Favourite Death By Chocolate

Directions

Day 1:

Prepare the chocolate brownie and keep refrigerated until cake assembly.

Day 2:

Bake the cocoa meringue and store in a dry place at room temperature (between 68 and 78 degrees).

Prepare the chocolate rum sauce, refrigerate until two hours before service, then bring to room temperature.

Day 3:

Prepare the chocolate mousse, mocha mousse and ganache.

Assemble cake.

Use the 9 inch bottom of the springform pan to trace the circle onto parchment paper.

Be certain that the meringue completely fills the traced circle.

If the meringue is not large enough, the sides of the cake will be uneven.

Do not be concerned if the meringue slightly overlaps the circle; any excess may be trimmed off after the meringue has been baked.

Baked meringues are very brittle; handle with care.

Use a very sharp serrated knife to trim the meringue; otherwise the meringue will break apart.

If the mocha mousse is prepared several hours in advance of the assembly of the cake, it should be refrigerated until 1 to 1½ hours before assembly, at which time it should be allowed to temper at room temperature (if it is too cold it will be too difficult to spread evenly over the delicate mocha meringue).

If the ganache solidifies, place the bowl containing the ganache in a pan of water & stir until the texture is correct for pouring.

Use several toothpicks inserted in the sides of the chocolate brownie as guides to accurately halve the brownie horizontally.

The preparations may also be completed using a hand held mixer, but preparation time may increase slightly.