Apple mousse cake - Eve's apple, or pomme d'Eve in French, is a sophisticated layered dessert with different textures and flavors. Sauteed caramelized apples are combined with green apple and caramel mousse and chocolate sponge. It is an amazing dessert for apple lovers!
I am an an-apple-a-day person and a new experiments lover. When I saw a picture of this apple mousse cake called Pomme d'Eve, meaning Eve's apple in English, I knew that I would have to make it!
It is a Japanese cake created by a famous Japanese chef Hidemi Sugino. I adapted his recipe to make the cake less complicated and affordable to bake at home.
This beautiful apple mousse cake tastes heavenly delicious. It is not over-sweetened.
It has a fresh note of green apples due to the apple mousse and a spicy cinnamon note of the caramel mousse.
The cut of the apple slices deeply sunk into the apple mousse, which is impressive.
Two types of mousses are separated with a layer of chocolate biscuit. Well, this cake has its own anatomy.
Pomme d'Eve is a time-consuming dessert; however, the recipe's steps are not difficult.
If you like to caramelize, you will get another chance to master your technique.
In the end, you will be rewarded with the gorgeous cut and wonderful taste after you dedicate your time and skills to the cake.
Why you should try this recipe
- It is a unique Japanese cake recipe to give a try.
- This apple mousse cake is a beautiful balance of textures and flavors.
- It is not oversweetened.
- Once served, wows, oohs, and ahhs of your guests are guaranteed!
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
Eggs: use an egg separator to separate chilled egg whites from the egg yolks. Then bring both egg whites and yolks to room temperature.
Sugar: the recipe calls for granulated white or caster sugar.
Flour: use all-purpose flour.
Cocoa powder: use unsweetened cocoa powder to make a chocolate sponge.
Grapeseed oil: it is a flavorless oil used in baking/cooking. Replace it with sunflower oil if desired.
Milk: use whole milk or low-fat milk to make the batter.
Apples: this cake is made with green apples like Granny Smith apples.
Butter: the recipe calls for unsalted butter.
Ground cinnamon: it brings a beautiful spicy note and makes a great pairing with apples.
Liquor Grand Marnier, rum: they both add a beautiful alcoholic flavor to the cake.
Gelatin: use gelatin powder such a Knox unflavored gelatin. No need to dissolve it in water before use. Add it as a powder as directed in the recipe.
Whipping cream: it has to be cold to whip it properly.
Lemon juice: use untreated lemon and a citrus juicer to make fresh lemon juice.
How to make an apple mousse cake
To make the chocolate biscuit, preheat the oven to 355 F/180 C. Using an electric or a stand mixer, beat egg yolks with sugar for 10 minutes in a bowl. Add grapeseed oil and beat again (photo 1).
Once the mixture becomes homogeneous, delicately add the sifted flour and cocoa powder. Gradually add milk (photo 2).
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites (photo 3) and add them to the main preparation with a rubber spatula (photo 4).
Spread the dough to the thickness of 1 cm on a silicone baking mat or a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 10 minutes.
Take the biscuit out of the oven, let it cool. Cut two 7-inch/18-cm disks (photo 5).
To caramelize apples, cut unpeeled apples into slices up to about ½-inch/1 - 1.5 cm thick (photo 6).
Heat a non-stick frying pan with sugar over medium heat until making caramel. Do not use any utensils, just shake the pan over your stove.
Add butter and ground cinnamon, and mix. Add apple slices and cook, regularly turning them with a wooden spatula for 6 to 8 minutes until the apples become soft (photo 7).
Add Grand Marnier, mix and take from the heat. Drain apples through a colander and let them cool down (photo 8).
To make the green apple mousse, peel, core apples, and cut them into small cubes. Place them in the bowl of a food processor.
Add lemon juice, sugar, and rum and process to make apple puree (photo 9).
Transfer puree in a saucepan and heat it to 140 F/60 C (do not boil!). Add gelatin and mix until gelatin is dissolved (photo 10).
Place apple puree in a shallow dish and let it cool to room temperature.
In a separate clean bowl, whip the cold whipping cream until soft picks (photo 11) and add to the cooled apple puree. Mix well with the spatula (photo 12).
To assemble the cake, cover the bottom of the mousse cake ring adjusted to 7 inches/18 cm in diameter with plastic film.
Line the sides of the ring with an acetate cake collar. Arrange caramelized apples in a circular pattern on the bottom, placing them directly on the plastic (photo 13).
Cover apples with the green apple mousse (photo 14).
Place the first chocolate disk (photo 15) and refrigerate until the next step.
To make caramel, in a saucepan, mix sugar and water and heat over medium heat to get golden caramel. Take it off the heat and carefully add hot cream (photo 16).
Bring caramel over low heat and stir until homogeneous. Take it out of the heat, add ground cinnamon, and mix (photo 17).
To make the caramel mousse, in another saucepan, whisk eggs with sugar using a hand whisk.
Slowly pour the caramel into the eggs/sugar mixture, stirring constantly.
Bring the mixture over low to medium heat and cook until the cooking thermometer shows 181 F/83 C. Stir constantly while cooking (photo 18).
Transfer the preparation to a shallow plate, cover with plastic and let it cool to 140 F/60 C.
Once it reaches 140 F/60 C, add gelatin and mix. Let it cool down to 77 F/25 C and whisk with an electric mixer to aerate.
Take a clean bowl and whip whipping cream until the soft picks. Add whipped cream to the cooled caramel mixture and mix with the spatula (photo 19).
To finish assembling the cake, take it out of the refrigerator and pour the caramel mousse on top of the chocolate biscuit. Spread it with a small offset spatula (photo 20).
Place the second chocolate disk (photo 21), cover with plastic, and refrigerate the cake for 12 hours.
To make the neutral glaze, in a small saucepan, mix sugar, water and bring it over medium heat to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Take it off the heat, let it cool to 140 F/60 C. Add gelatin and mix until it is dissolved.
If there are lumps, pass them through a fine-mesh sieve. Add lemon juice, mix and let it cook to 77 F/25 C.
Take the cake out of the fridge, turn the cake. Carefully remove the ring and place the cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
Pour the glaze over the cake (photo 22). Using a cake lifter, transfer it to a cake board and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Expert tips
- Use unpeeled apples to caramelize or peel apples with a vegetable peeler if preferred.
- Cut apple slices thicker (if desired) and arrange them at the bottom of the cake ring in a pattern you like.
- Use gelatin powder to make this mousse cake (no need to dissolve in water). You can also replace 10 g of powdered gelatin with 4 gelatin sheets soaked in cold water for 10 minutes and drained before use.
- Make sure to use a cooking thermometer to check the required temperature while making the cake.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can assemble the cake and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, make a neutral glaze, pour it over the cake, and let it chill for at least one hour.
Yes, you can freeze this cake. Assemble the cake, cover it with plastic and freeze it (being in the ring) for up to one month. On the day of serving, remove the plastic, and turn the cake over. Warm up the cake ring with your hands or a blow torch and carefully lift the cake ring. Place the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours to thaw. One hour before serving, apply a neutral glaze and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Love apple desserts? Try these next!
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Apple Mousse Cake Pomme d'Eve
Apple mousse cake - Eve's apple, or pomme d'Eve in French, is a sophisticated layered dessert with different textures and flavors. Sauteed caramelized apples are combined with the green apple and caramel mousse and chocolate sponge. It is an amazing dessert for apple lovers!
- Total Time: 3 hours (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
For the chocolate biscuit:
- 4 large eggs (4 egg yolks + 4 egg whites)
- ¼ cup + ½ tablespoon (65 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) cocoa powder
- 2 ⅓ tablespoons (30 g) grapeseed oil
- 7 teaspoons (35 g) milk
For caramelized apples:
- 2 green apples (medium size)
- 3 ½ tablespoons (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 oz. (30 g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon liquor Grand Marnier
For the green apple mousse:
- 2 green apples (medium size)
- 1 tablespoon rum
- 1 ½ envelops (10 g) gelatin powder
- ⅔ cup + 3 tablespoons (200 g) whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) granulated sugar
For the caramel:
- ⅓ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (100 g) granulated sugar
- 7 teaspoons (35 ml) water
- ⅓ cup + 1 ½ tablespoon (100 g) whipping cream
For caramel mousse:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon (10 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ envelops (10 g) gelatin powder
- ⅓ cup + 1 ½ tablespoon (100 g) whipping cream
For the neutral glaze:
- ⅓ cup + 1 ½ tablespoon (100 g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup + 5 tablespoons (230 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon gelatin powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
** If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
- To make the chocolate biscuit, preheat the oven to 355 F/180 C. Using an electric or a stand mixer, beat egg yolks with sugar for 10 minutes in a bowl. Add grapeseed oil and beat again. Once the mixture becomes homogeneous, delicately add the sifted flour and cocoa powder. Gradually add milk. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and add them to the main preparation with a rubber spatula.
- Spread the dough to the thickness of 1 cm on a silicone baking mat or a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 10 minutes. Take the biscuit out of the oven, let it cool. Cut two 7-inch/18-cm disks.
- To caramelize apples, cut unpeeled apples into slices up to about ½-inch/1 - 1.5 cm thick. Heat a non-stick frying pan with sugar over medium heat until making caramel. Do not use any utensils, just shake the pan over your stove. Add butter and ground cinnamon, and mix. Add apple slices and cook, regularly turning them with a wooden spatula for 6 to 8 minutes until the apples become soft. Add Grand Marnier, mix and take from the heat. Drain apples through a colander and let them cool down.
- To make the green apple mousse, peel, core apples, and cut them into small cubes. Place them in the bowl of a food processor. Add lemon juice, sugar, and rum and process to make apple puree. Transfer puree in a saucepan and heat it to 140 F/60 C (do not boil!). Add gelatin and mix until gelatin is dissolved. Place apple puree in a shallow dish and let it cool to room temperature.
- In a separate clean bowl, whip the cold whipping cream until soft picks and add to the cooled apple puree. Mix well with the spatula.
- To assemble the cake, cover the bottom of the mousse cake ring adjusted to 7 inches/18 cm in diameter with plastic film. Line the sides of the ring with an acetate cake collar. Arrange caramelized apples in a circular pattern on the bottom, placing them directly on the plastic. Cover apples with the green apple mousse. Place the first chocolate disk and refrigerate until the next step.
- To make caramel, in a saucepan, mix sugar and water and heat over medium heat to get golden caramel. Take it off the heat and carefully add hot cream. Bring caramel over low heat and stir until homogeneous. Take it out of the heat, add ground cinnamon and mix.
- To make the caramel mousse, in another saucepan, whisk eggs with sugar using a hand whisk. Slowly pour the caramel into the eggs/sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture over low to medium heat and cook until the cooking thermometer shows 181 F/83 C. Stir constantly while cooking. Transfer the preparation to a shallow plate, cover with plastic and let it cool to 140 F/60 C. Once it reaches 140F/60 C, add gelatin and mix. Let it cool down to 77F/25 C and whisk with an electric mixer to aerate.
- Take a clean bowl and whip whipping cream until the soft picks. Add whipped cream to the cooled caramel mixture and mix with the spatula.
- To finish assembling the cake, take it out of the refrigerator and pour the caramel mousse on top of the chocolate biscuit. Spread it with a small offset spatula. Place the second chocolate disk, cover with plastic, and refrigerate the cake for 12 hours.
- To make the neutral glaze, in a small saucepan, mix sugar, water and bring it over medium heat to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Take it off the heat, let it cool to 60 C. Add gelatin and mix until it is dissolved. If there are lumps, pass them through a fine-mesh sieve. Add lemon juice, mix and let it cook to 25 C.
- Take the cake out of the fridge, turn the cake. Carefully remove the ring and place the cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the cake. Using a cake lifter, transfer it to a cake board and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Notes
- Use unpeeled apples to caramelize or peel apples with a vegetable peeler if preferred.
- Cut apple slices thicker (if desired) and arrange them at the bottom of the cake ring in a pattern you like.
- Use gelatin powder to make this mousse cake (no need to dissolve in water). You can also replace 10 g of powdered gelatin with 4 gelatin sheets soaked in cold water for 10 minutes and drained before use.
- Make sure to use a cooking thermometer to check the required temperature while making the cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 533
- Sugar: 56.3 g
- Sodium: 84 mg
- Fat: 26.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 mg
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 234 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was adapted from https://katelig.livejournal.com/. It was originally published on September 16, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.
Marie says
WOW! What a recipe! Yes, it's time-consuming, but the result is beyond incredible. Each slice is gorgeously looking, and each bite is delicious. The cake
4waystoyummy says
I am interested in just making the apple mousse. How does it fair as a dessert on its own. I am a cake baker and the whole cake sounds wonderful, I am likely to make it some day...when a bit less busy. It certainly sounds special.
Irina says
Hello Heide, I love to taste layers of cakes when baking, but I doubt how this apple mousse would serve as a separate dessert. It compliments the taste and flavor of the whole cake. If you try to make it as a dessert, please, let me know.