Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE III

Category: Tortes

8 oz semi sweet chocolate
1 tbsp dry instant coffee
1/4 cup boiling water
8 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 and butter a 9 inch pie plate. Dust it with fine, dry bread crumbs. Melt chocolate slightly in a double boiler or microwave. Dissolve coffee in boiling water, and pour it over the chocolate. Stir the mixture until smooth, and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks at high speed for 5 minutes until pale lemon-colored and thick. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat for 5 minutes more. Add the vanilla and chocolate, beating slowly. Add the salt to the egg whites and beat (with clean beaters!) until the whites hold a definite shape but are not stiff and dry.

Gradually fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate, and then fold this into the remaining whites. Fold only until no white shows. Gently set aside about 4 cups of mousse and refrigerate.

Put the remaining batter into the pie late; spread gently. Bake for 25 minutes, turn off the oven, but leave the torte in the oven for 5 minutes more. Remove to a rack to cool.

The center will fall while cooling. When the torte is completely cool, very gently put the reserved cold mousse in the middle. Refrigerate for 2 hours, and spread with the whipped cream, vanilla, and confectioners sugar mixture.