by Fiona Quinn
Melt over barely simmering water, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat while a couple of chunks are still visible.
Burned chocolate is nasty and ruins the mousse.
Allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour 1/4 cup heavy cream into a Pyrex bowl and sprinkle in the gelatin.
Allow gelatin to "bloom" for 10 minutes.
Carefully heat by stirring in the top of the bain marie.
Do not boil or gelatin will become a gloopy mess.
Fold into the cooled chocolate and set aside.
In the chilled mixing bowl, beat cream to medium peaks.
Fold some of your whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.
Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two batches.
Do not overwork the mousse.
Stick your bowl in the fridge.
RASPBERRY DRIZZLE
This too can be an excellent dessert addition. Once made, you can spoon it over brownies, ice cream, what-have-you.
Mix one small jar of raspberry jam and a mini bottle of Chambord.
Tah dah! Wasn't that easy?
CHOCOLATE RUM CAKE
Ingredients
1 cup room temperature butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup dark rum
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder These five dry ingredients get sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well.
Add eggs, beating until blended after each addition.
Add rum; beat until blended.
Combine flour and next 4 ingredients sift into sugar mixture
Add hot water and vanilla
Beat at low speed until blended.
Prepare pans by spraying with non-stick spray then dust with
cocoa powder.
Pour evenly into 2 - 9" pans then give a shake to smooth tops and
release air bubbles.
Bake at 350° for 27 minutes (cake will be slightly under done).
Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes.
Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
Whew! Almost there. Did you give up? Slice the cake, drizzle with raspberry sauce, and add an ice cream scoop of mousse, garnish with chocolate shavings.
But if you're still hanging in there...
Chocolate Rum Frosting
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tbs rum (you knew I'd have to do it)
DIRECTIONS
Sift together confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt.
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy.
Add sugar mixture
Mix in melted and cooled chocolate and sour cream
Beat until smooth. Leave out on the counter so it is room temperature.
Okay, ready for the great construction -
You need to make sure your cake is cool, and you work quickly to keep the mousse firm.
1. You have 2 cake layers. Slice each one in half to form what will be
four layers. You can use a serrated
knife or dental floss if you don't have a cake cutter.
2. Place the one of the layers smooth side down spongy side up on
your cake plate.
3. Use strips of waxed paper of aluminum foil around the edge so
your plate is clean when you're done icing.
4. Stab your sponge side with a fork and spread 1/3 of the raspberry mixture onto the cake. Stabbing your cake means the Chambord will seep down into the cake and infuse it with moisture and flavor.
5. Add 1/3 of your mousse spreading it to the edges.
6. Repeat until you place your top layer sponge side down smooth
side up.
CHILL - to firm up your mousse
FROST -
Please note: This is not a smooth pretty frosting. It is more a thick layer of chocolate deliciousness that wants to look a little wild and free. The kind of cake that you can slice right into and don't need to remark of its beauty. Nope, this is just a decadent gluttonous cake that needs to lay on your plate and be spooned into your mouth.
It's like crack. One taste, and you'll be addicted. This is your warning. Make this cake at your own risk.
And if you do.
Well, you are entirely welcome.
My great appreciation ~
To my editor - Kathleen Payne
To my cover artist - Melody Simmons
To my Beta Force - who are always honest and kind at the same time. Especially E. Hordon, M. Carlon, V. Makosky.
To my Street Force - who support me and my writing with such enthusiasm. If you’re interested in joining this group, please send me an email. [email protected]
Thank you to the real-world military and FBI who serve to protect us.
To all of the wonderful professionals whom I called on to get the details right. Please note: this is a work of fiction, and while I always try my best to get all of the details correct, there are times when it serves the story to go slightly to the left or right of perfection. Please understand that any mistakes or discrepancies are my authorial decision making alone and sit squarely on my shoulders.
Thank you to my family.
I send my love to my husband, and my great appreciation. T, you are one of my life’s greatest miracles.
And of course - thank YOU for reading my stories. I’m smiling joyfully as I type this. I so appreciate you!
About the Author
Fiona Quinn is a four-time USA Today bestselling author, a Kindle Scout winner, and has been listed as an Amazon Top 100 author in: Romantic Suspense; Mystery, thriller, and suspense; Mysteries, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.
Quinn writes suspense in her Iniquus World of books including: Lynx, Strike Force, Uncommon Enemies, Kate Hamilton Mysteries, and FBI Joint Task Force Series.
She writes urban fantasy as Fiona Angelica Quinn for her Elemental Witches Series
And, just for fun, she writes the Badge Bunny Booze Mystery Collection with her dear friend, Tina Glasneck.
Quinn is rooted in the Old Dominion where she lives with her husband and children. There, she pops chocolates, devours books, and taps continuously on her laptop with Little Bear sleeping near her feet.
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest: Fiona Quinn Books.
Copyright
Open Secret is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
©2019 Fiona Quinn
All Rights Reserved
Cover Design by Melody Simmons from eBookindlecovers
Fonts used with permission from Microsoft
Publisher’s Note:
Neither the publisher nor the author has any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites and their content.
No part of this book may be scanned, reproduced, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the express written permission from the publisher or author. Doing any of these actions via the Internet or in any other way without express written permission from the author is illegal and punishable by law. It is considered piracy. Please purchase only authorized editions. In accordance with the US Copyright Act of 1976, the scanni
ng, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected].
Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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