Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 Prepare your springform pan (I use a 9") by lightly greasing then lining with parchment paper. I baked in a water bath (wrapped the springform pan with tin foil to seal it in, then bake in about 1" of water), but you could skip the water bath also.
2. Melt 10 oz of semisweet chocolate that has been chopped up in a bowl. You'll want to use a bowl big enough because you'll be adding the whipped up eggs into the chocolate -- I use a big bowl. You can do this on the stove or more simply in the microwave.
3. Put the egg whites and about a 1/3 of the sugar into a large bowl. Start beating the egg whites with an electric mixer, and get the eggs to the point they are starting to get fluffy. Add the remaining sugar, salt and vanilla. Keep beating until the meringue is nearly at the soft-peak stage.
4. Whisk the softened butter into the melted chocolate and combine well. Whisk in egg yolks until combined. Add half of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate until combined. Once combined, fold in the remaining meringue.
5. Once combined, pour the batter into the springform pan. You'll bake for 26-28 minutes, if you use a convection oven, or quite a bit more if you aren't using convection (50 minutes or so without convection). Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Remove the cake and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least an hour once cooled, and the cake will settle down significantly. Once cooled, remove the cake from the fridge, run a knife around the edges, and remove the springform ring. Flip the cake over onto your serving dish and remove the bottom and parchment paper. Place the springform ring back over the cake, you'll need it to hold the mousse in place later.

Raspberry Mousse

1. Add the gelatin to the tablespoon of water in a dish. Set aside.
2. Start preparing your raspberries. I thawed the frozen raspberries then threw them into the food processor. I let it run until the raspberries were completely pureed. You can strain it at this point and get only the liquid, but I used the liquid as it was, there weren't any seeds or anything in there. You'll need to have about a cup of raspberry juice at this point.
3. Chop up the white chocolate and place into a large bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted. Be careful not to burn the white chocolate. Set aside.
4. Add the raspberry puree to a saucepan and add the sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until the juice reduces, about 5 minutes. Pour off a 1/2 cup of juice into a dish, then add the gelatin. I find it easiest to microwave the gelatin mixture for about 10 seconds and it will pour right out of the dish. Stir until gelatin is combined into the juice.
5. Pour the raspberry mixture over the melted chocolate and stir until combined and lumps are gone.
6. Whisk the heavy cream to soft peak stage. Whisk 1/3 of the cream into the raspberry chocolate mixture until combined, then fold in the remaining cream.
7. Pour completed raspberry mousse over the chocolate cake and smooth. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours until set up.

Chocolate Mousse

1. Chop up 10 oz of semisweet chocolate and place in a large bowl. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring between heating. Once melted and smooth, set aside.
2. Mix gelatin and water in a dish and set aside.
3. Bring 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream to a boil and pour over melted chocolate. Stir until combined.
4. Microwave gelatin for 10-15 seconds then stir into melted chocolate. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Whip the remaining cup of heavy cream to soft peak stage.
6. Add about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the chocolate, combining well.
7. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold into chocolate mixture.
8. Spread the mousse over the raspberry layer, then refrigerate for a few more hours.

Finish

1. Run a knife around the edge of the springform ring. Remove the ring.
2. Garnish with either white chocolate (I grated some over the top, or you can cut curlor raspberries.
3. Keep finished cake refrigerated.