Perfection: Chocolate Truffle Mousse Cake

Over 50 guests sampled my cake and I received many compliments and requests for the recipe...I consider that a success! The cake was delicious and the presentation was lovely, and I'm very proud of how far I got in developing my recipe.

Each component of the cake was perfected and decided as such:

• Base: moist, dense chocolate brownie, baked evenly in a mini-springform pan
• Truffle: most simple combination of half cream, half very good dark chocolate, melted together, thickened, spread on the brownie and cooled
• Pecans: one half of the turtle flavor--chopped, toasted, and sandwiched between ganache and caramel
• Caramel: delicious and sweet caramel sauce, tasting just like that from the jar or ice cream shop (but homemade! and so simple too!)
• Chocolate Mousse: whipped cream and dark chocolate; I found it was actually easier to warm the cream, pour over the chocolate to melt, combine evenly, chill, then whip--it yield a smooth mousse since you are avoiding the chance that the chocolate will cool and harden upon being whipped with the cold cream

It was a wonderful process, searching and continually recreating what I knew would be a decadent chocolate treat. I'm so glad I did it, and I can't wait to find another pastry project to work on in the same way!