1. Preheat oven to 325. Butter & flour the bottom of an 8 in round
springform pan ( or cake pan ) Line the bottom of the pan w/ waxed paper.
Butter & flour the waxed paper; shake to remove the excess.
2. Prepare the mousse cake: Combine 3/4 cup of the confectioner's sugar w/the cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a small bowl. Mix well.
3. Cream the butter w/ an electric mixer until light. Add the egg yolks
one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the cocoa
mixture 1 Tbps. at a time & beat until smooth.
4. In a CLEAN GREASE FREE bowl, beat the eggwhites until frothy. Slowly
add the remaining 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, beating until the whites
are stiff and shiny. Gently fold them into the chocolate mixture until
smooth. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
5. Set the cakepan into a larger baking pan and fill the larger pan w/
enough hot water to come 1/2 way up the sides of the cakepan. Place the
pans in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the
cake comes out clean, 25 minutes. Transfer the caketo a wire rack and
allow to cool, then refrigerate it, still in the pan, at least 4 hrs & as
long as over night.
6. Prepare the pastry cream: Combine the milk, sugar, cornstarch, egg
yolks, ansd the seeds from the vanilla beanin a med. sized saucepan. Place
over low heat and cook, stirring untill the mixture is simmering and
thick, 3-5 min. Cook another minute and remove from the heat. Stir in the
butter and salt.
7. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover directly w/ plastic wrap (
to prevent a skin from forming on the top and cool. Refrigerate for 1 hr.
8. Prepare the glaze: Heat the cream almost to a simmer in a heavy
saucepan. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove the pan form the
heat and allow the mixture to cool to rm temp, it should be thick but
still pourable.
9. Unmold the cake ( remove the springform is used, otherwise unmold onto
a plate & remove the wax paper ) Now for the tricky part! Use a thin,
sharp knife, carefully cut the cake into 1/2 horizontally. Use 2
THINBLADED spatulas to lifty off the top 1/2. Cover the bottom 1/2 the
pastry cream & replace the top 1/2.
10. Spoon the glaze over the cake and spread over the top & sides.
Refrigerate 2 hrs to set the glaze. Bring the cake to room temp before
serving.
Portions: 8
Helpful hint: if you decide to make this in an 8 in cake pan, cut an 8 in
round of thin but firm CARDBOARD & place in the bottom of the pan. it will
give you a little more control over the cake when you unmold it. Still use
the wax paper on top of the cardboard & grease & flour.
This is a hard cake to make...but the glaze covers up all the cracks :) &
its certain to impress the most picky chocoholic.