Chocolate paradise (1/3)

10 Servings

Quantity Ingredient
⅓ cup Sifted cake flour
¼ cup Cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoon Baking powder, double acting
⅛ teaspoon Salt
4 larges Egg yolks, at room temperature
⅓ cup Sugar
2 larges Egg whites, at room temperature
4 teaspoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Water
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 Navel oranges
2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier
8 ounces Semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup Milk
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
4 teaspoons Vanilla extract
¾ cup Heavy cream
WHITE CHOCOLATE ORANGE MOUSSE:
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1¼ teaspoon Unflavored gelatin
6 ounces White chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup Milk
1¾ teaspoon Orange zest, minced
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
1 cup Heavy cream
6 ounces Semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
⅔ cup Heavy cream
2 tablespoons Light corn syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Orange slices, for garnish

COCOA SPONGE CAKE

ORANGE SYRUP

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Make the cocoa sponge cake:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Line a 15½-by-10 ½-by-1-inch jellyroll pan with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the short ends. Fold the overhang underneath the pan.

Butter the aluminum foil and the sides of the pan. Lightly dust the bottom of the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

2. In a small bowl, using a wire whisk, stir together the flour, cocoa, 2 teaspoons of the sugar, baking powder and salt, until thoroughly blended.

Sift the flour mixture onto a piece of waxed paper.

3. In a 4 ½-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, using the wire whip attachment, beat the egg yolks at medium-high speed. Add ⅓ cup of the remaining sugar in a steady stream. Continue beating the egg yolks for 4 to 7 minutes, until the batter is pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon.

Lower the speed to medium and beat in the oil, water and vanilla.

4. In a grease-free 4 ½-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, using a clean wire whip attachment, beat the egg whites at low speed until frothy. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating the whites until they start to form soft peaks. One teaspoon at a time, gradually add the remaining 4 teaspoons of sugar and continue to beat the whites until they form stiff, shiny peaks.

5. Scrape one-third of the whites on top of the beaten egg yolks. Resift one-third of the flour mixture over the whites and using a balloon whisk or a large rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture and egg whites into the egg yolk mixture making sure to bring the whisk or spatula near the bottom of the bowl to free any flour that may be clinging to the side of the bowl.

One-third at a time, gently fold in the remaining whites with one-third of the resifted flour mixture. Do not overfold the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into a thin, even layer with an offset metal cake spatula.

6. Bake the sponge cake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the center springs back when gently pressed with a finger. Transfer the pan with the sponge cake to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Using the foil as handles, lift the cake from the pan and set it on a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the orange syrup:

1. Using a swivel vegetable peeler, peel off eight ¾-by-2 ½-inch strips of orange zest. Be careful to not include any of the bitter white pith beneath the orange skin. With a large, sharp knife, mince the zest to make 1 ¾ teaspoons. Set the zest aside to be used when making the white chocolate orange mousse. Squeeze the juice from the orange to make ¼ cup.

(continued in part 2)

Related recipes