Best Frozen Praline Mousse Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE CRUNCHY CAKE

Steps:

• To glaze the nuts: Preheat the oven to 275 F. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the nuts just begin darken. Remove and let cool just enough to handle, then rub the hot nuts with a towel to remove the bitter skins. Let cool completely. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and cook without stirring until golden-brown in color, 300 F on a candy thermometer (hard-crack stage). Remove from heat and stir in the nuts. Immediately lift out the nuts with a wire lifter or slotted spoon and drain slightly over the pan, then spread on the greased baking sheet. Let cool. Set aside 45 of the best hazelnuts for garnish. To make the praline feuillantines: In the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolates together. Stir in the nuts and crushed crepes and blend. Spread out thin on a piece of parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm. To make the praline mousse: Bring the cream just to the boiling point over medium-high heat. Put the chocolate and hazelnut (praline) paste in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over them. Blend well and let cool. Fold in the whipped cream. Place fifteen 2-1/2-inch ring molds on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cut the feuillantine into 2-1/2-inch circles and press one into the bottom of each mold. Fill each mold with praline mousse. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Turn out of the molds, place on wire racks over the parchment-lined baking sheets, and return to the freezer. To make the coffee crème anglaise: Add the coffee grounds to the milk in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light in color and thickened. Whisk the coffee-milk mixture into the egg mixture and put back in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove and strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. To make the paradise icing: Bring the water, sugar, cocoa powder, and cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the cream mixture over it. Blend well and stir until glossy. Let cool until lukewarm. To assemble: Take the frozen molds out of the freezer and leave on the wire rack over the baking sheet. Pour the icing over the cakes to form a smooth coating. When the icing has congealed, lift a mold with a wide spatula and place on a dessert plate. With a knife which has been dipped in hot water, cut the cake in half and spread the sides apart. Repeat with remaining cakes. Spoon the coffee crème anglaise on the plate in the center opening of each cake. Garnish each with three glazed hazelnuts and a mint leaf.

PRALINE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Prepare the praline and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• In a saucepan, put the yolks, one- half cup of the sugar and the milk. Bring to the simmer and cook until the mixture achieves a custardlike texture. Do not overcook or the eggs will curdle. Remove from the heat immediately.
• Blend the gelatin with the water until it is softened. Stir this into the custard mixture and stir until dissolved. Pour and scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Let it stand until cool.
• Put the egg whites in one large mixing bowl, the cream in another.
• Beat the whites until they are almost stiff and add two tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until they are stiff.
• Beat the cream until it is almost stiff and add the remaining two tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until it is stiff.
• Add half of the whites to the egg-yolk sauce and beat them in. Add the remaining whites, folding them in gently. Fold in the cream.
• Continue folding while gradually sprinkling the praline on top. Chill until set.

PECAN ROULADE WITH PRALINE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Line an 18 × 12-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment or spray it with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Pulse the pecans in a food processor until you have a coarse meal. Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with the baking powder.
• Whip the yolks with 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale. Stir into the nut mixture. Using a clean beater and a clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Whip at high until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Stop the mixer and pull the beater out slowly: if the whites leave stiff peaks in the bowl, the mixture is ready (it should be stiff but not dry).
• Fold the whites into the yolk mixture one half at a time. Avoid the urge to overmix. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake until light golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately cover with a damp towel; cool completely.
• Put the sugar and water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over high heat. Stir to combine. Put the cream in another small saucepan and bring it just short of a boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Bring the sugar mixture to a boil and then down to a steady simmer. When the liquid turns amber, swirl the pan. This will help it caramelize evenly. When it reaches a deep amber color, remove it from the heat and very carefully whisk in the cream. It will bubble up and steam, so watch those fingers! Return the pan to the heat and whisk to dissolve all the caramel. Refrigerate 1 cup of the praline syrup for the mousse filling. Add the vanilla and bourbon to the rest for your sauce.
• Cream the cream cheese by hand or in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Slowly add the praline syrup, scraping the bowl frequently. Add the vanilla. Place the gelatin in a small bowl with about 1 tablespoon warm water. Add the rum to the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Fold a bit of the praline syrup into the gelatin, then fold the gelatin mixture back into the praline syrup. Fold in the whipped cream, one half at a time.
• Run a paring knife around the outside of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan. Lift the edges carefully, feeling under the cake to loosen it. Sift a thin layer of confectioners' sugar onto the top of the cake. Lay a piece of parchment the size of the cake across the top, then turn the pan over to release the cake onto the parchment. With the cake lying on the counter, carefully peel the parchment that is now on top off the cake.
• Spread the mousse on the cake, stopping 1/2 inch from the long edge. Starting with the long edge closest to you, begin rolling the cake up jelly roll style, using the parchment for support. Tuck the rolling edge of the cake in as you go to make it a little tighter and neater. Place the cake back on the baking pan and refrigerate to firm it up.
• To serve, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, cut the slices about 1 inch thick, and serve with a generous drizzle of the reserved praline syrup. Garnish with fresh strawberries or peaches, if desired.

FROZEN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Line an ungreased deep 20cm round cake pan w/greaseproof paper-do not grease paper.
• Melt combined chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl over hot water, or microwave.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Combine eggs and sugar in bowl, beat w/electric mixer until thick and creamy, fold in sifted flour.
• Then fold in chocolate mixture.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan, bake at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4-for 20mins or until cake is crusty on top and soft in the centre.
• Leave cake to become cold in pan.
• Cover cake pan w/foil and freeze for several hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, place cake pan in hot water to loosen cake (for me this step wasn't necessary, I used foil instead of greaseproof paper to line my pan, and enough of it was hanging over for me to just cover the cake and freeze, which I just later pulled, and the cake came out w/it! No hot water dipping!) Invert cake onto serving dish and fill centre w/extra fresh fruit if desired.
• BERRY SAUCE: Blend or process berries w/icing sugar until smooth, strain.
• Pour berry sauce over slices cut, and serve-- Mmmm.

GENOISE TORTE WITH CHOCOLATE- AND PRALINE-CARAMEL MOUSSES

Steps:

• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon gelatin over 1 tablespoon water in another heatproof bowl. Let soften about 3 minutes.
• Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Swirl pan to dissolve sugar. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Boil until sugar turns dark amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Slowly add 1 cup cream and the butter, stirring until butter has melted. Put 2/3 cup caramel into a medium bowl; set aside. Stir remaining caramel and the unsweetened chocolate in another medium bowl; set aside.
• Set 1 bowl of softened gelatin over a pan of simmering water, and stir until gelatin has melted. Repeat with remaining bowl of gelatin. Pour larger batch of gelatin into plain caramel. Pour smaller batch of gelatin into chocolate caramel. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Whisk remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into plain caramel mixture; fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate-caramel mixture. Refrigerate the mousses until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Stir almond praline into plain caramel mousse.
• Stir Cognac and simple syrup in a small bowl. Assemble torte: Place 1 cake rectangle on a platter; brush with one-quarter of the Cognac syrup. Spread with half the chocolate-caramel mousse. Top with another cake rectangle; brush with one-quarter of the syrup. Spread with praline-caramel mousse. Refrigerate 10 minutes to set. Top with another cake rectangle; brush with one-quarter of the syrup. Spread with remaining chocolate-caramel mousse. Top with remaining cake rectangle; brush with remaining syrup. Clean edges with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with bittersweet chocolate shavings.