Chris's Amazing Triple Chocolate Confection

Yesterday was Chris's birthday, and I thought it only fitting that I would finally get around to posting the amazing chocolate confection she made for us during the cooking fest last Fall.  Chris is known for her fantastic desserts, just one of many talents.  She is fearless when making desserts --- she doesn't let the pages of instructions and tricky steps phase her.  But watch out --- when she starts cooking, she needs lots of space and intensely focussed on her mission.  I tried to capture most of the steps while staying out her way.  It was crazy!!  Three chocolates with three different temperaments had to be coaxed into this delicious dessert.

It was made even more delicious with the addition of a red raspberry sauce.

Here's what I learned from observing Chris at work: 

1.  Plan your attack. Once you start, there is no turning back.  And have lots of bowls on hand. 

2.  Know how to fold.   Fluffy egg whites are folded into the chocolates, and you don't want to lose the air and therefore, the lightness to the dessert.

 3. Talk to yourself.  Somehow, that makes you a better pastry chef. 

If you ever want to make this dessert yourself, then you will need to buy Bo Freiberg's The Professional Pastry Chef, and look on pages 569 -  573 under Charlottes and Baravois, Custards, Mousses, and Souffles, for the Triple Chocolate Terrine.

And you need one of these terrine pans, with sides that fold down. 

And lots of good chocolate -- dark, milk and white.

And lots of eggs.

And parchment paper, a cookie sheet and lots of room to work.  Chris has made an outline for the cake on the paper.

Lots of egg whites are whipped.

The egg yolks are used for the mousses. 

The chocolate is melted.

Then, the egg whites are folded in.

And the batter is poured out on to the prepared parchment on the cookie sheet.

And baked.  And cooled.

More eggs come out. 

More sugar.  Now we are going to make the three mousse fillings.

Milk chocolate is measured out.

White chocolate chips are used --- but Chris is annoyed with them because they don't cooperate.

And dark chocolate.

Then things start getting crazy.  Chris starts beating the eggs and sugar over the heat to make the base for all the mousses.

Three of everything is done.

The white chocolate is the hardest. 

Cream is whipped.

But eventually it all comes together and we get ready to assemble.

The cake is cut into four strips.

The first one is the bottom layer.

The bottom mousse is mixed.

And poured in.

The same is done for the white chocolate mousse.  A cake layer goes in between.

And the dark chocolate mousse.

 The final layer of cake goes on top.

And the terrine is wrapped and placed in the freezer.

Meanwhile, the red raspberries are washed.

And strained.

And turned into a delicious sauce.

Once completely frozen and we are nearing time for dinner, it is unwrapped.

The pan is unhinged.

And we all watch and ooh and aah as the parchment paper is removed.

Success!