Step 1

Chop the chocolate on a cutting board with a sharp knife into ½-inch sized pieces. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl.

Step 2

Half fill a 2 or 3-quart sauceapn with water and bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once bubbles start to appear in the water and steam starts to rise from the surface of the water, reduce the heat to low and place the bowl of chocolate over the water.

Step 3

Let the chocolate sit undisturbed for about 8-10 minutes. After minutes, stir the chocolate until it is completely smooth. Once the chocolate is completely melted remove the bowl from the saucepan of simmering water.

Step 4

Combine the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Watch the cream because once it comes to a boil, cream can quickly boil over. Once the cream has come to a boil, pour it over the melted chocolate. Slowly Mix the chocolate and cream with a whisk, starting from the center and making wider circles to emulsify the chocolate and the cream.

Step 5

Once the mixture is completely emulsified place plastic wrap over the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight, if you are making the mousse for the next day.

Step 6

Once the mixture is completely emulsified, let the chocolate mixture sit at room temperature for about an hour until the temperature registers about 90 degrees. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 90 minutes to 2 hours until it is well chilled. The temperature should be about 65 degrees F.

Step 7

If refrigeration the mousse overnight, set the chilled mousse on the counter 1 hour before it is whipped. Check the temperature before you start to whip it.

Step 8

With a handheld electric mixer, whip the mousse on low speed for about 30 seconds then increase the speed to medium and whip the mousse until the beaters leave tracks in the mousse and there are soft peaks.

Step 9

If the mousse gets overbeaten and grainy, it can be restored by remelting it in the microwave for about 10 seconds, chilling it, and rebeating it.

Step 10

If you can’t find skinned hazelnuts in the store here is my favorite method to skin the nuts. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a 3 or 4-quart saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons baking soda, then add the hazelnuts. Boil the hazelnuts for 3-4 minutes. After 3 minutes use a slotted spoon to lift 3 nuts from the water. Rub your figure across one of the hazelnuts. If the skin easily comes off, the nuts are ready. If not boil for 1 more minute. The water will turn dark reddish brown.

Step 11

Use a spider skimmer or a slotted spoon to remove a couple of hazelnuts from the water and squeezed one of the hazelnuts to remove the skin. If it comes off easily they are done. Pour the pot of water and nuts through a colander to drain them. If you have a spray nozzle on your faucet spray the nuts to cool them down and remove some of the skins. When the nuts are cool enough to handle, remove the rest of the skins by rubbing the nuts between paper towels.

Step 12

Pour the nuts on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat

Step 13

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the hazelnuts in the oven and bake them for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown. Check the nuts after 15 minutes for color. Check every 5 minutes after that. When the nuts are done remove them from the oven and turn off the oven.

Step 14

If you skinned and roasted more than 1 cup of nuts, remove all but 1 cup of nuts to a pie plate and let them finish cooling

Step 15

Place the sugar and water in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, let it continue without stirring to boil until it is a golden brown color. Turn off the heat, add the warm nuts, and stir for 15 seconds.

Step 16

Dump the nuts onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat. Use two forks to separate the nuts. Allow the nuts to cool. Store them in an airtight container until ready to use.

Step 17

Make the cookie crumble the same day you assemble the trifles. Take 13 Oreo cookies and twist them a part. Scrape the creme filling off the cookie halves and discard the it. Place the cookie halves in a sealable storage bag and hit them repeatedly with a rolling pin until the cookies are reduced to crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a small bowl.

Step 18

Melt the butter either in a small saucepan or in a small bowl in the microwave and pour it over the cookie crumbs. Mix the butter and cookie crumbs together with a fork, lightly tossing the crumbs until all the crumbs are coated with butter. The cookie crumbs should look like wet sand.

Step 19

Make the whipped mascarpone the same day you assemble the trifles. Place the cold mascarpone in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the sugar and the vanilla extract. With a handheld mixer, whip on medium-low speed just until the mascarpone and sugar are combined, about 20 seconds.

Step 20

Pour in the heavy cream. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Soft peaks are when the beaters stark to leave visible ripples in the mascarpone cream mixture and when you slowly lift the mixer there will be visible peaks that fall over.

Step 21

Cover the bowl of whipped mascarpone with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the trifles.

Step 22

The trifle can be assembled in 5 ounces glass or plastic containers that are about 4-inches tall or you can assemble them in a 4-ounce ramekin. They will also look great in a wine or cocktail glass if that is what you have available.

Step 23

Spoon two tablespoons of the cookie crumbs into the bottom of the container. If using a slender container use the handle of a butter knife or a muddler to tamp down the crumbs. Next spoon or pipe about 3 tablespoons of the chocolate mousse on top of the cookie crumbs. Next, add another layer of cookie crumbs, don’t tamp down, and more chocolate mousse.

Step 24

Add a generous layer of whipped mascarpone. Top the cream with chopped hazelnuts of peanuts. Use a micro planer to grate dark chocolate on top or use a strainer to dust with unsweetened cocoa powder.