Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Directions

CHOCOLATE CAKE: In large bowl, beat egg yolks with ¼ cup of the sugar until very pale.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture.

Sift flour and cocoa over egg mixture; gently fold in.

Pour into buttered 8 inch springform pan; bake in 350℉ (180℃) oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.

Run knife around edge of cake to loosen.

Let cool on wire rack.

RASPBERRY SYRUP: In small saucepan, combine sugar and water; cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minutes.

Stir in liqueur.

Let cool.

RASPBERRY MOUSSE: In small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand for 5 minutes to soften.

Pass berries through food mill to purée and remove seeds to make aobut 2 cups.

Transfer purée to separate saucepan.

Add sugar and lemon juice; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar hs dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Stir in liqueur; transfer to large bowl.

Over low heat, heat gelatin until dissolved; stir into raspberry mixture.

Chill, stirring occasionally, over larger bowl of ice and water for about 20 minutes or until consistency of raw egg whites.

Whip cream; fold into cooled raspberry mixture.

Reserve ½ cup for garnish.

TO ASSEMBLE: Cut cake into 3 or 4 thin layers; reserve 2 layers and freeze remaining layers for another use.

Sprinkle 1 cut side of each of the 2 layers with raspberry syrup.

Place 1 layer, syrup side up, in 9 inch springorm pan; pour in half of the raspberry mousse.

Top with second cake layer;pour in enough of the remaining mousse to come almost to top of pan.

Smooth surface.

Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE: In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, melt chocolate with cream, stirring until smooth.

Let cool to room temperature yet still spreadable; pour over mousse and spread evenly.

Spoon remaining mouse into pastry bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe three concentric circles over top of cake.

Pull toothpick through circles to form spiderweb design.

Refrigerate until chilled.