Le Gateau Victoire Au Chocolat, Mousseline

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and place rack in lower-third level.

Prepare a square pan 9x9x2 inch or any 10 cup cake pan, preferable with nonstick lining, buttered, bottom lined with buttered waxed paper, and floured.

The Chocolate Swirl the coffee and how water in a medium size saucepan, add the rum, and break up the chocolate in the pan.

Bring 2 inch of water to the boil in a larger pan, remove from heat, and set chocolate pan in it; cover and let the chocolate melt while you continue with the recipe.

The egg and sugar mixture Break the eggs into a beating bowl, add the sugar, and stir over hot water for several minutes until eggs are slightly warm to your finger- this makes beating fster and increases volume.

Then beat five minutes or more, until mixture has at least tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when a bit is lifted and falls from beater.

The eggs should be the consistency of lightly whipped cream.

The Whipped Cream Pour cream into a metal mixing bowl.

Empty a tray of ice cubes into a larger bowl, cover them with cold water, then set the cream bowl into the larger ice-filled bowl.

Beat with a hand held mixer or a large balloon whisk, until cream has doubled in volume and holds it's shape softly.

Whip in the vanilla.

Assembling and baking Beat up the melted chocolate with a whisk; it should be smooth and silky.

Scrape it into the egg-sugar mixture, blending rapidly with a rubber spatula, and when partially incorporated, fold in the whipped cream, deflating cream and eggs as little as possible.

Turn batter into prepared cake pan, which will be about two- thirds filled.

Set it at once in a pan of hot water in the preheated oven.

Cake will rise some ⅛ inch above edge of pan, and is done when a skewer or straw comes out clean, after about one hour of baking.

Then turn off the oven, leave oven door ajar, and let cake sit for 30 min. in it's pan of water so that it will sink evenly.

Remove from oven, still in it's pan of water and let sit for another 30 min. so that it will firm up before unmolding and serving.

Cake will sink down as it cools to about its original volume.

Unmold the cake and decorate with a sprinkling of confectioners sugar or with pipings of whipped cream, or with a soft chocolate icing (semisweet chocolate melted and beaten with a little soft butter).

You may wish to pass a custard sauce or sweetened and vanilla- flavored whipped cream with cake.