Chef Robert Duehmig,
The Chocolate Shop
This intensely dark cake tastes surprisingly light. Its silky chocolate mousse melts on your tongue.
Ingredients
Chocolate Torte
1 cup butter, unsalted, cut into small pieces
255 g chocolate, semisweet or bittersweet, cut into small pieces
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup white sugar, divided
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Ganache
227 g chocolate, semisweet or bittersweet, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 Tbsp brandy (optional)
Chocolate Mousse
500 g chocolate
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp water
Method
Chocolate Torte
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly coat 9 x 3″ springform pan with melted butter or cooking spray. Line with parchment paper. Coat paper.
- Melt butter and chocolate in double boiler.
- Place egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in electric mixer bowl. Beat with paddle on medium high until thick and lemon coloured (approx. 5 min).
- Add vanilla and melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined.
- In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in a small amount of egg white mixture to the yolk mixture to lighten the batter. Add the remaining egg whites, folding just until incorporated.
- Pour mixture into pan. Bake 50 min to 1 hour (until toothpick inserted in centre comes out with a few moist crumbs).
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. The top of the cake will have become hard with a cracked surface.
Ganache
- Place chocolate in a stainless steel bowl.
- In a saucepan at medium heat, bring cream and butter to a boil.
- Pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 min to melt chocolate.
- Stir with a whisk until smooth.
- Add the liqueur, if desired.
Chocolate Mousse
- Melt chocolate in double boiler.
- Whip cream to soft peaks.
- In a mixing bowl, slowly mix yolk.
- In a sauce pan, mix sugar and water. Bring to a boil.
- Add sugar mixture to egg yolks. Mix at medium speed, then let cool.
- Add melted chocolate to egg yolk mixture. Fold in whipped cream.
Assembly
- For ease of handling invert cake onto cake circle. Refrigerate 1 hour.
- Cut cake into three layers. Spread mousse approximately 1/2″ thick between each layer.
- Using spatula, cover sides and top with about 2 Tbsp ganache (called a crumb coat, this seals in cake crumbs for a smooth finish).
- Refrigerate 5 min to set crumb coat.
- Pour remaining ganache onto centre of cake. Spread with spatula, using big strokes to create an even coating. Refrigerate.
Yields 12 servings