Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, divided, room temperature (plus more for pan)
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 1/4 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 3 eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour*
Chocolate Mousse
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 6 eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoon chunks
- Pinch kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Raspberry Sauce
- 10-ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons framboise
- 2 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Chocolate Curls
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon shortening
For Serving
- 1 pint fresh raspberries
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit bottom. Butter parchment paper. Dust pan with flour, tapping out excess.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter and chopped chocolate a bowl over a pan of just simmering water. Heat until melted. Set aside.
- Cream remaining butter until light and fluffy. Stir vanilla and espresso powder together. Mix into butter, then beat in sugar. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add melted chocolate, mixing until combined. On low, beat in flour.
- In another bowl, whip egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Fold half of whipped whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold in remainder.
- Smooth into prepared pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before removing the sides. Cool completely before assembling cake.
- For chocolate mousse, place chopped chocolate in a bowl over a pan of just simmering water. Melt then set aside.
- Whisk egg yolks and water in a small saucepan. Heat over low, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. Add Grand Marnier and continue whisking over medium-low heat until the mixture is the consistency of mayonnaise. This may take 10-15 minutes or so. Do not boil.
- Remove from heat and fold in melted chocolate. Scrape into bowl of an electric mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes at room temperature. After 5 minutes, beat in butter, one chunk at a time, until each is incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar while whipping and continue until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/4 of whipped whites into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remainder. Cover and refrigerate until spreadable.
- For raspberry sauce, place thawed and drained raspberries in a blender with lemon juice, framboise, and sugar. Blend until raspberries are smooth. Pour through a mesh strainer to remove seeds and refrigerate.
- To make chocolate curls, place chopped chocolate and shortening in microwave and heat in 30-second intervals at 50% power. Stir after each interval. Once melted, use an offset spatula to spread in a thin layer on the underside of a cookie sheet. Layer should be thin, but not transparent. Freeze for a 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and scrape into curls with a small metal spatula. If chocolate breaks and crumbles, let it warm to room temperate for a minute or so. If chocolate feels thick and curls do not form, place in freezer for another minute. Remove curls to a chilled cookie sheet or container and freeze until ready to use.
- To assemble, invert cooled cake onto a cake platter. Peel off bottom of pan and parchment. Stir mousse to loosen if very stiff, or beat on low speed for several seconds. Place 1 cup of mousse in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Spread the remaining mousse over top and sides of cake. Pipe border around top of cake. Refrigerate to set and until ready to serve.
- Just before serving, mound fresh raspberries in the center. Surround with chocolate curls. Drizzle raspberry sauce onto each serving plate. Top with a slice of cake.
- Cake may be made and assembled day before. Add raspberries just before serving.
Imperial Sugar Insight
Recipe developed for Imperial Sugar by Bridget Edwards @Bake at 350.