La Mort au Chocolat

By KDHarmon

Ingredients

• Meringue Layer:
• 1/3 C egg whites
• 3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
• Chocolate Genoise:
• 10 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1-1/2 C plus 2 Tbl flour
• 2 Tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbl butter, melted
• Mousse:
• 1 lb bittersweet chocolate, preferably Belgian
• 6 egg yolks
• 8 egg whites
• 1/2 C sugar
• Ganache:
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, preferably Belgian
• 2/3 C whippng cream

Preparation

Step 1

Meringue:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Combine egg whites and sugar in top of double boiler. Heat to lukewarm. Remove from heat. Pour into mixing bowl and beat about 15 minutes at medium speed, until stiff. Quickly fold in cocoa powder to prevent meringue from falling.

Grease 10-inch springform pan. Line with parchment paper and grease again. Pipe meringue, using round tube, forming spiral on bottom of pan, starting in center and working outward until bottom is covered.

Bake 2 hours. Cool in pan.

Genoise:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 10 x 3-inch round pans, line with parchment and grease again.

Combine beaten eggs and sugar in top of double boiler. Heat to lukewarm. Remove from heat and pour into mixing bowl. Beat on high speed about 10 minutes or until batter forms ribbons.

Sift flour and cocoa powder into batter and fold to combine. Fold in butter. Pour batter into prepared ban and bake 35-40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly and remove from pan.

Mousse:
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. Remove pan from heat and cool.

Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Lightly fold a fourth of the eggs into the chocolate. Fold in remaining egg whites, lightly but thoroughly. Chill.

Ganache:
Heat chocolate and cream together in top of double boiler over simmering water until chocolate melts. Blend well.

Assembly:
Meringe and Genoise may be prepared in advance. Prepare mousse and ganache just before assembling.

Spoon half of the ganache over meringue layer in pan and smooth evenly over surface.

Cut Genoise into 2 quarter-inch thick slices, reserving remaining for another use. Place 1 slice over ganache and merningue layer. Cover with half of the mousse, then top with second layer of Genoise. Spoon remaining mousse over cake and chill until set, at least 4-6 hours.

Just before serving, remove sides of pan, then spoon remaining ganache on cake. Line sides of cake with chopped, toasted almonds.