Death By Chocolate
Serves 12
Cocoa Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 ounces (284 g.) caster sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1 Tablespoon cornflour
Chocolate Mousse:
6 ounces (170 g.) plain chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce (14 g.) pieces
12 fluid ounces (355 ml.) double cream
3 egg whites
1 ounce (28 g.) caster sugar
Chocolate Brownie Layer:
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon plain flour
1 recipe Simply The Best Chocolate Brownie, uncooked
Chocolate Ganache:
12 fluid ounces (355 ml.) double cream
1 1/2 ounces (42 g.) unsalted butter
22 ounces (620 g.) plain chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce (14 g.) pieces
Mocha Mousse:
14 ounces (400 g.) plain chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce (14 g.) pieces
4 ounces (113 g.) unsweetened chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce (14 g.) pieces
4 fluid ounces (120 ml.) water
4 Tablespoons instant coffee
1/2 ounce (14 g.) cocoa, sifted
5 egg whites
1 ounce (28 g.) sugar
6 fluid ounces (180 ml.) double cream
Mocha Rum Sauce:
1 recipe Mocha Rum Sauce
Equipment:
Measuring spoons, sieve, 9-inch cardboard cake circle, greaseproof paper, 2 baking sheets, electric mixer with balloon whisk, rubber spatula, piping bag, double boiler, cling film, 4 stainless steel bowls (1 large), 2 whisks, 9- by 1 1/2-inch cake tin, 12-inch serrated slicer, 4-pint (2 1/2-l.) saucepan, 9- by 3-inch springform tin, ladle, serrated knife, large metal spoon, cake spatula, large star nozzle
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (110 degrees C/Gas 1/4).
Using a 9-inch cake circle as a guide, trace a circle with a pencil on a sheet of greaseproof paper cut to fit a baking sheet. Turn the paper over and, with trace mark down, place on a baking sheet.
To prepare the cocoa meringue, place 4 egg whites, the cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Whisk on high until soft peaks form, about 45 to 50 seconds. Gradually add 8 ounces (227 g.) sugar while continuing to whisk on high. Whisk until stiff, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in and thoroughly combine the remaining 2 ounces (56 g.) sugar, 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, and the cornflour. Fill a piping bag (with no nozzle) with the cocoa meringue. Fill the traced greaseproof circle with meringue: start in the centre and pipe a 3/4-inch-wide spiral towards the outside of the circle.
Place the meringue in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees C/below Gas 1/4) and bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 45 minutes before handling. Raise the oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (170 degrees C/Gas 3).
While the meringue is baking, prepare the chocolate mousse. Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 6 ounces (170 g.) plain chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with cling film. Allow the chocolate to melt slowly, about 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Keep at room temperature until needed.
Place 12 fluid ounces (355 ml.) double cream in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a well-chilled balloon whisk. Whisk on high until peaks form, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Whisk 3 egg whites in a large stainless steel bowl, until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 ounce (14 g.) sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Add a quarter of the whipped cream to the chocolate and whisk quickly, vigorously, and thoroughly, then add to the egg whites. Now add the remaining whipped cream. Fold all together gently but thoroughly. Refrigerate the chocolate mousse until needed.
To prepare the chocolate brownie layer, coat a 9- by 1 1/2-inch cake pan with 1 teaspoon of butter. Flour the pan with 1 teaspoon of flour, shaking out the excess. Pour the Simply The Best Brownie batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the brownie until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Remove the brownie from the oven and allow to cool in the pan at room temperature for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a cake circle and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the brownie from the refrigerator and cut in half horizontally. Keep the brownie at room temperature until needed.
To prepare the ganache, heat 12 fluid ounces (355 ml.) double cream and 1 1/2 ounces (42 g.) butter in a 4-pint (2 1/2-l,) saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Place 22 ounces (620 g.) of plain chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Keep at room temperature until needed.
To prepare the mocha mousse, heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of the double boiler over medium-high heat. Place 14 ounces (400 g.) of plain chocolate, 4 ounces (113 g.) unsweetened chocolate, the water, instant coffee, and 1/2 ounce (14 g.) cocoa powder in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with cling film. Heat for 6 to 7 minutes, remove the cling film, and stir the mixture until smooth. Keep at room temperature until needed.
Place 5 egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Whisk on high until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Continue to whisk while gradually adding 1 ounce (28 g.) sugar. Whisk until stiff, about 30 seconds.
Whip 6 fluid ounces (180 ml.) double cream in a well-chilled stainless steel bowl until stiff. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in the whipped cream. Now fold in the remaining egg whites. Keep the mocha mousse at room temperature.
To assemble Death By Chocolate, place a closed 9- by 3-inch springform tin on a baking sheet. Set the top half of the chocolate brownie inside the tin, top side up. Ladle 12 fluid ounces (355 ml.) of ganache into the tin over the chocolate brownie. Trim the cocoa meringue with a serrated knife so that it will fit tightly into the tin. Place the trimmed cocoa meringue, top side up, inside the tin on top of the ganache, pressing down gently on the cocoa meringue to eliminate air pockets.
Spoon the mocha mousse on top of the cocoa meringue, spreading evenly. Place the remaining chocolate brownie half, bottom side up, on top of the mocha mousse. Chill the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove the cake from the freezer and cut around the edges to release from the springform tin. Pour the remaining ganache over the cake and use a cake spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the top of sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the ganache.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle with the chocolate mousse. Pipe a circle of stars (each touching the other) along the outside edge of the top of the cake. Continue to pipe out circles of stars until the top of the cake is covered. Refrigerate the Death By Chocolate for at least 4 hours, and preferably 12 hours, before cutting and serving.
Prepare the Mocha Rum Sauce (the sauce can be prepared just prior to service or several hours in advance). To serve, cut the Death By Chocolate into the desired number of servings. Heat the blade of a serrated slicer under hot running water before slicing into the cake. Repeat this procedure after cutting each slice. Before placing the cake slice on the 10-inch diameter plates, flood the base of each plate with 3 to 4 Tablespoons Mocha Rum Sauce, then place a piece of Death By Chocolate in the centre of each plate. Serve immediately.
Note:
It is best to start work on this cake very early in the day if it is to be served that evening. Death By Chocolate may be held for 2 to 3 days under refrigeration, but it is at its best served within 24 hours of completion. The preparation of all the chocolate components for this cake might seem overwhelming, but if the production is spread out over a period of 3 days it is manageable. DAY 1: Prepare the chocolate brownie, and keep refrigerated until the cake assembly. DAY 2: Bake the cocoa meringue, and store in a dry place at room temperature (between 68 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit [20 to 25 degrees C]). Prepare the Mocha Rum Sauce, refrigerate until 2 hours before service, then bring to room temperature. DAY 3: Prepare the chocolate mousse (this mousse must be refrigerated for a minimum of 2 hours before assembling the cake), mocha mousse, and ganache. Assemble the cake.
Be certain that the meringue completely fills the traced circle. If the meringue is not large enough, the sides of the cake will be uneven. Do not be concerned if the meringue slightly overlaps the circle; any excess can be trimmed off after the meringue has been baked.
Baked meringues are very brittle: handle with care. Use a very sharp serrated knife to trim the meringue; otherwise, the meringue will break apart.
If the ganache solidifies, place the bowl with the ganache in a tin hot water and stir until the texture is correct for pouring.
Use several toothpicks inserted in the sides of the chocolate brownie as guides to accurately halve the brownie horizontally.
Each slice of Death By Chocolate contains 1,354 calories (5,687 kj).