Chocolate Cloud Cake
By
Jill Waroff
@jwaroff
1
Ingredients
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FOR CAKE
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12 ozbittersweet chocolate, finely grated
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6 Tbspwater
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12eggs, separated
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1 1/3 csugar
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1/2 tspsalt
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2 Tbspchocolate, unsweetened dutch processed
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FOR FILLING
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2 cheavy whipping cream
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6 Tbspconfectioners' sugar
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4 Tbspgrand marnier, or cognac, or espresso
How to Make Chocolate Cloud Cake
- Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease four 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with a piece of parchment paper. - Melt chocolate with water in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring.
Cool to lukewarm. - Beat yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer. Fold in melted chocolate until blended. Beat whites with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks.
- Gradually add remaining 2/3 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into melted-chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
- Spread batter evenly into four baking pans and bake until puffed and top is dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating cakes between racks to ensure they bake evenly. Transfer pans to cooling racks and if necessary, loosen edges with a knife.
- Sift cocoa powder over top of cake layers and place a piece of waxed paper over the top of the pans. Place a baking sheet over paper and invert cake onto it, gently peeling off wax paper lining. Place layers in the freezer for about an hour, until they are firm enough to be carefully lifted without breaking.
- Make filling: Beat cream with powdered sugar and Grand Marnier with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks.
- Keep cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. Two hours should be more than enough to assure that the layers are no longer frozen.
- Crushed cookies around the sides and whole cookies on top were used for garnish.