Trio mousse cake: hazelnut, chocolate and orange liqueur, all in one decadent gluten free dessert

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I’ve probably told you this before. I love a good challenge. One that puts my mind at work and pushes me into trying new things. And that’s how this one also started. One of my friends here in Copenhagen was planning a surprise small birthday get together for one of her best friends. So she asked me if I could help them out with a cake. The requirement was to be chocolaty and gluten free. So I instantly thought about a trio mousse cake. I had this idea in my mind of how well these three tastes would go together – the hazelnut nougat, the dark chocolate and the orange liqueur. And OMG! they work beautifully together! My friends and I can confirm after trying it a few times now.

The next challenge was if I could make it gelatin free. Or at least with some settling agent that is not from animal origin. And while there are some veg gelatin options in the stores, I had my mind on trying out agar agar. I had heard and read a tiny bit about it before, so I thought this trio mousse cake is the perfect opportunity to use it. Luckily I remembered one of my Insta foodie friends, Iulia, has previously worked with it, and she was sweet enough to give me some insights on how it works. Thank you for that!

I have, since then, made this trio mousse cake also with gelatin powder, so here’s a few things about the difference between working with each of the two.

Agar agar vs. gelatin powder

When it comes to setting agents for mousse cakes or jellies, I generally use gelatin powder. I find it more convenient to use, rather than the gelatin sheets, as I don’t have to use blender or strain the mixture to make sure there’s nothing left undissolved from the sheets.

1. How to use gelatin powder vs. agar agar

First of all, the process of ‘activating’ each of these two setting agents is quite different. With the gelatin powder (just as with the sheets), you need to let it bloom for a while in cold water, and then add it to the warm component so it melts and incorporates. On the other hand, with the agar agar, you need to either add it to a component that needs boiling and have it boiling with it for a little while on the stove. Or you can just use a little bit of water/milk to dissolve the agar agar powder then bring it to a boil on low heat and keep it there for a couple of minutes and then add to your warm component (ex. the melted chocolate/ hazelnut nougat in my recipe).

Either way, they both come with using instructions on the package as well as the indication of recommended amount to use per liquid. So no worries about that.

2. Setting temperature

Secondly, the setting temperature is quite different. Agar agar sets much faster, at a higher temperature as compared to normal gelatin. This can be an advantage when working in a warm environment, or during the hot summer days. But it also requires that you work faster.

Think about this – you’ve added the agar agar mixture in your melted chocolate. To incorporate it in your whipped cream, you usually have to wait until it cools down almost to room temperature. Well, with agar agar, you’ll have to incorporate the melted chocolate a bit warm. And move fast. You’ll notice that due to the cold whipped cream, your mousse will tend to set quite fast. And since you want your layers to be nice and smooth, make sure you’re ready to pour in your mold/ lined ring right away.

Nevertheless, while you’ll need the freezer to help set the mousse before adding the next layer when working with gelatin, with agar agar having it set in the fridge after each layer of your mousse cake will do.

My trio mousse cake recipe

I am sharing with you the recipe using gelatin powder, as it is more common to use and easier to find. However, for some info about using agar agar instead (quantities + how & when to add), check the Notes section at the end of the recipe. Here in the post you’ll find the more detailed recipe, including also some links to help you along the way. But if you want to jump straight to a shorter version, click the jump to recipe card button below.

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Ingredients

Layer 1 (bottom)

• 5g gelatin powder*
• 20g cold water *
• 100g hazelnut nougat
• 100g heavy cream for the hazelnut mix
• 200g chilled heavy cream for whipping

Layer 2 (middle)

• 5g gelatin powder*
• 20g cold water*
• 100g dark chocolate (around 50%)
• 100g heavy cream for the chocolate cream
• 200g chilled heavy cream for whipping

Layer 3 (top)

• 5g gelatin powder*
• 20g cold water*
• 80g strong dark chocolate (around 70%)
• 110g heavy cream for the chocolate cream
• 20ml orange liqueur (ex. Grand Marnier, Cointreau)
• 200g chilled heavy cream for whipping
• 1tbsp. icing sugar (to balance a bit the extra dark chocolate)

Ganache

• 60g chocolate (I use dark, 54%)
• 70g heavy cream

Decoration

• 50g white chocolate
• candied orange peel (here’s how you can make your own)

Equipment

• adjustable cake ring / spring form 20cm Ø
• cake collar
• hand mixer
• silicone and offset spatulas
• baking paper
• heat resistant small bowls

Instructions

1. First prepare your playground. Start by lining your cake ring with plastic cake collar. I use paperclips to fix the collar to the ring. Dress the bottom of the cake ring with cling film. You can use a rubber band to help tightly cover the bottom, this way you will avoid the mousse leaking from underneath your cake ring.

2. You can now start prepping the bottom layer. In a small bowl add the gelatin powder and the cold water and let swell for 5-10 min.* Meanwhile add the hazelnut nougat and the heavy cream in a small saucepan and place on low heat. Stir from time to time with a silicone spatula, just until the nougat is completely melted, then remove from heat. Melt the bloomed gelatin over a bain marie, then add to the nougat mixture and incorporate with the spatula. Let it cool down nearly to room temperature. In the meantime use a hand mixture to whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the nougat mixture to the bowl with whipped cream and gently fold with the spatula until smooth and evenly incorporated. Pour the mousse in your cake ring and level it. Place in the freezer to set for about 40 minutes.

3. Prepare the middle layer using the same process as in step 2. Let the gelatin powder swell in the cold water.* Meanwhile melt the chocolate together with the heavy cream over low heat. Stir constantly and remove from heat as soon as the chocolate pieces have melted. Then stir in the melted gelatin and let cool. Whip the chilled cream until soft peaks form, then fold the melted chocolate with a spatula. Remove the cake ring from the freezer and pour the second layer, making sure to nicely leveling it. I usually shake it a bit to do that. Place again in the freezer for 40 more minutes before pouring the final mousse layer.

4. Now you’re ready for the final mousse layer. The same process as in the previous two steps. Let the gelatin swell, melting the extra dark chocolate with heavy cream on low heat in the meantime.* Remove from heat and add the orange liqueur right away. Stir until incorporated. Melt the gelatin and add it to the chocolate-liqueur mix, then let cool down a bit. Meanwhile whip the chilled cream together with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form, then fold the melted chocolate with a spatula. Remove the cake ring from the freezer and pour the top mousse layer, then shake a bit to nicely level it. Then place back in the freezer and let rest for 4h or overnight.

5. After the trio mousse cake has set, remove from freezer and remove the plastic film from underneath – you’ll be able to do this with it after it’s been in the freezer for at least 4h. Place on your serving plate, but keep the cake ring and collar still on. Prepare the chocolate ganache. If you prefer, you can skip this layer and decorate straight on the upper mousse layer. But I like it with the chocolate ganache. Add the chocolate and the heavy cream to a heat resistant bowl and place over a bain marie. Stir until all chocolate is melted. Let it cool down a bit, but make sure it is still fluid. Pour gently on top of the mousse layer cake. Shake a bit or use an offset spatula to nicely level it. Let set in the fridge for a couple of hours.

6. After your ganache has set, you can proceed to decorating. I like to use white chocolate, as it make a nice contrast. Melt the chocolate in a small heat proof bowl, over a bain marie. Then prep your paper cone. These are really easy to make at home and they’re perfect for piping chocolate, writing and all the small delicate decorations. You’ll find quite a few tutorials on how to do one on YouTube, I used this one to learn. Make sure you try on a paper first, before going to your cake canvas. Pour the chocolate in your cone and keep it warm while getting the cake ready.

7. Carefully remove the cake ring and the cake collar. Now you’re ready to decorate your trio mousse cake. It’s up to you to choose your favorite design, I like keeping it simple. And adding the candied orange peel is a suggestion to the orange liqueur in the upper mousse layer. But feel free to be creative with it 🙂

Happy caking, everyone!

Notes

If you’d like to replace gelatin powder with agar agar, per each layer mousse use:

• 1/2 tsp agar agar
• 40ml milk

Bring them to a boil together, keep on low heat while stirring for a couple minutes, then add to your warm melted nougat/chocolate mixture. And continue as per the original recipe, just remember to move quicker when incorporating into the mousse and pouring into the cake ring.

PRO Tip

To get a nice clean section of your mousse cakes, try heating the blade of the cake before cutting through. That way the glazes and mousses won’t stick to the knife and you won’t spread that dark chocolate glaze all over the light coloured layers. You can heat the blade by submerging it into a glass with hot water and then pat dry before cutting. Or if you own a blow torch, just use that one to do the job. Enjoy!

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