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Chocolate Mousse & Raspberry Cream Dacquoise
Author/Submitted by: Gourmet Magazine January, 1991
Servings: 18
Categories:
Cakes
/
Chocolate
/
Desserts
Ingredients: 1
cup
hazelnuts,
toasted and skinned
2
cups
sugar 1/2
teaspoon
salt 1
cup
egg whites 3
ounces
bittersweet chocolate,
melted
7
ounces
bittersweet chocolate,
chopped
2
ounces
unsweetened chocolate,
chopped
3
tablespoons
Framboise 1/3
cup
coffee,
strong brewed
1 1/4
cups
sugar 4
large
egg whites 1/4
teaspoon
cream of tartar 5
teaspoons
gelatin,
unflavored
1/4
cup
Framboise 4
cups
heavy cream,
well-chilled
1/4
cup
sugar 1 1/2
teaspoons
vanilla 2 1/2
cups
raspberries,
picked over
3
ounces
unsweetened chocolate,
melted
1
cup
raspberries
Directions:
1.
Line three buttered baking sheets with parchment or foil and trace an 11" circle on each sheet of parchment. Meringues: In a food processor grind fine the hazelnuts with 1/2 cup of the sugar, transfer the mixture to a bowl, and stir in 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar and the salt, stirring and fluffing the mixture until it is combined well. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, add the remain- ing one cup sugar gradually, beating, and beat the egg whites until they hold stiff glossy peaks. Fold in the hazelnut mixture gently but thor- oughly and transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" plain tip. Starting in the middle of each parchment circle pipe the mixture in a tight spiral to fill the circles and bake the meringues on three evenly spaced racks or in batches in a preheated 250 F. oven, switching the meringues from one rack to another every 20 minutes, for one hour or until they are firm when touched. Remove the parchment from the baking sheets, let the meringues cool on it, and peel off the parchment carefully. (The meri ngues may be made one day in advance and kept wrapped well in plastic wrap at room temperature.) Trim the meringues to a uniform size if necessary with a serrated knife and reserve the best-looking meringue for the top layer. Spread the underside of one of the remaining meringues with the melted chocolate (this will be the middle layer), reserve it, chocolate side up, and put the remaining meringue (this will be the bottom layer) on a large flat cake platter.
2.
Mousse: In a bowl set over barely simmering water melt the chocolates with the framboise and the coffee, whisking until the mixture is smooth, and let the mixture cool. In a small heavy saucepan combine the sugar with 1/2 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup, undisturbed, until it registers 248 F. on a candy thermometer and remove the pan from the heat. While the syrup is boiling, in the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. With the mixer running add the hot syrup in a stream and beat the mixture on medium speed for 20 minutes, or until it is cool. Whisk about one cup of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture to lighten it and fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg white mixture gently but thoroughly. Mound the mousse in the middle of the bottom meringue layer, top it with the chocolate-covered meringue layer, chocolate side up, and press the layer down gently until the mousse almost reaches the edge. Chill the cake for one hour, or until the mousse is set. Whipped cream: In a very small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the framboise and two tablespoons water, let it soften for five minutes, and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dis- solved. Let the gelatin cool as much as possible while still remaining liquid. In a chilled large bowl beat the cream with the sugar and the vanilla until it is thick and the beaters just begin to leave a mark, Add the gelatin mixture in a stream, beating, and beat the mixture until it just holds stiff peaks. (Be careful not to over-beat.) Reserve one-fourth of the whipped cream and spread half the remaining whipped cream on top of the chocolate-covered meringue layer. Arrange the raspberries on top and spread the remaining half of the whipped cream on top. Put the reserved meringue on the whipped cream, pressing it down gently, and spread some of the reserved whipped cream on the side of the cake. Put the remaining reserved whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe it decoratively on the top and bottom edges of the cake. Garnish: Put the melted chocolate in a small pastry bag fitted with a plain writing tip and pipe it in a spoke pattern on the top of the cake. Arrange the raspberries around the edge of the cake and in the center. Chill the cake for at least four hours and up to eight hours.
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