The Ultimate Indulgent Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe: A Reese’s Lover’s Dream
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Prepare to embark on a culinary journey that culminates in the creation of the most exquisite **Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake**. This isn’t just a dessert; it’s a symphony of textures and flavors designed for anyone who dreams in chocolate and peanut butter, especially fans of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Imagine: a robust, crunchy dark chocolate and salted peanut base, followed by a rich, smooth peanut butter layer, all topped with an ethereal dark chocolate mousse, and finally, crowned with a brilliant, reflective cacao mirror glaze. Each bite offers a delightful contrast – from the satisfying crunch to the velvety smoothness – making this cake an unforgettable treat for any special occasion or simply to satisfy a serious sweet craving.
The magic of this **dark chocolate mousse cake** lies in its meticulously crafted layers. The bottom layer, a delightful combination of dark chocolate and salted peanuts, provides a foundational crunch that perfectly complements the softer textures above. For the peanut butter layer, we highly recommend using a smooth peanut butter to achieve that desirable creamy consistency that melts in your mouth and offers a perfect counterpoint to the dark chocolate. This layer isn’t just about flavor; it adds a unique, dense chewiness that distinguishes this cake from other mousse creations.
Creating a cake with such intricate layers often requires specialized equipment. For this particular **mousse cake recipe**, we utilized an Eclipse silicone mold from Silikomart, renowned for its professional-grade bakeware. If you don’t have this specific mold, fret not! A standard 18 cm silicone mold will work just as wonderfully, allowing you to achieve the same stunning results. The key is using a silicone mold for easy demolding of the delicate mousse cake.
If you’re as passionate about mousse cakes as we are and eager to explore more delightful creations, be sure to check out some of our other popular recipes. Indulge in the rich flavors of our Chocolate and Caramel Mousse Cake, savor the sophisticated blend in our Chocolate Coffee and Caramel Tart, or dive into the pure decadence of our Brownie and Nutella Mousse Cake. Each recipe offers a unique take on this elegant dessert style, promising delicious results every time.
Crafting Your Masterpiece: Step-by-Step Instructions for Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
Creating this stunning **peanut butter dark chocolate mousse cake** is a rewarding process that involves careful layering and temperature control. Follow these detailed instructions to ensure a perfect outcome, from the crunchy base to the glossy mirror glaze.
1. The Irresistible Chocolate Peanut Crunch Layer
This foundational layer provides a crucial textural contrast, delivering a satisfying crunch with every bite. To begin, take your salted peanuts and finely chop them. The goal is to have small, uniform pieces that will distribute evenly throughout the chocolate. Next, gently melt your dark chocolate. You can do this using a double boiler or in a microwave at short intervals, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once melted and smooth, stir in the flavor-neutral oil, such as canola oil. This addition helps to achieve a smoother consistency and a more pleasant mouthfeel for the chocolate. Finally, fold the chopped peanuts into the melted chocolate mixture, ensuring every piece is well coated. Immediately pour this mixture into a 16 cm silicone mold. Spread it evenly to create a flat base and place it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes, or until fully set and firm.
2. The Creamy Peanut Butter Layer
This layer is the heart of the “Reese’s” experience, offering a rich, creamy, and distinct peanut butter flavor. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the ingredients for the peanut butter layer. Using a spatula, mix them thoroughly until everything is well combined and forms a cohesive, slightly dense clump. The smooth peanut butter is essential here for that desirable silky texture. Once your chocolate peanut crunch layer is firm from the freezer, carefully remove it from its mold. Place the peanut butter mixture directly on top of the crunch layer. Using an off-set spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the peanut butter evenly over the chocolate peanut crunch, ensuring a smooth and consistent layer. Once you’ve achieved an even surface, return the layered base to the freezer for 1-2 hours to allow it to set completely. This ensures the layers remain distinct and stable when assembling the mousse cake.
3. The Silky Dark Chocolate Mousse
The mousse is the airy, luxurious component that brings the cake together. First, bloom your gelatin sheets by submerging them in a bowl of cold water for approximately 5 minutes. This softens them and prepares them for dissolving. Meanwhile, melt your dark chocolate using your preferred method (double boiler or microwave). In a small saucepan, gently heat 75g of the total 350g of heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to lightly simmer, but not boil rapidly. Remove the saucepan from the heat, squeeze any excess water from the bloomed gelatin sheets, and stir them into the warm cream until they are completely dissolved. Pour this warm gelatin-cream mixture over your melted dark chocolate. Using a spatula, stir gently from the center outwards until the mixture is thoroughly combined and cohesive, forming a smooth ganache-like consistency. In a separate, clean bowl, whip the remaining 275g of heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Be careful not to over-whip, as this can result in a grainy mousse. Add the whipped cream to the dark chocolate mixture in three gradual additions, gently folding each portion with a spatula until smooth and fully combined. The key is to maintain the airiness of the whipped cream, ensuring a light and fluffy mousse.
4. Assembling Your Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
Now comes the exciting part: bringing all the elements together. Place your Eclipse silicone mold (or your chosen 18 cm diameter silicone mold) on a small, sturdy board or flat plate. This makes it significantly easier to move the cake in and out of the freezer. Pour the prepared dark chocolate mousse into the silicone mold, filling it about halfway. Carefully retrieve your chocolate peanut and peanut butter layered insert from the freezer and gently unmold it. Now, invert this insert, placing it peanut butter side down, directly into the center of the dark chocolate mousse in the main mold. Ensure it is centered for an aesthetically pleasing final result. Gently press it down so the mousse surrounds it. Once assembled, carefully transfer the entire mold to the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the mousse to set completely and firm up for easy glazing.
5. The Dazzling Mirror Glaze
The mirror glaze is what gives this cake its professional, polished finish. Begin by blooming the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water until softened. In a separate bowl, sift your cocoa powder to remove any lumps, which ensures a smooth glaze. In a small pot, combine water, granulated sugar, and condensed milk. Stir this mixture gently and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat. Squeeze the excess water from the bloomed gelatin sheets and add them to the hot liquid, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Next, pour this hot liquid over the sifted cocoa powder. To prevent air bubbles, hold the bowl at an angle and pour the liquid down the inner edge of the bowl. With a rubber spatula, gently stir the cocoa powder and liquid until cohesive. To achieve a perfectly smooth, silky glaze, use an immersion blender. Blend the glaze carefully, keeping the blender head submerged to avoid incorporating air. Pour the mirror glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jug, again holding the jug at an angle to minimize bubbles. Cover the surface of the glaze with a piece of cling film, ensuring it touches the glaze to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the glaze to cool until it reaches a temperature between 33-34ºC (around 91-93ºF) – this precise temperature is critical for a flawless pour. While the glaze cools, prepare your glazing station: place a baking tray covered with cling film on your countertop, and invert a cup in the center. Once the glaze is at the correct temperature, carefully remove your frozen **mousse cake** from its mold and place it on top of the inverted cup. Steadily pour the mirror glaze over the entire cake, ensuring full coverage and allowing excess to drip onto the tray. Let it set for a few minutes. Once the glaze has stabilized, use a thin knife to gently remove any hanging glaze droplets from the bottom edge of the cake. Using two offset spatulas, carefully lift the glazed cake from the cup and transfer it to your chosen serving dish. Place the cake in the fridge to defrost for 3-4 hours before serving, allowing the mousse to return to its optimal creamy texture.
6. Elegant Chocolate Decoration
The final touches elevate this already stunning dessert to a true showstopper.
TIP: It’s highly recommended to make these delicate chocolate waves in advance. While they are fragile, they can be stored in an airtight container or simply on the kitchen counter, ready for when you wish to serve the cake.
To create the elegant chocolate waves, temper your caramelized white chocolate. Tempering is crucial for achieving a beautiful shine and a satisfying snap. If caramelized white chocolate isn’t available, regular white chocolate works perfectly well. Once tempered, pour the chocolate into a small piping bag and snip a small hole at the tip. On several pieces of parchment paper, pipe the chocolate in a fluid, wave-like motion. Allow these chocolate decorations to firm up completely. For an extra touch of glamour, lightly dust them with edible gold dust, adding a subtle shimmer and sparkle. When the **peanut butter dark chocolate mousse cake** has defrosted and you’re ready to serve, take it from the fridge. Carefully arrange a few of your chocolate waves on top, scatter some halved peanuts for added texture and visual appeal, and finish with another light dusting of edible gold dust. Store any remaining chocolate waves in an airtight container for future cake decorations or simply for snacking.
Storage & Best Practices for Your Mousse Cake
To maintain the exquisite quality and freshness of your **Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake**, proper storage is essential. Always store the cake in the fridge within an airtight container. This prevents it from absorbing odors from other foods and keeps the mousse light and airy. For the best flavor and texture, this decadent dessert is ideally enjoyed within 2-3 days of preparation. If you wish to store it longer, the cake can be kept in the freezer (unglazed, or glazed carefully wrapped) for up to 2-3 weeks. When ready to serve from the freezer, allow it to defrost fully in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, or overnight, to ensure the mousse reaches its perfect creamy consistency.
More Mousse Cake Recipes To Delight Your Palate
If you’ve fallen in love with the art of mousse cake making, we have an array of other recipes that are sure to inspire your next baking adventure. Each offers a unique blend of flavors and textures, perfect for expanding your dessert repertoire.
- Classic Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Strawberry and Pistachio Mousse Cake
- Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake (Our Feature!)
- Raspberry and Rhubarb Mousse Layer Cake
We hope you thoroughly enjoy making and devouring this incredible **Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake**! If you loved this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW below. We also adore seeing your creations! Tag us on Instagram @juliemarieeats to share your masterpieces. For more inspiring baking ideas and delicious recipes, be sure to follow us on Pinterest.
Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
Pin Recipe
Equipment
- 16 cm silicone mold
- Eclipse silicone mold (or equivalent 18cm round silicone mold)
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE PEANUT CRUNCH LAYER
- 50 g salted peanuts (finely chopped)
- 100 g dark chocolate (melted)
- 10 g flavour neutral oil such as canola oil or grapeseed oil
PEANUT BUTTER LAYER
- 160 g smooth peanut butter
- 40 g powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
- 2 gelatin sheets (approximately 3.4 g total)
- 100 g dark chocolate (melted)
- 350 g heavy cream (divided: 75g heated, 275g whipped)
MIRROR GLAZE
- 5 gelatin sheets
- 100 g water
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 200 g condensed milk
- 45 g cocoa powder (sifted)
CHOCOLATE DECORATION
- 40 g caramelized white chocolate (or regular white chocolate, tempered)
- Halved peanuts (for garnish)
- Edible gold dust (for sparkle)
Instructions
CHOCOLATE PEANUT CRUNCH LAYER
- Finely chop the salted peanuts. Melt the dark chocolate using a double boiler or microwave, then stir in the flavour neutral oil until smooth. Fold the chopped peanuts into the melted chocolate mixture, ensuring they are well coated. Pour this mixture into a 16 cm silicone mold, spread evenly, and place it in the freezer to set for 10-20 minutes.50 g salted peanuts, 100 g dark chocolate, 10 g flavour neutral oil
PEANUT BUTTER LAYER
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the peanut butter layer. Mix thoroughly with a spatula until well combined and a single cohesive clump forms.160 g smooth peanut butter, 40 g powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Take the set chocolate peanut crunch layer out of the freezer and gently unmold it. Spread the peanut butter layer evenly on top of the crunch layer using an off-set spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Once smoothed out, place the layered base back into the freezer to set for 1-2 hours until firm.
DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
- Bloom the gelatin sheets by submerging them in cold water for 5 minutes.2 gelatin sheet
- Melt the dark chocolate. In a small saucepan, heat 75g of the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to lightly boil. Remove from heat, squeeze excess water from the gelatin, and stir into the hot cream until dissolved.100 g dark chocolate
- Pour the heated cream-gelatin mixture over the melted dark chocolate. Using a spatula, stir gently until the mixture is cohesive and smooth.
- Whip the remaining 275g of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture in 3 parts, gently folding with a spatula until smooth and fully combined, maintaining its airiness.350 g heavy cream
ASSEMBLING THE MOUSSE CAKE
- Place your 18 cm Eclipse silicone mold (or preferred 18 cm diameter silicone mold) on a small, sturdy board for easy transfer.
- Pour half of the dark chocolate mousse into the main silicone mold. Remove the chocolate peanut and peanut butter layered insert from the freezer and carefully unmold it. Invert this layer and place it peanut butter side down into the center of the mousse in the main mold, gently pressing it down.
- Gently pour the remaining mousse over and around the insert until the mold is filled. Place the mousse cake into the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours, or ideally overnight, until completely frozen solid.
MIRROR GLAZE
- Bloom the 5 gelatin sheets in cold water until softened.5 gelatin sheets
- Sift the cocoa powder into a heatproof bowl.45 g cocoa powder
- In a small pot, stir together the water, granulated sugar, and condensed milk. Heat to a boil. Remove from heat, squeeze excess water from the gelatin sheets, and stir them into the hot liquid until dissolved.100 g water, 100 g granulated sugar, 200 g condensed milk
- Pour the hot liquid over the sifted cocoa powder, holding the bowl at an angle and pouring down the edge to prevent air bubbles. Gently stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Use an immersion blender to blend the glaze until perfectly smooth, keeping the blender head submerged. Pour the mirror glaze through a sieve into a jug, again holding the jug at an angle to avoid bubbles.
- Place cling film directly on the surface of the glaze to prevent a skin. Allow it to cool until it reaches a precise temperature between 33-34ºC (91-93ºF). This temperature is crucial for a smooth, even glaze.
- Prepare a baking tray with cling film underneath. Place a sturdy cup upside down in the center of the tray; this will serve as the stand for your cake during glazing.
- Once the glaze has reached the correct temperature, take the frozen mousse cake out of the freezer and gently unmold it. Place it onto the inverted cup.
- Pour the mirror glaze evenly over the entire cake, allowing the excess to drip off onto the prepared tray. Once the glaze has set slightly, use a sharp knife to carefully trim any lingering glaze droplets from the bottom edge of the cake. Using two offset spatulas, gently lift the cake from the cup and transfer it to your serving platter. Place the cake in the refrigerator to defrost for 3-4 hours before serving.
CHOCOLATE DECORATION
- TIP: Make these delicate chocolate waves in advance so they are ready when you want to serve the cake. They are fragile but can be stored in an airtight container or simply on the kitchen counter.
- Temper the caramelized white chocolate (or white chocolate if preferred). Tempering ensures a glossy finish and crisp texture.40 g caramelized white chocolate
- Pour the tempered chocolate into a small piping bag and cut a tiny hole at the tip. Pipe the chocolate onto pieces of parchment paper in a wave motion. Let them firm up. For extra sparkle, dust with edible gold dust.
- Once the cake is defrosted and you are ready to serve, remove it from the fridge. Carefully arrange a few chocolate waves on top, scatter some halved peanuts, and lightly dust with a bit more edible gold dust for a beautiful presentation.Peanuts, Edible gold dust
- Store any remaining chocolate waves in an airtight container for future use or enjoyment.