Chocolate Chestnut Mousse Cake

This stunning dessert is a simple to make icebox cake. Chocolate shavings are easily made with a vegetable peeler.

vegetable oil, for pan
1 (7.4 oz) jar peeled roasted chestnuts
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 pinch coarse sea salt
3 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61% cacao), melted and slightly cooled + more for shavings
1½ cups heavy cream, cold
24 chocolate wafer cookies

Lightly coat an 8" round cake pan with oil, and line with plastic, leaving a 4" overhang.

Finely grind chestnuts in a food processor. Heat ground chestnuts, milk, 3 Tbsp. raw sugar, and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form at edge.

Whisk together yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 2 Tbsp. raw sugar in a medium heatproof bowl.

Slowly add hot chestnut mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pan; cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer. Add vanilla and butter. Beat on medium speed until cool, about 5 minutes. Stir half the chestnut mixture into melted chocolate.

Beat 1¼ cups cream until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold half the whipped cream into plain chestnut mixture and the other half into chocolate-chestnut mixture.

Pour chestnut mousse into prepared pan. Cover with 12 chocolate wafers, working in a circular pattern. Top with chocolate-chestnut mousse and remaining 12 chocolate wafers. Fold plastic overhang over top to cover cake. Refrigerate overnight.

Uncover cake; place a platter on top, flip, and unmold. Remove plastic. Beat remaining ¼ cup cream until soft peaks form. Spread on top of cake. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Makes 8 servings.