Review of last recipe (photo above) - Really good ... I can see this as a make ahead and baking right before serving.  A couple of points:  I didn't soak the mussels, and could that be why opening them raw was really almost impossible and so time consuming.  After using an oyster knife on two of them, I decided to steam the rest for 1 minute so that most the the shells would be popped open and the mussels were only slightly cooked.  There was no difference in eating the two that had started in the oven as raw vs. slightly cooked.  I didn't have anisette and not crazy about the flavor, so I omitted it.  A little Cholula as my hot sauce made these divine.  And, as far as the portion, I bought my usual 5 lbs of Maine mussels (the mussels were larger this week), and I would think that amount would be more appropriate for four servings as a sit-down appetizer than a mere 1 1/2 lbs.  This would work really well as one of many appetizers at a cocktail party since they can be made ahead.  Also, I only used 2/3 of the filling; and that was for the 5 lbs. of  mussels, so I'm not sure why so much needed to be made in the recipe.  Cut down appropriately.

TODAY'S RECIPE - BOMBE ABBEY WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
Another gem from Family Circle ... or what I hope will be a gem ... it certainly sounds delicious!

Serves 10

1 frozen pound cake (10 3/4 oz), thawed
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed, drained with the syrup reserved
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
5 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate, melted
1 tbsp dark rum
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
Raspberry Buttercream (recipe follows)

Cut pound cake horizontally into 6 even slices.  Cut ten 3 1/4" circles from 5 of the layers.  Wrap and reserve.  Cut ten 2" circles from the remaining layer and scraps.

Reserve 10 raspberries for garnish.  Place remaining drained raspberries into bowl and puree with electric mixer.

Beat butter in medium sized mixing bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in chocolate and rum until well mixed.  Mix in confectioners' sugar, and beat in egg until well blended and glossy.  Whip cream in medium sized bowl until stiff peaks form.  Stir about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten.  Fold in remaining whipped cream until very well blended. 

Set 10 foil cupcake liners in medium sized muffin pan cups.  Spray with no-stick vegetable cooking spray.

Spoon a little of the chocolate mousse mixture into each cupcake liner.  Spoon 1 tsp of the raspberry puree on top, cover with the 2: cake round.  Spoon remaining chocolate mixture into liners to fill and smooth tops.  Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours, or until firm.

Place the 3 1/4" cake round on wire racks.  Peel off foil liners from each chocolate mousse.  Invert onto cake rounds.  Pour Chocolate Ganache over each dessert to completely cover mousse and cake.  Pipe Raspberry Buttercream around the bottom of each mousse and pipe a rosette on top of each and garnish with a whole raspberry.

Chocolate Ganache:  Stir together 10 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate melted with 1/3 cup heavy cream until well blended.  Gradually mix in about 3 tbsp vegetable oil to make a good pouring consistency.

Raspberry Buttercream:  Beat together 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened unsalted butter with 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar and 1 tbsp raspberry syrup (drained from the frozen raspberries) in a small bowl and, with an electric mixer, mix until well blended.