as it cools. 

My aunt made this cake and stored individual slices wrapped in the freezer.

I think my brownie was a little over done and wasn't so forgiving when I cut into it.  It was my fault because I was rushing to do something else.   It's uses a bittersweet chocolate so it's not overly sweet.  I also learned that 3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 tbs butter or neutral oil is a good substitute for unsweetened chocolate.

For the mousse-

12 oz bittersweet chocolate

1 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate

2 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin (this was one packet for me)

3 tbs whiskey, bourbon, or dark rum

3 whole eggs

2 more egg whites

1 1/2 c heavy cream

1 1/2 tbs vanilla

large pinch of salt

3 tbs sugar

In a large pan, put a few inches of water and bring to a boil

Turn off the heat and add the two chocolates to a heatproof bowl to melt while you do the rest steps

You might have to add more hot water to get everything to melt

In a small bowl or ramkin, dissolve the gelatin with your liquor and stir well, set aside

Place the egg yolks in a saucepan and the 5 egg whites in a large heatproof bowl

Stirring with a whisk, beat the egg yolks until they are thick and sticky, about 1 minute or two

Stir in cream and cook over medium low heat until the mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon 

DO NOT LET IT BOIL

Remove from heat and stir to stop the cooking

Stir in the gelatin mixture and stir well making sure to break up all the gelatin into the mousse

Stir in the vanilla and then the melted chocolate

Take the large bowl with the egg whites and briefly put it in the large pan with the hot water from before to warm them for a minute or two

Beat on low speed until they are foamy and then add in the salt

Increase the speed and beat until you have soft peaks

Add in the sugar and beat some more until you get stiff peaks 

Fold in the chocolate mixture to combine

The notes say if you put them in the fridge, warm to room temperature before using.  It can be made in advance and will last a few days in the fridge or it can be frozen

For the brownie-

1 stick of butter

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

One more stick of butter cut into 8 pieces

2 c or 30 g sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)

1 c or 140 g AP flour

Spray with oil or butter the rimmed sheet pan then cover with parchment and then butter or spray again and then flour, knocking out extra flour

Melt the first stick of butter and the chocolate in a heatproof pan over a simmering pan of water

In a bowl cream the other butter pieces with the sugar until light and fluffy

Beat in the eggs one at a time

Mix in the vanilla

Stir in the melted chocolate

Fold in the flour (it says sift but I never do it)

Pour into the jelly roll pan, being sure to spread out to the corners as best you can and bake at 350 for 25 minutes

The top should be set and still spongey

Don't over bake because it needs to have some flex to it to make the outside of the cake

Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out on to a cooling rack 

Flip back so the top side is up again

Cover if storing it in the fridge, it can also be frozen if needed

To make the whipped cream-

In a bowl over another bowl of ice

Beat 1 cup of cream until soft peaks

Add in vanilla (measure with our heart) and 

2 tbs (or to taste) of powdered sugar 

Save for serving

For the third chocolate-

Melt 4 oz bittersweet chocolate with 

1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate

I did this in the microwave

To assemble, make a template for your cake with a small circle at the bottom, 7 wedges around the sides of the cake and one big circle for the top of the bowl (which will be the bottom of the cake)

Line you bowl with plastic wrap making sure you have enough to extend past the bowl, this will help when you unmold it and to cover if you make it in advance

Cut outside 1/2 inch edges of your brownie since these are probably too crunchy (save for snacking)

Cut your template pieces saving the extra pieces

Place your small circle at the bottom, then your wedges, filling in the gaps between the wedges with your scraps if needed

Place half of the mousse in the bowl

Place any extra pieces of brownie in the middle and then add the rest of the mousse

Top with the large circle

When you unmold the cake, pull the plastic wrap to loosen from the bowl

Place on a large serving plate

Drizzle the last chocolate over the top making sure it drips down the sides

Serve slices of cake with the whipped cream you made earlier