TORTA
DIVINA
Chocolate
Mousse Cake with Liqueur
Makes
one very rich 8-inch cake, about 8-10 servings
This
unusual cake may be made in advance. Just make sure to bring it to room
temperature before serving it with whipped cream and a few raspberries.
BATTER
1/2 cup
granulated sugar
1/2 cup
water
8
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
12 ounces
semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup
sweet liqueur, such as Cointreau or Chambord (or strong coffee)
6 eggs
FINISHING
1 cup
heavy whipping cream
2
tablespoons sugar
One
1/2-pint basket fresh raspberries, optional
One 8-inch
round pan, buttered and the bottom lined with buttered parchment or buttered wax
paper, cut to fit
1. Set a
rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
2. Combine
the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring
occasionally to make sure all the sugar crystals dissolve.
3. Remove
the syrup from the heat and stir in the butter and chocolate; allow to stand 5
minutes. Whisk smooth.
4. Whisk
liqueur, then the eggs, one at a time, into the chocolate mixture. Be careful
not to overmix.
5. Pour the
batter into the pan and place in a small roasting pan. Pour 1 inch of warm water
into the roasting pan. Bake about 45 minutes, until dessert is set and slightly
dry on the surface. Remove cake pan from roasting pan. Cool to room temperature,
then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dessert in pan several hours or until
chilled. To unmold, run a knife between the dessert and the pan and pass the
bottom of the pan over heat for no more than 10 seconds. Invert onto a platter.
6. To
finish, whip the cream with the sugar until it holds a soft peak. Spread the
whipped cream over the top of the dessert. Decorate the top with the
raspberries.
