PYRAMID CAKE
For pyramid mold cut four equal six inch triangles out of cardboard. Cover cardboard cut outs with foil. Then tape sides of triangles together to form the triangle mold you will need to assemble cake. Using a vessel to rest upside-down mold in will make layering much easier.
You will have to cut layers of chocolate sponge as you assemble the cake. Before you place layers of the sponge cake in mold saturate with syrup.
To assemble cake: Place one layer of white mousse in bottom of mold, and continue with a layer of sponge cake and then a layer of dark mousse. Continue with alternate layers until you reach top of mold. Place mold in freezer four hours, then let rest in refrigerator for two hours. Use a warm knife to help you unmold pyramid, then invert on serving plate. Sprinkle all over with cocoa powder. Serves 6
Cocoa powder
Sheets of firm cardboard
Aluminum foil
Masking tape
Cake
RICH CHOCOLATE-ALMOND SPONGE
(Sheet Cake)7 eggs, large
7 ounces (3/4 cup) generous sugar
6 ounces (1 1/4 cup) scant all-purpose flour
3 ounces (3/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 ounce (1/3 cup) almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooked to lukewarmPreheat oven to 400 F. Line a 17-by-12-by-1-inch sheet cake pan with baking parchment.
Place eggs in bowl of electric mixer and pour sugar on top, beating vigorously by hand with a wire whisk. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water; the water must not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk until the egg-sugar mixture is warm to the touch, at 100 F. Remove bowl from heat and place on mixer stand. Beat mixture well with wire whip at medium speed until it cools and forms a complete emulsion, about 10 minutes. The batter should increase greatly in volume and become very pale in color, and will fall from a spatula in a slowly dissolving ribbon. Remove bowl from stand.
Sift the flour, cocoa, almond meal, and baking powder together onto a sheet of wax paper. Fold lightly into batter. Pour the lukewarm butter around edge of bowl and quickly fold in. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cake feels springy tot he touch. unmold onto rack, peel off paper after 1 minute, and let cool. Makes one 17-by-12-inch sheet cake.
Cake
Rich Chocolate-Almond Sponge sheet cake (recipe above)Scotch Syrup
5 ounces (5/8 cup) Simple Syrup (recipe below) combined with 5 ounces (5/8 cup) Scotch whiskySimple Syrup
1 pound (2 cups) sugar
1 pint (2 cups) waterHeat sugar and water in a saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and let boil for 5 minutes. if adding flavoring, do so after the syrup has cooled. it will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, tightly covered. Makes 2 cups.
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse
8 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softWhite Chocolate Mousse
8 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream
8 ounces white chocolate
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, soft
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSES
Both mousses are made the same way. Whip cream to soft peaks. Cut up dark chocolate and melt over low heat. Cut butter into cubes and stir in until mixture is smooth. Let cool. Fold cream into cooled but still liquid chocolate-butter mixture. Follow same procedure with ingredients for white chocolate mousse.
