Cocoa-almond cake:
1 c Almonds; blanched, toasted
16 ts Sugar
1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/4 c Cocoa powder
1 ts Baking powder
6 Eggs, separated, room temper
-ture
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
1/3 c Butter, melted and cooled
Chocolate parfait:
12 oz Bittersweet chocolate, coars
-ly chopped
1 c Milk
8 Egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/3 c Sugar
2 c Whipping cream, well-chilled
1/2 c Amaretto liqueur
1/4 c Water
Chocolate whipped cream:
2 oz Bittersweet chocolate, coars
-ly chopped
1 c Whipping cream, well-chilled
4 ts Sugar
1 ts Vanilla
Almonds; whole, blanched
Chocolate garnishes, optiona
–
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Cover
bases of two 9″ springform pans with foil, then attach sides. Finely
grind almonds with 4 tbsp sugar. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder
into a small bowl. Stir in almond mixture. Beat yolks and 8 tbsp
sugar using electric mixer until slowly dissolving ribbons form when
beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes. Beat whites in another bowl,
with cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually, add
remaining 4 tbsp of sugar and beat until whites are stiff and shiny.
Fold 1/3 of almond/cocoa mixture into yolks, then 1/3 of egg whites.
Repeat twice, folding in melted butter just before final 1/3 of
whites is incorporated. Spoon 1/2 of batter into each pan, smoothing
surface with spatula. Bake until tester inserted in center of cake
comes out dry, about 20 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 5 minutes.
Invert onto rack and cool cakes completely. Melt chocolate in top of
double boiler over hot, but not boiling water. Bring milk to simmer
in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk yolks and sugar in bowl
until smooth. Gradually, whisk in hot milk, return to saucepan. Stir
over low heat until mixture leaves path on back of spoon when finger
is drawn across it, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do Not Boil. Gradually,
whisk custard into chocolate until smooth. Cool completely, stirring
occasionally. Whip cream to soft peaks. Fold into cooled chocolate
mixture in 3 batches. To assemble, cut each cake into 2 layers, using
a serrated knife. Set one layer, cut side up in the 9″ springform
pan. Combine liqueur and water. Brush 4 tbsp onto cake in pan. Spoon
1/4 of chocolate parfait over cake, spreading to edge. Top with
second layer, cut side up. Repeat with liqueur and parfait. Add third
layer and repeat. Add forth layer and repeat, smoothing top of
parfait with a spatula. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4
hours. Remove pan sides. Refrigerate cake while preparing cream. Melt
chocolate in double boiler over hot, but not boiling water. Stir
until smooth. Remove from over water. Whip cream with sugar and
vanilla to stiff peaks. Whisk in chocolate. Spoon mixture into a
pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Set cake on serving platter.
Pipe decorative whipped cream rosettes around edge of cake. Set
almonds in rosettes. Mayalso use chocolate leaves or curls as garnish.
Yields
12 Servings