Royal Caribbean's Chocolate Mousse Cake

CAKE :

• 8 oz. semi sweet chocolate 2 tbsp. orange flavor liqueur 
• 3/4 stick (6 tbsp.) unsalted (Grande Marnier) 
• butter 1 tbsp. grated orange rind 
• 8 lg. eggs, separated 3/4 tsp. salt 
• 1 c. sugar, divided 2/3 c. all purpose flour

Butter a 9 inch springform cake pan, line the bottom with waxed paper and butter the paper. Dust the pan with flour and knock out the excess. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In the top of a double boiler, heat the chocolate over simmering water, stirring until just melted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir until the mixture is smooth.

Beat the egg yolks and 3/4 cup of the sugar with an electric mixer until mixture falls like a ribbon. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture, the liqueur and the orange rind. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a clean, nonmetallic bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of the salt until foamy, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, beating until egg whites are stiff.
Stir together the flour and the remaining salt. Stir about a fourth of the egg whites into the batter. Fold in about a fourth of the flour mixture. Continue folding in ingredients alternately until all are incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top, and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tests done. Let the cake cool in the pan upright for 5 minutes, then invert on rack, remove sides and waxed paper and let cool completely.

FILLING:

8 oz. dark couverture chocolate 3/4 c. heavy cream (Lindt) 5 eggs, separated
2 tbsp. heavy cream 6 tbsp. sugar, divided
2 tbsp. dark Jamaican rum 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin (Myers) dissolved in 1/2 cup hot
2 tbsp. butter, softened water
2 tbsp. espresso coffee

Chop the chocolate in small pieces and reserve. Bring the 2 tablespoons heavy cream to a boil, add the rum, then pour over the chocolate and mix until smooth. Stir in the butter, then the espresso. Set Cakes and Cookies aside.
Whip the 3/4 cup heavy cream to the soft peak stage. Reserve in refrigerator. Beat the egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of the sugar in an electric mixer until mixture falls like a ribbon. Add this gently to the
chocolate mixture, then fold in the whipped cream.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff. Stir in the gelatin that has been dissolved in the hot water. Gently fold the meringue into the chocolate mixture. Chill until cake is cool.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

• 2 tbsp. espresso 4 oz. semi sweet chocolate 
• 2 tbsp. dark Jamaican rum Confectioners' sugar 
• 2 tbsp. sugar

Place the espresso, rum and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute, or until mixture forms a medium syrup. Remove from heat and reserve. Slice the cooled chocolate sponge cake into 3 layers.

Put 1 teaspoon of the mousse in the center of an 8 inch cardboard round or a serving plate. Set one of the cake layers, bottom side up, on top. Brush this cake layer with the reserved syrup to moisten. Cover with a third of the chocolate mousse, smoothing it even. Place a second layer on top, brush with the syrup, then with another third of the mousse. Place third layer on top and repeat, smoothing some of the mousse on the sides.
Place the cake in the refrigerator overnight. You may want to "build" it in a springform pan or a bowl just large enough to hold it. When thoroughly chilled, unmold the cake and decorate the top with chocolate shavings, then sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve cold. Makes 10 servings.