I had some leftover cake in the fridge, a box of delicious cherries and a craving for chocolate mousse. All at the same time. Turns out, it’s easy to combine the three in a trifle-esque jar dessert and it tastes phenomenal. Even with vanilla cake, the Black Forest vibes are strong and I can only imagine how good this would be with chocolate cake crumbs, if that’s what you have on hand. The cherry compote comes together in minutes and so does the mousse with just the right intensity of chocolate. Excuse me, going to grab another bite.
This recipe can be scaled up easily and is very forgiving. Use any basic butter cake that you like, homemade or not but I do recommend avoiding one with too many strong flavours of its own. Crumble it up and start layering! The mousse is a simple one with melted dark chocolate folded into whipped cream and balances the sweetness of the cherry compote.
This jar-style dessert will have the most defined layers when freshly assembled but if that isn’t important to you, refrigerate it for a bit to let the cake and mousse sort of settle in together for a messier, but even more delicious bite!
Ok, go make this while cherries are still around!
Black Forest Mousse Jars
Ingredients
For the cherry compote
- 250 gms fresh cherries (deep red taste the best)
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- Pinch of cinnamon powder
For the mousse & assembly
- 30 gms dark chocolate (50% to 60%), finely chopped
- 1/3 cup chilled whipping cream
- 2 cups vanilla cake crumbs (see notes)
Instructions
- To make the compote, remove the stems from the cherries, and pit each one using a cherry pitter or use a sharp knife to slice each cherry in half and prise out the stone. Add to a small saucepan with the sugar, water and cinnamon.
- Cook on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often until the cherries have softened and broken down and the liquid is bubbling. Let the compote cool completely at room temperature (about 30 mins) and the liquid will thicken to a saucy consistency.
- To make the mousse, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in two 10 second increments on high, stirring in between each. Do not overheat the chocolate and when it's almost fully melted, stir gently to smoothen out any lumps.
- Using a hand mixer and mixing bowl, beat the cream on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens to stiff peaks with very slightly rounded tops.
- Add a spoon of the whipped cream to the melted chocolate and stir gently to help loosen it. Fold in the rest of the cream gradually, working gently but quickly till you have a smooth and fluffy mousse. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes before assembly. The mousse will thicken further the longer it's chilled.
- To assemble, get out two medium sized jars or glasses and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cake crumbs at the base of each. Top with 2 tablespoons of compote and then about 3 generous tablespoons of the mousse. Repeat until all of it is used up. Top with fresh cherries and dig in!
- Store in the refrigerator, loosely covered for 3 to 4 days but the layers will be most defined when freshly assembled. The mousse and cake will take on a delicious fudgy texture after a day so let the jars sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before you eat. Enjoy!
Notes
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This looks like the perfect way to satisfy a chocolate and cherry craving all in one! I love how simple yet decadent the mousse and compote layers sound. Definitely going to try this out, especially with fresh cherries while they’re in season. Thanks for the clear instructions, and I appreciate the tip on letting it sit for a fudgy texture. Can’t wait to make it
I hope you love it!