You're welcome!

You are most welcome!

You’re welcome!

Hello! Thanks for your question! I’m not sure I understand exactly what you are asking, but yes you could add both the jam and pastry cream or just the pastry cream. To up the cherry flavor (it’s not typically part of a chocolate Basque cake), you could also add some Luxardo cherries throughout.

You're so welcome! Glad it helped!

I'm so glad!

You’re welcome and so glad it was helpful!

You can use either, but Dutch process will be milder (less harsh), so that’s my recommendation. And I like the color better

It is true that natural cocoa powders are considered healthier than Dutch-process.

Glad it helped!

Glad I could help!

Hello! Thanks for your question. This type of mousse is a "crémeux," meaning that its base is a custard that then incorporates chocolate. Once the chocolate is incorporated, any possibilty of tasting the egg disappears (in the custard base, you may taste egg in the background, depending on your sensitivity to its flavor). Additionally, if you add flavorings (such as extracts) to the mousse, that will decrease the chance. I never taste the egg in these types of mousses myself. I have not tried these with an egg substitute, but if you research how to make an egg-free custard sauce, you may find good alternatives. Good luck and report back if you do!

Thank you, I hope it helped (and yes, I often have chocolate on my face).

I’m so glad!

I’m glad the video helped - practice practice practice :)

Thank you. I’m glad you found it helpful!

Thanks for your message! For the Valrhona 61% cacao Extra Bitter, it's 10.2% cocoa butter.

You're welcome! So glad it was helpful (and red velvet is one of my favorite)

Glad it was helpful!

Hello! thanks for your question and sorry for the delay. Technically you can, yes, but the texture could be compromised depending on badly curdle it is (curdle means that the fat isn't integrated correctly and therefore separates from the mixture). If you've tried everything to fix it and just can't seem to, you can: 1. use an immersion blender to see if you can improve it (don't work air into it), or 2. Allow it to set, shape it into truffles, and see what the texture is like. Sometimes just slight separation doesn't make a huge difference in the mouthfeel, but ideally you want your ganache's as smooth as possible for the best texture. Let me know how it goes!

@@dallaschocolateclasses2024 would surely give it a try. Actually nowadays more and more customers are demanding for a healthier version of truffles with no condensed milk or cream. They just want it with water and dark chocolate like the dark chocolate water ganache which is going viral recently

Yes, water ganaches were pioneered by Damian Allsop from the UK many years ago. It's definitely possible. Spring water (plain or flavored) is a good option, but of course the ratio of water to chocolate is different -- just like if you converted from cream to any other liquid.

Hello! Thanks for your question. I do like those mousses, yes, but don't often make them. I feel I can get the chocolaty and creamy texture I want out of something that's simpler. Best recipe? That's so hard to say! I translated and adapted a recipe by Philippe Conticini that's my go-to, so probably that one!

Thank you!

Awesome! So glad it helped!

You’re welcome! Yes they can break if too cold, too hot, and sometimes if too acidic!

Thank you for your insightful comments! I'm glad you found the video interesting. What is the brand of the raw cocoa powder? I'm curious how the term "raw" is used in this case.

Hello! Thanks for your question! Be sure to check the video description where you'll see the full recipe. The recipe uses Gianduja chocolate, which contains hazelnut paste.

So glad! Thank you for the comment!

Glad you liked it!

If a chocolate mousse hasn’t set to a spooning texture, or especially remains runny, after it’s been refrigerated then I would say the mousse isn’t formulated properly. Whipping it when it’s chilled may help bring some body to it but probably won’t result in a properly textured mousse. What was your recipe? Please provide the exact chocolate you used.

Hello and thanks for your comment. That’s powdered sugar. You can grind down sugar at home in a food processor but it won’t be possible to grind it as finely.

​@@dallaschocolateclasses2024thank you so much 💜

​@@dallaschocolateclasses2024can I replace confectioners sugar with icing sugar ?

Sorry for the delay. I didn't see this comment before. Yes, they are the same thing.

@@dallaschocolateclasses2024 it's okay no problem thanks for the clarification expecting more videos like this ☺🤞

Hello! Thanks for your comment. As a reminder, when melting chocolate in the microwave, use a dedicated and good-quality plastic bowl not glass bowl (glass heats up too quickly and retains heat). Focus on the temperature of the bowl when you heat the chocolate for a few seconds before removing it to stir it. Is the bowl nice and warm? If so, use the heat retained in the bowl to help melt the chocolate as much as possible outside of the microwave. When the bowl cools down, place the bowl back in the microwave to heat it a little more, continuing in this way in and out of the microwave until the chocolate is fully melted. Your goal is to melt as much of the chocolate in the bowl when it's not in the microwave (rather than trying to melt it more while in the microwave). This will help you control the temperature better, avoiding overheating the chocolate. As for your sachertorte glaze: This will depend a lot on the chocolate you choose. "Bittersweet" is too broad of a term, as "bittersweet" chocolate can be a wide range of percentage cacaos, which will perform differently due to differences in textures and total cacao content, sugar, etc. Start by taking your chosen chocolate and make a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. You might also add a small amount of glucose to help the glaze retain some elasticity. If the glaze doesn't set the way you want (first use store-bought small cakes to test it), then adjust the chocolate:cream ratio until it's the texture you want. Be sure that it sets soft enough to easily slice. I hope this helps!

Hello! Thanks for your comment. Cocoa powders have different levels of acidity, based on whether Dutch-processed or not. If/when you add something like baking soda, which needs acidity to activate, it can also neutralize flavor. There are many different cocoa powders, and the number of options keeps increasing as chocolate manufacturers develop new ones. It sometimes takes trial and error to figure out which one works best for your recipe and desired result!

Thank you! That’s a very touching story and so glad you find the videos helpful! Just keep baking and candy making and don’t be afraid of mistakes - they teach you a great deal too and make you an expert.

My pleasure 😊

There are two possibilities: use egg whites instead of cream to lighten the mixture. Ensure you have stable beaten egg whites. Also, do not pipe the mousse once the egg whites are folded in but instead gently pour it into a serving dish. Piping can constrict the mousse and deflate the air bubbles, making the mousse more dense.

Thanks for your comment and question! You could try folding more whipped cream into it, just be sure not to deflate it by overworking it!

You're welcome!! So glad it helped and yes, you should never have to throw away a ganache!

I threw my first lot away 😢​@@dallaschocolateclasses2024

You can always fix a ganache! if it's grainy (fatty), just keep adding more liquid a little at a time until it comes together (using a whisk you immersion blender). Worst case, you can add a good deal more liquid and get it into a sauce-like consistency and use it just for that. Ganaches are emulsions, but also they take on certain consistencies for what you need them for.

Hello. You can always melt more chocolate into the mixture until it thickens to the consistency you want.

You're welcome 😊

Thank you! So glad it was helpful.

Hello -- sorry for the late reply. Cocoa powders have different fat content. As a rule of thumb, Dutch-process is higher in fat, so your baked goods can be more moist with Dutch-process. Be sure to check the recipe, however, and if it recommends a particular cocoa powder (natural vs. Dutched), be sure to use that one as there is a reason the author of the recipe is calling for a specific one. For cakes that do not use chemical leaveners, you can use either one, such as a chocolate génoise. With the natural, you'll probably find the génoise is lighter and taller, and perhaps a little dryer. For the Dutch-process version, the cake may be shorter but more moist. Chocolate makers continue to innovate, and that includes with cocoa powders, so there are many more choices now than ever before and each one can have a different result, though not necessarily bad! When using cocoa powder, be sure to choose one thoughtfully and then test your recipe with more than one to see what result you like best. Good luck!

Thanks for your question. Each chocolate will perform differently, so you’ll get different results when it comes to thickness depending on which chocolate you choose, and of course sweetness level will change.

Unfortunately I do not know, but cocoa powders will have different levels of fat so the weight would vary, if you are taking about weight. The volume would vary also based on how finely the powder is ground.

Hello and thanks for your question. In the video Land O Lakes heavy whipping cream was used, which is 5 g of fat per tablespoon. Please let me know if you have any problems and I’ll try to assist thank you!

Glad it helped!

Hello. Make sure you heat the chocolate a little at a time and never let it get too hot. Keep stirring outside the microwave and only go back to the microwave to introduce a little more heat. A plastic bowl rather than glass won’t heat up as quickly so it’s best.

You’re welcome glad it helped! What chocolate were you using?