Lundi Gras Chocolate Cake
Submitted by queue
A New Orleans-style charlotte: chocolate sponge rolled with almond paste, sliced and pressed into a springform, filled with amaretto-soaked chocolate mousse. A Mardi Gras showstopper.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
40 minCOOK
30 minREADY
3 hrsLundi Gras ("Fat Monday") is the day before Mardi Gras, and this cake befits the celebration. It’s a classic chocolate charlotte royale, dressed up in the New Orleans tradition. A flourless chocolate sponge rolled around almond paste gets sliced into pinwheel rounds, dipped in amaretto liqueur, and pressed against the sides and bottom of a springform pan to form a striking spiral-patterned shell.
The filling is a silky cold-set chocolate mousse made from a quart of whipped cream folded into melted chocolate, then poured into the cake-lined pan and chilled overnight. When you unmold it the next day, the cross-section reveals a stunning concentric pinwheel pattern around a deep, dark chocolate center.
This is a project recipe meant for occasions when you want jaws to drop. Plan for a full day of work and an overnight chill. The result is restaurant-quality.
Chef Tips
- Beat the egg yolks until they form a true ribbon stage. The volume here is the entire structure of the flourless cake.
- Roll the warm cake immediately after turning out onto the powdered sugar towel. A cooled cake cracks instead of rolling smoothly.
- Soften the almond paste with amaretto until it rolls cleanly. Crumbly almond paste tears the cake during rolling.
- Add the cream to melted chocolate slowly, in three additions, folding gently. Pouring all at once causes the chocolate to seize.
- Refrigerate at least 12 hours before unmolding. The mousse needs time to fully set, and the cake slices need to bond into a stable shell.
Variations
- Swap amaretto for Grand Marnier, Frangelico, or Chambord for completely different liqueur profiles.
- Replace almond paste with a thin layer of raspberry preserves for a chocolate-raspberry version.
- Decorate the unmolded cake with chocolate curls, fresh raspberries, and gold leaf for a true Mardi Gras presentation.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven.
Line jelly roll pan with parchment; butter parchment.
Beat yolks, ¾ cup sugar, vanilla and salt with electric mixer until pale yellow and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted.
Beat whites with cream of tartar in another large bowl until soft peaks form.
Fold ⅓ of whites into yolks to lighten; spoon remaining whites atop yolks.
Sift on cocoa and fold until just combined.
Spread in prepared pan. Bake until springy to touch, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, if almond paste is dry or crumbly, combine in processor with 1 tablespoon amaretto.
Blend until soft enough to roll out, adding more amaretto by teaspoons if necessary.
Roll almond paste out between 2 sheets of waxed paper into 9×14-inch rectangle.
Refrigerate.
Dust kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
Turn cake out onto towel; remove paper.
Trim ½ inch off edges of cake. Place almond paste on hot cake.
Roll cake up jelly roll fashion, starting at one long side.
Cool completely.
Pour ¾ cup amaretto into pie plate.
Cut cake into ⅓ inch-thick slices.
Dip one side of each slice briefly into amaretto. Cover bottom of 10-inch springform pan with some of cake slices dipped side down, working from edge to center and arranging open ends of slices facing in same direction.
Press very firmly to secure slices. Place remaining slices upright against sides of pan; press firmly to secure.
Refrigerate while preparing filling.
Melt chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth.
Transfer to large bowl.
Immediately add 1 quart cream in 3 additions, gently folding just until combined; do not beat.
Pour into cake-lined pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Cut edges of cake even with filling if necessary.
Invert cake onto serving platter.
Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
Comments
