Gluten Free & Vegan Belgian Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Torte
There aren't many things in this world that are perfect, and then I ate this. I am starstruck. This torte is complex, yet beyond simple to make. It is one of those recipes that will have every guest in awe, and only you will know it took very limited effort. It spends most of its time in the freezer, allowing you time to do whatever you want. I promise you this, you will never find an easier cake to make than this one. I have made a plethora of cakes over the last 11 years, and if they were all this simple... I would still be doing cakes for a living. If we're speaking truths, cake and I are NOT friends.
Between the dark and rich chocolate sponge hides Belgian dark chocolate mousse, raspberry preserves and fresh raspberries. All of which is enrobed in dark chocolate ganache and coated in crushed Glutino pretzels. This was my first time trying these pretzels, and I am now a fan! I have never enjoyed crispy pretzels, but make them gluten free and I will eat the entire bag. I sourced these from Schnucks market, but I have seen them elsewhere! If you're not tree-nut free, and cannot find these pretzels, replace with toasted slivered almonds. I will be making this torte with almonds next time.
Chef's Notes:
Pull the silken tofu out of the fridge, and allow to come up to room temperature before making the mousse. Cold silken tofu will cause the chocolate to chip while blending and won't result in a silky end product.
The darker the cocoa powder, the better.
I used 70% dark chocolate for this recipe. If you would like, you can use a higher cacao solid percentage. If you do, use less oat milk when making the ganache.
Do not cover the torte in ganache until FULLY frozen.
I assembled my torte in a 10 inch cake pan with a removable bottom, similar to a springform pan. If you have neither, line your pan with plastic wrap while assembling to make it easier to remove once frozen.
If your ganache happens to break, whisk in a little bit of plant butter or oil to emulsify.
You can use allergen friendly chocolate chips if Belgian chocolate is out of your price range!
Chocolate Sponge
1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder, extra dark
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup flavorless oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree, or sweet potato
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cup oat milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 350ºf, and prepare 1-10 inch cake pan with oil and parchment.
Mix all dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine.
Mix all liquid ingredients into a small bowl, and pour over the dry. Whisk until fully incorporated and add into the prepared cake pan.
Allow to bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cake springs bake when poked. If poking with a toothpick, it should come out clean.
Allow to cool on the counter for 10 minutes, move to the freezer and freeze completely. This cake is delicate in the early stages, so I like to freeze IN pan.
Belgian Dark Chocolate Mousse
1# Silken Tofu, room temperature
7 ounces 70% Belgian Dark Chocolate, melted
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dutch-process cocoa powder, extra dark
In a food processor, blend all of the ingredients until smooth.
Scrape down the sides, and blend until fully incorporated.
Set aside until torte assembly.
Torte Assembly
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1 batch mousse
Carefully divide the cake sponge in half using a serrated blade. Place the rounded cake top half upside down in a prepared pan, or springform.
Spread evenly with raspberry preserves, and sprinkle evenly with fresh raspberries.
Spread the mousse overtop the raspberries, and tap lightly on the counter to remove any air gaps.
Place the bottom half of the cake over top and press lightly to seal together.
Freeze completely before enrobing with ganache.
Ganache
9 ounces dark chocolate
3.5 ounces oat milk (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Bring oat milk and salt to a simmer and pour over the chocolate. Let this sit a couple of minutes before whisking together.
Final Assembly
6 ounces fresh raspberries
2.5 cups Glutino pretzels, crushed
1 batch ganache, freshly made
Remove the frozen torte from the pan. If using a springform or removable bottomed cake pan, leave the base attached. If not using, set the frozen cake on a 10 inch cake board.
Pour ganache over top, in center, and smooth over the edges. Make sure to cover any gaps found on the sides for full coverage.
Cover the sides in crushed pretzels, or toasted almonds.
Create a border by lining raspberries alongside the edge, and finished!
I would like to take this moment to reiterate how EASY this torte is to make. I effortlessly made this throughout one work day. I was able to complete the entire torte in between doing laundry, work and going to the gym. You can simplify this further by breaking down the steps into a multi-day process.
As always, you can find me on both Instagram and Facebook, @cheekygingerchef. If you decide to make any of my goodies, drop me a tag, I love seeing what everyone bakes up!
Until next time,
Keep it cheeky!