Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake

Ingredients

1 cup (about 5 ounces) chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 pint baskets strawberries, stemmed and halved
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

In bowl, mix crumbs and butter to blend thoroughly. Press evenly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

Stand strawberry halves, touching, side-by-side, pointed ends up with cuts sides against side of pan and then set aside. Place chocolate chips in blender container.

In small saucepan over medium heat, mix water and corn syrup; bring to boil and simmer 1 minute. Immediately pour this mixture over chocolate chips and blend until smooth and cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups of the cream to form stiff peaks. With spatula, fold cooled chocolate into whipped cream to blend thoroughly. Pour this mixture into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

Up to 2 hours before serving, in medium mixer bowl, beat remaining one cup cream to form soft peaks. Add sugar and beat to form stiff peaks. Remove cake from pan and place on serving plate.

Finally pipe or dollop whipped cream onto top of cake. Arrange remaining halved strawberries on whipped cream. To serve, cut into wedges with thin knife, wiping blade between cuts.

Source: Recipes and photographs provided courtesy of the California Strawberry Commission. © 2007 California Strawberry Commission. All rights reserved.