by Maria Teresa Jorge
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Maria Teresa Jorge's Notes:
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3
egg whites at room temperature
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7.3 ounces
very fine sugar but not icing sugar
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1/4 teaspoon
natural vanilla extract
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9.7 ounces
unsweetened chocolate 70%
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6.6 ounces
butter at room temperature
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3
yolks
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5
egg whites
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1 tablespoon
+ 1 teaspoon very fine sugar
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1.4 ounces
milk warm (1/8 cup plus2 teaspoons)
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2/3 cups
heavy cream
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1
vanilla pod
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5 ounces
bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
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1 teaspoon
light corn syrup
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For the Meringue:
Ask the hotline about this step!On a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites. When they reach soft peaks add 4 ounces of the sugar and the vanilla extract and continue whisking. When they reach medium hard peaks add the remainder of the sugar and beat until they are very hard, glossy and smooth.
Ask the hotline about this step!Pre-heat the oven to 210º F.
Ask the hotline about this step!Line 3 baking trays with parchment paper. On the reverse side of the paper draw 3 circles of 9 inches diameter on each paper. Butter and flour the parchment papers (don’t skip this process because it will make it very easy to remove the parchment paper from the meringue without breaking them).
Ask the hotline about this step!Divide the meringue in 3 equal parts and spread on the 3 circles with the back of a spoon and a metal spatula, or use a piping bag with a thick plain nozzle. With the aid of a spatula, smoothen the surface, so they have equal height and the surface is as flat as possible.
Ask the hotline about this step!Cook the meringues for 1 1/2 hours each. If you have a convection oven with more then one rack you can fit all of them in at the same time. They will come out quite white and very dry. Allow to cool and remove the parchment paper which will come out very easily while still warm.
Ask the hotline about this step!For the chocolate filling mousse:
Ask the hotline about this step!Cut the chocolate in small pieces and melt it in a bain-marie. Allow to cool to 100ºF.
Ask the hotline about this step!Warm up the milk to 100º F.
Ask the hotline about this step!In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the butter until very fluffy. Add the cooled melted chocolate slowly in a stream, scraping down the sides and bottom to make sure the mixture is well blended.
Ask the hotline about this step!In a bowl, beat the egg yolks until they get fluffy and lighter in colour. Add the warm milk and whisk until well incorporated.
Ask the hotline about this step!Add the egg yolk and milk mixture to the chocolate butter mixture and whisk until well combined.
Ask the hotline about this step!Whisk the egg whites to medium soft peaks.
Ask the hotline about this step!Fold 1/3 of the egg whites with a spatula in the chocolate mixture. Then pour the chocolate mixture over the remaining egg whites and fold gently with a spatula until well mixed. Cover the bowl and chill for 2 hours.
Ask the hotline about this step!Staking the meringue and chocolate mousse:
Ask the hotline about this step!Put a meringue disk on a serving plate. With a spatula gently spread 1/3 of the chocolate mousse evenly over the top. Add the second meringue disk and gently spread 1/3 of the chocolate mousse. Add the third meringue disk and cover with the remainder 1/3 of chocolate mousse but this time use a very fine coating on top and the rest around the sides to cover completely (see photos 2 and 3) Chill for 2 days.
Ask the hotline about this step!Pour the glaze that should be at 100ºF on the cake, spreading with a long metal spatula so the glaze coats the top and sides evenly. Allow the glaze to set for about 1 hour. This is best done with the cake on a cooling rack over a baking tray so the excess glazing can drip in the tray and the serving dish doesn’t become full of glaze.
Ask the hotline about this step!Soft Chocolate Glaze:
Ask the hotline about this step!Put the cream in a pan over medium heat. Open the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 15 minutes.
Ask the hotline about this step!Bring the cream back to a boil again, discard the vanilla pod and stir in the chopped chocolate and corn syrup with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth and shiny.
Ask the hotline about this step!Allow to cool to 100ºF and use to glaze the cake as per step 18.
Ask the hotline about this step!This looks and sounds completely decadent! I'll have to study the recipe awhile before I undertake such a task!
Brava!
Anelle, thank you for posting the comment. I did the same, I looked at the recipe for 2 days before getting the courage to make it. But in the end it's easy, after you do it the first time. I firts made the chocolate mousse and chilled it. Then I made the meringue and when cooked and cooled assembled them and chilled. The next morning I made the Glaze and when it reached 100ºF I poured it on the cake and chilled it. Can't tell you what it tastes 2 days later because we ate it at lunch and dinner that day.
I'm in...that looks unbelievable! And doesn't seem you can get much better than meringue and chocolate. Congrats on such a great achievement!
Thanks for your comment, it did come out really good, it was a good first try!
Bravo to your ambition!
Thank you!
I enjoyed looking at your photos and seeing the transformation of the simple meringue discs turning into a chocolate masterpiece.
Thank you for your comment. I like to post photos of the process because it helps visualize what it's all about. I'm happy that you enjoyed the photos.
Congrats on undertaking this beauty! It reminds me a bit of my wedding cake, a Gateau Marjolaine (hazelnut meringue with layers of chocolate and vanilla ganache glazed in chocolate) invented by the legendary Fernand Point.
I know the one, the hazelnut meringue is absolutely fantastic in this version, I have tried it and it's delicious. Thank you for your comment.
Thank you. Will learn as much as possible! Happy New Year
Impressive! Good for you.
Thank you for your comment. Happy New Year.
WOW!
WOW because you like it or because the recipe goes on for ages?! Just jocking. Happy New Year
Both! It looks incredible, and I'd love to try it, but I feel like I'd need a REALLY SPECIAL occasion for something like that! I'm very impressed! Happy New Year to you too - all the best!
MTJ - this looks amazing and is quite a triumph! My resolution is similar - to take on recipes that I normally wouldn't try or that scare me a little. I made an all meringue cake last year - incredibly good served with a raspberry coulis - but I love the idea of layering meringue with chocolate mousse. Have a great 2010!
Rhonda, thank you for your comment. As the mousse has very little sugar, the cake is very subtle and you don't need anything astringent to cut the sweetness that is so common with meringue and chocolate desserts. I was really amazed by the end result. Regarding trying on new recipes, let's get moving. The worst scenario is finishing in the bin but one still learns the how and why that we should avoid or not - if we don't try we never know and we don't grow. So let's all grow into new heights! Have a great 2010 yourself too.
Dorie is a food writer and award-winning author of ten cookbooks, her most recent being Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours.
This is my style of dessert!!! I love how the glaze is dripping down the side of the cake. It adds to that whole decadent over the top feeling. Yum!!!!