Categories: Cakes, Company Dessert

Ingredients

• MERINGUE:
• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
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• SPONGE: See NOTES!
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup tablespoons sugar
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• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/3 cup tablespoons Cocoa Powder
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• 2 tablespoons strong coffee (see notes)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
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• SYRUP:
• 1 cup water
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum 0R 1/4 teaspoon Rum Flavoring
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• MOUSSE:
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 6ounce semi sweet chocolate (more if you want a darker chocolate mousse)
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly whipped
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• GANACHE: (The ganache is optional. I could not remember if the original cake had this or not. See the "How to Build" section of directions for when/where to use ganache if you choose to make it.)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
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• KAHLUA CREAM SAUCE:
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup Kahlua
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. MERINGUE: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. By hand or with electric mixer beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1 cup sugar gradually and continue beating until egg whites are very stiff.

3. Sift 1/3 cup sugar and cocoa together; fold gently into the meringue mixture by hand.

4. Spread meringue onto the cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 325 degrees until puffy. This took about 20 minutes. (Notes…It will need more!)

6. Turn off oven and leave meringue, with the door closed, OVER NIGHT until oven is cold and meringue is very dry. (When I checked my meringue the next day to break into pieces it was still gummy in the centers so I proke up into “rocks”, removed from the oven; re-set oven to 325, inserted pan with rocks into oven and then closed door and turned off oven. Left door closed until oven cooled completely.

7. Meringue can be made in advance and stored in a dry place.

8. SPONGE: NOTES: I would double this recipe and put into 3 8 inch cake pans. Cut parchment rounds to fit into 3 each, 8 inch cake pans. Grease bottoms only of cake pan/parchment. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

9. (NOTES: To make the coffee I used 1 cup leftover from the morning. Placed into a 4 cup pyrex/heat proof measuring cup and heated on high until it evaporates down to 1/2 cup then measure off 2 tablespoons)

10. Put eggs and sugar into a heavy duty mixer with the whisk. Whisk on high for 7-10 minutes until it runs off the whisk in a ribbon.

11. In a separate bowl sift all purpose flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and gently fold into the egg mixture. This will take a while. IF YOU DON’T FOLD GENTLY BUT THOROUGHLY THE CAKE WILL FALL!

12. Melt butter, combine with coffee. Fold into the the egg/flour mixture. IF YOU DON’T FOLD GENTLY BUT THOUROUGHLY THE CAKE WILL FALL!

13. Pour into 3 prepared pans. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

14. Remove from oven and immediately cut cake away from sides…cool 10 more minutes…turn out…cool completely.

15. SYRUP: Combine syrup ingredients in small sauce pan. Bring to boil. Simmer just until sugar is melted. Set aside to cool to room temp.

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20. MOUSSE: Chill a bowl and whisk in the freezer for a few hours.

21. Heat and whisk eggs and 2 tablespoons sugar in double boiler until they reach 140 degrees. Place into stand mixer with whisk.

22. Whisk the eggs and sugar until very fluffy and thick…about 10 minutes on high speed in a stand mixer.

23. Melt the chocolate and mix in butter over a double boiler until smooth. (can use microwave careful not to burn)

24. In the chilled bowl, whip the cream and 2 tablespoons sugar until it holds its shape.

25. Fold half of the cream into the chocolate until incorporated. Fold the chocolate and cream mixture into the remaining whipped cream, incorporating thoroughly.

26. GANACHE: Heat the cream until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

27. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Allow to sit for about 10 to 15 seconds. Then, whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Mixture should be a little thick, but still pourable.

28. KAHULA CREAM SAUCE: In a cup or small bowl combine water and cornstarch stirring until dissolved. Set cornstarch mixture aside.

29. In heavy saucepan stir together heavy cream, sugar and Kahlua. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 minute.

30. Add cornstarch mixture and simmer over low heat for 4 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened.

31. Remove from heat and whisk for 1 minute.

32. HOW TO BUILD YOUR CAKE: Working with the 4 layers of cake…place first layer onto a 10 inch cake round. Brush with the Rum Syrup. On this first layer (if you choose to use the ganache) pipe a circle of mousse around the top outside of the cake sort of forming a dam, then fill the inside of the circle/dam with the ganache. Add the second layer of cake, brush with the rum syrup and ice top only with the mousse. Add the third layer, brush with rum syrup and once again pipe a circle of mousse around the top outside of the cake, then fill the inside of the circle with the ganache. Add the fourth and final layer, brush top with rum syrup and ice complete cake with a thick layer of chocolate mousse.

33. Now take your Chocolate Meringue chunks and arrange all over sides and top of cake to resemble a pile of rocks!

34. Slice, with a sawing motion using a serrated knife, to serve…with a small dipper of the Kahlua Cream Sauce drizzled over individual slices.

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