Mocha Chocolate Mousse Cake

I found this recipe at vegetariantimes.com while searching for a "healthy" dessert for Mother's Day. Needless to say, it was a big hit and will probably become a staple for future get togethers. I am going to play with the recipe more and try to reduce the calories and sugar levels, but it is really excellent and mostly healthy as it is. There were some additions to the instructions to make it easier to prepare.

This dessert puffs like a soufflé when baked, then settles to become a rich, mousse-like cake. When slicing, use a knife dipped in hot water and then wiped dry. The heated blade will glide smoothly through the cake without sticking.

Serves 12 (or less depending on how much you like chocolate) :-)

9 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup light coconut milk (I used regular milk)
1 Tbs. instant espresso powder
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
5 room temperature eggs
6 Tbs. organic cane sugar
1/4 cup almond flour
1 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat/spray the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Make a foil bowl to set the pan into as this is going to be cooked in a water bath. Make sure the bottom and sides are completely covered (the original recipe stated to line the springform pan and it took me a while to figure out that they meant the OUTSIDE of the pan because it was going to be cooked in a water bath).
2. Place the chocolate in the food processor and grind to a coarse meal.
3. Bring coconut milk (reg. milk) almost to a boil in saucepan. Remove from heat, and stir in espresso powder. Pour over chocolate in food processor, and pulse until smooth (didn't have to pulse more than once as the chocolate melted right away and blended very quickly). Add vanilla, and pulse until combined. Put chocolate mixture in a bowl separate from the eggs.
4. Beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes, or until doubled in volume. Fold eggs, then almond flour into chocolate mixture.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Set foil covered (wrapped) pan in a roasting pan and *after setting on the oven shelf* fill roasting pan with at least 1 inch of hot water. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until dry crust forms on top but center is still slightly wobbly. Remove foil covered pan from water, and cool on wire rack. After cooled, remove foil and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight, to set.
6. Unmold, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.


This is very YUMMY!!