CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Chocolate Cake: In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar until very pale.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually beat in the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
• Sift the flour and cocoa over the egg mixture; gently fold in.
• Pour into a buttered 8-inch springform pan; bake is a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.
• Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it.
• Let cool on a wire rack.
• Raspberry Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water; cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the liqueur.
• Let cool.
• Raspberry Mousse: In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand for 5 minutes to soften.
• Puree the berries in a food processor and then strain through a sieve to remove the seeds.
• There should be approximately 2 cups of puree remaining.
• Transfer the puree to a separate saucepan.
• Add sugar and lemon juice; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the liqueur; transfer to a large bowl.
• Over low heat, heat the gelatin until dissolved; stir into the raspberry mixture.
• Chill, stirring occasionally, over a larger bowl of ice and water for about 20 minutes or until the consistency of raw egg whites.
• Whip the cream; fold into the cooled raspberry mixture.
• Reserve 1/2 cup for garnish.
• To assemble, cut the cake into 3 or 4 thin layers; reserve 2 layers and freeze the remaining layers for another use.
• Sprinkle 1 cut side of each of the 2 layers with the raspberry syrup.
• Place 1 layer, syrup side up, in a 9-inch springform pan; pour in half of the raspberry mousse.
• Top with the second cake layer; pour in enough of the remaining mousse to come almost to the top of the pan.
• Smooth the surface.
• Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Chocolate Glaze: In the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, melt the chocolate with the cream, stirring until smooth.
• Let it cool to room temperature yet still spreadable; pour over the mousse and spread evenly.
• Spoon the remaining mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip; pipe 3 concentric circles over the top of the cake.
• Pull a toothpick through the circles to form a spider web design.
• Refrigerate until chilled.