• I recommend reading the full recipe, including the tips and tricks, before getting starting.

Soft chocolate sponge cake (Valrhona)

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
• Grease a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and the butter separately. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add the almond flour and mix well.
• Whisk the eggs, sugar, and honey, without aiming to lighten the mixture too much.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Incorporate the heavy cream and the warm melted butter. Finally, add the warm melted chocolate and mix until smooth.
• Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.
• Once cooled, cut out a 9-inch (23 cm) disk. You can bake the batter directly in a ring mold, but using a baking sheet gives you more control over the thickness of the sponge. You can see both methods in the video.

For the praline crunch layer:

• This step is also shown in the chocolate sponge video above.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, then stir in the praline paste.
• Mix well, then add the feuilletine (crushed crêpes Gavotte). Stir again and spread it evenly in a thin layer with the back of a spoon over the chocolate sponge cake.

Preparation of the Mousses

• Start by covering the inner edge of the cake ring with acetate collar and placing the biscuit with the praline crunch inside.
• Then proceed with making the mousses.

Upright assembly steps👇

• Place the biscuit with the praline crunch at the bottom of the cake ring, then pour the dark chocolate mousse over it.
• Once it has set (about 20 minutes in the freezer), pour the milk chocolate mousse on top. Let it set for at least 20 minutes in the freezer, but feel free to leave it longer if needed.
• Finish by pouring the white chocolate mousse. Place in the freezer overnight.
• The next day, pour a mirror glaze on top or simply dust with cocoa powder. Let it set, then remove the cake ring.

Dark chocolate mousse:

• Soak 1 sheet of gelatin in very cold water for 5-10 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler.
• Bring the milk to a boil.
• Squeeze out the gelatin and add it to the hot milk off the heat. Mix well.
• Incorporate the milk into the chocolate in several additions through a strainer.
• Gradually mix to create a smooth emulsion. The chocolate should be smooth and shiny. Set aside in the double boiler off the heat to ensure its temperature doesn’t drop too far below 44°C (111°F).
• Whip the cold heavy cream into soft peaks.
• Strain the chocolate through a sieve to remove any particles, no matter how fine. This step is optional, but recommended. The chocolate should be liquid and warm to the touch. If it's too cold, the mousse will become thick and difficult to spread in the mold.
• Add a small amount of whipped cream and mix gently. The mixture should be smooth. Add the remaining whipped cream in 2 or 3 batches, using the J-fold technique after each addition (This involves gently lifting and folding the mixture to maintain its airiness). Do not whisk.
• Once you have a homogeneous mousse, pour it over the sponge with the crispy layer. Tap the work surface to remove air bubbles.
• Place it in the freezer while preparing the second mousse (minimum 20 minutes). The dark chocolate mousse sets faster than the other two.

Milk chocolate mousse :

• The process is identical to the dark chocolate mousse, except for the temperature of the chocolate. Its temperature should be 42°C (107°F) or a little less. It should be neither hot nor cold. Follow the same steps as for the dark chocolate mousse above.
• Pour it over the set dark chocolate mousse in the cake ring and place it in the freezer until it sets, while preparing the final white chocolate mousse.

White chocolate mousse:

• The process is identical to the dark and milk chocolate mousse. The temperature of the chocolate should be 42°C (107°F) or a little less. It should be neither hot nor cold.
• Follow the same steps as for the dark chocolate mousse above. Pour into the cake ring over the set milk chocolate mousse and freeze for at least 8 hours. Preferably prepare it the day before.

Chocolate and cocoa mirror glaze:

• Prepare the day before
• To glaze just the top of the dessert, you can divide the mirror glaze recipe by 2 or 3, depending on the size of your dessert. If you make all the mirror glaze, you can freeze the rest for up to 1 month.
• The next day, remove it from the freezer and glaze the top immediately. Once the glaze has set, unmold and carefully remove the acetate collar.
• Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours before enjoying.

If you want to do an upside-down assembly:

• Wrap the bottom of the cake ring with cling film to seal it, pulling up the outer edges. Line the inner sides with an acetate collar and place the ring flat on a tray.
• Pour in the white chocolate mousse and allow it to set.
• Next, pour in the milk chocolate mousse and allow it to set.
• Finish by pouring in the dark chocolate mousse, let it set slightly, then place the chocolate sponge cake with the crunch praline against the mousse.
• If you don’t want the chocolate sponge cake to be visible when unmolded, make it 2 cm smaller than the cake ring. For instance, if your cake ring is 9 inches (23 cm), make the sponge cake 8 inches (21 cm).