Chocolate-Covered Mousse Cakes

Instructions

For the chocolate cake base:

1. Grease the bottom of a muffin pan with butter or cooking spray. Although a silicone mold is preferred for this recipe, you can still use an aluminum muffin pan if that's what you have on hand. Don't worry, I'll explain later how to unmold the mousse regardless of which type of pan you use.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
3. Crack the egg into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar and oil. Mix with a wire whisk for about a minute.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt over the mixture. Gently stir until just combined. Don’t overmix the batter.
5. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into the bottom of each cavity (yields about 12 to 14).
6. Bake for about 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let cool for 5 minutes and, using a small spatula, remove the cakes from the pan. Let them cool completely at room temperature while preparing the mousse.

For the chocolate mousse:

1. Place the condensed milk and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Mix with a wire whisk until the cocoa dissolves completely. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and mix until combined. Let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. The gelatin will absorb the water and become a gel. 
3. Heat the hydrated gelatin in the microwave for 15 seconds. Don’t overheat (otherwise, the gelatin will lose its setting power).
4. Pour the melted gelatin (slightly warm) into the condensed milk and cocoa mixture. Stir with the wire whisk until well combined. Set aside.
5. Beat the chilled heavy cream for a few minutes until soft peaks form.
6. Add about 1/2 of the whipped cream to the condensed milk mixture and stir with the wire whisk until smooth. 
7. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in one or two additions, stirring gently until just combined.
8. Grease the silicone muffin pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Don’t use butter, or it will solidify and stick to the mold after refrigeration.
9. Fill each cavity of the mold with chocolate mousse, about 2/3 full. Place a chocolate cake centered on top and, using the back of a spoon, press the cake into the mousse until a flat surface forms. Repeat the process with the other cakes and cover with plastic wrap. 
10. If using an aluminum pan, grease the bottom and sides with cooking spray or vegetable oil, and line each cavity with plastic wrap, leaving the ends hanging out for easy removal when unmolding.
11. Freeze for about 3-4 hours or until set.

For the chocolate topping:

1. Combine the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl and melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth. If the mixture is still too thick, add a little more butter until it reaches a fluid consistency.
2. Let cool to room temperature for a few minutes before using.
3. Unmold the mousses by pressing the bottom of the silicone mold and turning it inside out.
4. For the aluminum pan, pull the ends of the plastic wrap to unmold the mousses.
5. Place the cakes on a wire rack with the cake part facing down.
6. Position the wire rack over a large baking sheet so that you can scrape off any excess chocolate that drips off to reuse.
7. Using a spoon, pour the chocolate topping over each mousse. 
8. Transfer the remaining chocolate topping to a small piping bag and drizzle on top of each mousse to decorate (remember you can scrape off the chocolate that dripped onto the baking sheet and reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds).
9. Remove the cakes from the rack using a spatula and transfer them to a plate.