Concorde (chocolate Meringue Cake W/ Choc. Moussse)

-CHOCOLATE MOUSSE-
100 g (3.5 oz) plain chocolate,
-cut into small pieces
60 g (2 oz) butter
60 g (2 oz) sugar
2 Egg yolks
4 Egg whites

Concorde (Chocolate Meringue Cake Filled with Chocolate Mousse)

[SERVES 6]

A Parisian pastry chef is said to have invented this cake in the early
1970s. His idea? Use chocolate mousse instead of a pastry cream or
buttercream as a filling and use chocolate meringue instead of a
Genoese or sponge cake to create a layered dessert. The crisp
meringue and the velvety mousse proved to be perfect companions, and
today his creation is a classic that can be found in pastry shops
throughout the country.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE:

X Icing sugar for dusting X Butter, softened, for baking sheet

EQUIPMENT: 2 piping bags, large plain icing tube, medium plain icing
tube

Preheat the oven to 110 C (225 F) mark 1/4.

Lightly Brush 2 baking sheets with the softened butter and cover with
baking parchment. Cut an oval pattern, about 20 cm (8 inches) long
and 12.5 cm (5 inchcs) wide, from a thin piece of cardboard. Use the
pattern to crace 2 ovals on 1 baking sheet and 1 oval on the second.
Leave one-half of the second baking sheet free for piping strips of
meringue.

PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE MERINGUE:

Sift together the icing sugar and the cocoa powder. Beat the eg
whites with a whisk or electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in the caster sugar and then continue beating until
stiff peaks form and the meringue is glossy and smooth. Fold in the
icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla with a metal spoon. Fit a piping bag
with the large plain tube and fill with the meringue. Pipe the
meringue to fill each traced oval, srarting in the centres and
working outwards in a spiral. Fit another piping bag with the Medium
plain tube and fill with the remaining meringue. Pipe long thin
scrips on the second baking sheet, leaving about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in
between each. Bake for at least 2 hours, until the meringue is crisp
and thoroughly dry. Cool and carefully peel off the paper, then trim
the ovals to equal sizes.

PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

Bring 5-7.5 cm (2-3 inches) of water to simmering point in a saucepan.
Combine the chocolate, butter and 45 ml (3 tbsp) of the sugar in a
heatproof bowl and set it over the simmering water Leave to stand,
without stirring, until the chocolate has completely melted. Remove
from the heat and stir in the egg yolks with a spoon. Heat the egg
whites with a whisk or electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
Gradually beat in the remaining sugar and continue beating until
stiff peaks form and the meringue is glossy and smooth. Whisk about
one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold
this into the remaining egg whites with a metal spoon.

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

Spread a thin layer of moussse over 1 meringue oval with a palette
knife. Place a second oval on top and spread it with a thin layer of
mousse. Top with the third meringue and spread the top and sides of
the cake with the remaining mousse. Carefully cut the meringue strips
into 2.5 cm (1 inch) lengths with a serrated knife and use them to
decorate the top and sides of the cake. Sift icing sugar over the
top. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.