FOR THE GÉNOISE
Butter: 4 tbsp
Sugar: 2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp
Eggs: 4 (separated)
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Salt: 1 pinch
Sifted cake flour: 1.25 cups
FOR THE MOUSSE
Eggs: 4 (separated)
Superfine sugar: 3/4 cup
Grand Marnier: 1/4 cup
Semisweet chocolate: 6 oz
Espresso coffee: 4 tbsp
Unsalted butter: 1.5 sticks (tempered)
Salt: 1 pinch
Sugar: 1 tbsp
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Semisweet chocolate: 6 oz
Heavy cream: 3/4 cup
Water: 1-2 tbsp
From Entertaining Copyright © 1982 by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, LP. Photography by Michael Skott unless otherwise noted. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group.)
A 6-cup bowl is lined with strips of génoise and filled with a rich chocolate mousse, chilled, turned out, and glazed with chocolate for this dessert that resembles a chocolate ball. Make the cake and mousse a day in advance and glaze it the day you serve it.
- To make the génoise, butter a 9-inch cake pan, line with waxed paper, and butter and flour the paper. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter and let it cool. Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Beat the ⅔ cup sugar into the egg yolks for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thick and pale yellow. Add the vanilla.
- Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until whites are glossy. Fold 1⁄3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Blend in 1⁄3 of the flour, then 1⁄3 more of the egg whites, then 1⁄3 more of the flour. Complete the process, then gently fold in the melted butter. Do not overmix. Keep the batter light and fluffy.
- Spoon into pan and bake until cake has puffed and pulled slightly from the edges of the pan (25 to 30 minutes). Cool on a rack.
- To make the mousse, beat the egg yolks and superfine sugar until thick and pale yellow. Add the Grand Marnier and put mixture in top of double boiler over simmering water, beating constantly until mixture is almost too hot for your finger (4 to 5 minutes). Immediately cool over a bowl of ice, stirring until it is the consistency of thin mayonnaise.
- Melt the chocolate with the coffee in a 300° oven. Add the butter bit by bit and stir until smooth and creamy. Beat chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture.
- Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff. Sprinkle on the sugar and beat until glossy. Fold 1⁄3 of the whites into the chocolate to lighten the mixture. Gently fold in the rest.
- To form the marquise, butter a 6-cup stainless steel mixing bowl.
- Cut the génoise cake into 3 thin layers and cut 2 layers into wedges that will completely line the bowl.
- Press the cake to the sides of the bowl. Spoon the mousse into the lined bowl. Fill to the very top.
- Cover the top with the uncut layer of cake.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, preferably overnight.
- Turn out onto a serving plate for glazing.
- To make the glaze, melt the chocolate in a heavy saucepan with the cream.
- Cool to lukewarm.
- If too oily or too thick (depending on the chocolate) thin with boiling water.
- Spread the entire surface of the marquise with the glaze, using a brush or spatula.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
