Things You'll Need:
- 12 oz. high quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (not unsweetened)
- 6 tbsp. water
- 12 large eggs, room temperature, separated
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 2 cups whipping cream or heavy cream
- 6 tbsp. sifted powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp. Grand Marnier
- Parchment paper
- Oil
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Step 1
Oil four 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with circles of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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Step 2
Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool the melted chocolate to lukewarm. Beat the egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar and the salt for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture turns very pale and thick. Stir the melted chocolate into the mixture.
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Step 3
Beat 12 egg whites in a very large stainless steel mixing bowl, with clean beaters, until it forms stiff peaks. Add the remaining sugar and continue to beat. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Once the mixture is blended, carefully fold in the remaining egg whites.
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Step 4
Spread the cake batter evenly in four circular cake pans and bake them until the cakes are puffy and the tops are dry, about 16 minutes. Rotate the pans once to ensure even cooking. Cool the cakes on cooling racks for approximately 10 minutes.
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Step 5
Sift a small amount of cocoa powder over the cakes, and cover them with wax paper. Place a flat baking sheet on top of the wax paper. Invert the cake layer and carefully peel of the waxed paper, repeating with each layer. Place all four layers in the freezer for a minimum of two hours, or until they are very sturdy.
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Step 6
Beat the heavy cream with the Grand Marnier and powdered sugar until it forms stiff peaks. This is the filling for the cake.
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Step 7
Bring one layer out of the freezer, put it on a cake plate with the top side down, and spread a quarter of the whipped cream filling on the cake. Remove another layer from the freezer, and place it carefully over the filling, with the top side down. Continue until all four layers are in place. Refrigerate the chocolate cake until you're ready to serve it.
