Pure chocolate mousse cake

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Egg whites
  • 5 Eggs, medium

• Condiments

  • 1 tsp Honey or corn syrup

• Baking & Spices

  • 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 4 tbsp Brown sugar, light
  • 17 2/3 oz Chocolate
  • 3 tbsp Cocoa
  • 2 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla

• Dairy

  • 3 1/2 cups Cream

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 1 tbsp Brandy
  • 1 tbsp Brandy or kahlua

• Liquids

  • 3/4 cups Water

• Other

  • ¾ cups minus 1 tablespoon (125 grams sugar

Found on thehungrybites.com

Description

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 5 medium eggs (room temperature, not cold)
• ¾ cups minus 1 tablespoon (125 grams) sugar
• ¾ cup (100 grams) all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (25 grams) cocoa
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• For the syrup
• ½ cup sugar
• ¾ cups water
• 1 tablespoon brandy or kahlua (optional, but please use it)
• For the mousse
• 12.35 oz (350 grams) chocolate, 55% cocoa
• 3 cups (720 grams) cream, 35% fat
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
• For the chocolate meringues (optional)
• 2 egg whites
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons (12 grams) dutch processed cocoa
• For the ganache (optional)
• 5.3 oz (150 grams) chocolate, 55% cocoa
• ½ cup (120 grams) cream, 35% fat
• 1 teaspoon honey or corn syrup

Directions

• Preheat oven at 350°F (175°C). Line with baking paper and grease an 8 inch (20 cm diameter) cake pan.
• Beat eggs with sugar and salt until they resemble like thick shaving foam.
• Sift together flour, cocoa and baking powder and with gentle motions fold it into the egg mixture (Guys, fold and not stir. Stirring will cause the mixture to deflate).
• Transfer into the pan and bake the cake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
• Let it cool. If you refrigerate it for 1-2 hours or even overnight, it will be easier to cut it into layers.
• While cake is baking, make the meringues. In a clean bowl beat egg whites and sugar until stiff picks form.
• Fold in the cocoa powder and with a pastry bag form ladyfinger shaped meringues (or with a spoon shape round ones)
• Bake at 285°F (140°C) for 1 and ½ hours or until dry (time will depend on the size of your meringues).
• Let in a rack to cool and store them in an airtight container.
• Make the syrup. Heat water and sugar and then boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let it cool. Add the brandy and set aside.
• Make the mousse. In the microwaves or in a double boiler melt the chocolate, sugar and 1 cup of cream. When totally melted add the vanilla and brandy. Let it cool for a while (while chocolate is cooling, level the surface of the sponge cake with a knife and cut it into 3 discs).
• Beat the rest of the cream (2 cups) until soft peaks form (don’t beat it to stiff peaks because the final mousse won’t be very well homogenized). With a spatula add the melted chocolate in two stages and fold gently.
• Line the pan/mold with two baking paper discs and the acetate strips (see notes below)
• Scoop one third of the mousse in the lined pan and level with a spatula (mousse may be a little runny but it will thicken in the fridge). Place one cake layer on top and brush with ¼ cup of the syrup. Repeat with mousse, cake, syrup, mousse, cake, syrup.
• Place in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours, and then invert onto a cake stand/plate. Remove the pan and the acetate/baking paper.
• Make the ganache. In the microwaves or in a double boiler melt the chocolate, cream and honey.
• Let it cool and drizzle on top of the cake. The cold cake will help it thicken fast.
• Decorate with crashed meringues (or cookies/wafers).
• Eat.