Triple Chocolate Towers is a show-stopping dessert that is fun to make and will be one of the most beautiful desserts you will ever eat and serve. At first glance, it may look difficult, but it can be made over two days and frozen for up to a week before serving. If your intent is to 'Wow' your Valentine or guests at your next dinner party, this is the dessert to make!

Ingredients:

For Espresso Sauce:

• 1-1/2 cups half & half
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup whole espresso coffee beans

For Mousse:

• 5-1/2 oz gf semisweet chocolate, chopped (we used Sharffen Bergers)
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup cream
• 10 egg whites from large eggs (reserve yolks for espresso sauce) at room temperature
• 4 Tablespoons fine sugar

For Lattice:

• 6 oz gf semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 8 oz gf white chocolate, chopped

For Garnish:

• Fresh raspberries
• Mint leaves

Step 1. Making Espresso Sauce

In a medium saucepan, heat the half & half and vanilla over medium heat. Just before the mixture comes to a simmer, remove from heat and cover. Place the egg yolks in a medium saucepan and whisk until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually, beat in sugar and then blend in about 1/4th of the hot half & half by drops, then blend in the rest of the half & half. Add the espresso beans and set the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be careful not to let the mixture simmer or the egg yolks may lump. Strain through a sieve and let cool.

Step 2. Forming Parchment Towers

Measure out and cut 8 pieces of parchment paper 5" tall and 6" wide. The goal is to end up with 1-1/2" in diameter cylinders that are 5" tall.
You can either use a piece of pvc pipe or a dowel that is 1-1/2" in diameter and wrap the parchment around and tape it at the top and bottom, or measure out 4-3/4 inches on the width of each piece and draw a line.
Wrap the parchment in a cylinder to the drawn line and tape at the top and the bottom. It is a little more difficult to make the cylinders free form, but it'll get easier as you go. Make sure the ends of the parchment line up as you wrap them around so that they will stand upright on their own.

Step 3. Making the Mousse

Pour an inch of water into a saucepan that fits a double boiler and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Place chopped chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler and melt, stirring with a plastic spatula until the mixture is blended and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool. Chill a bowl and beaters. When cold, beat the cream until stiff. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form then gradually beat in the sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
Whisk about 1/4th of the egg whites into the cooled melted chocolate then fold in the rest of the egg whites. Carefully fold in the whipped cream, deflating the mixture as little as possible.

Step 4. Filling the Towers

Place the parchment cylinders on a platter. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a tip with the mousse and pipe the mousse into the cylinders leaving a 1/2 inch space at the top. Place a tall glass over each tower so that they will not fall over as you transport them to the freezer. Transport to the freezer for at least one hour to as long as one week.

Step 5. Making Chocolate Lattice Squares

Measure and cut out eight 5"x5" squares of parchment paper. Place the squares on baking sheets or jellyroll pans. Melt the chocolate as before. When melted, pour the chocolate through a funnel into a squeeze bottle. Squeeze out free form continuous lines diagonally across each square of parchment, about 1/4" apart. Make another series of continuous lines across the opposite diagonal to create a lattice effect. Transfer the baking sheets to the refrigerator to chill for 5 minutes.

Step 6. Forming the Lattice around the Mousse

Melt the white chocolate in the same way as the dark chocolate.
When melted, turn off the heat but leave the pan of white chocolate over the pan of hot water. Remove the lattice squares from the refrigerator and place 2 generous Tablespoons of liquid white chocolate in the center of a lattice square. With a metal spatula, quickly spread the white chocolate in a thin layer over the lattice covering all but a 1" strip at one end.
Don't worry if the chocolate looks like it's smearing, it won't melt all the way through. Working one at a time, remove a mousse tower from the freezer and unwrap the parchment. Place the mousse cylinder at one end of the lattice, lining up the bottom of the mousse cylinder with the end opposite to the open 1" of lattice. Carefully roll the lattice around the mousse and place back in the freezer. Finish each tower in the same way.

Step 7. Finishing and Decorating Towers

Remove the towers from the freezer 30 minutes before you wish to serve to soften the mousse. Spoon a little Espresso Sauce into the center of each dessert plate. Unwrap the parchment from each tower and place one tower in the center of the sauce. Fill the tops of each tower with fresh raspberries and garnish with a mint leaf.

*This amazing dessert can be made several days before you wish to serve. For the easiest preparation, make the mousse on one day and the lattice the next day.

- Glutenfreeda