Ingredients
SPONGE LAYER
-
1 cup
cake flour
-
1/2 cup
granulated sugar, divided
-
1 pinch
salt
-
4 large
eggs
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
2 tablespoons
vegetable oil
COFFEE ALMOND SYRUP
-
2 tablespoons
almond flavored liqueur
( Amaretto was what was used)
-
1 teaspoon
instant coffee granules
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
1/2 cup
water
-
1/4 cup
granulated sugar
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
-
2 tablespoons
water
-
1 tablespoon
vanilla extract
-
1 1/2 teaspoons
unflavored gelatin
-
3 large
egg yolks
-
1 1/4 cups
heavy cream, divided
-
3/4 cup
milk
-
3 tablespoons
granulated sugar
-
1 pinch
salt
-
4 (1 1/2 ounce)
Godiva dark chocolate bars, coarsely chopped
COFFEE-ALMOND WHIPPED CREAM
-
2 tablespoons
almond flavored liqueur
( Amaretto was used)
-
1 teaspoon
instant coffee granules
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
2 cups
heavy cream
-
2 tablespoons
granulated sugar
GARNISH
-
12
amaretti cookies, crumbled
-
chocolate-covered coffee beans
( found in specialty shops)
-
slivered almonds
Directions
- SPONGE LAYER:.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly butter the bottom and sides of 9" round cake pan.
- Line with parchment paper or waxed paper.
- Sift together flour, 1 tablespoons sugar and salt.
- Whip eggs and remaining sugar in a large bowl, usuing an electric mixer at medium speed, for 4-5 minutes.
- The batter should be airy, pale and tripled in volume.
- Add vanilla during the last minute of whipping.
- Gently fold the flour mixture into the batter, one-third at a time, using a large rubber spatula.
- Then fold in oil.
- Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until center springs back when gently pressed.
- Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack, top side up.
- MAKE THE ALMOND SYRUP:.
- Mix almond flavored liqueur, coffee and vanilla in small cup until the coffee is dissolved.
- Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Continue cooking until syrup comes to a boil.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in coffee mixture.
- MAKE THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:.
- Mix water and vanilla.
- Sprinkle in gelatin and let stand until gelatin softens.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until blended.
- Combine 3/4 cup of the cream, milk, sugar and salt in a heavy, medium saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form around the sides of the pan.
- Remove pan from heat.
- Gradually whisk about 3/4 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks until well blended.
- Then pour egg mixture back into the saucepan.
- Continue cooking over medium-low heat, heat stirring constantly with wooden spoon, for 2 to 4 minutes or until the custard has thickened slightly.
- It is done when you can run your finger down the back of a coated spoon and path remains in the custard for several seconds.
- DO NOT LET CUSTARD COME TO A BOIL!
- Remove pan from heat and immedaitley strain the custard into a metal bowl.
- Add softened gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved.
- Add the chocolate & stir until melted and smooth.
- Set the bowl over a large bowl containing ice water.
- Let stand 5-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until cool.
- Remove bowl from ice water.
- Whip the remaining cream until peaks form, using a hand-held electric mixer.
- Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, using a rubber spatula.
- Fold in the remaining whipped cream.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20-30 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken.
- DO NOT LET MOUSSE SET.
- MAKE THE COFFEE ALMOND WHIPPED CREAM:.
- Mix almond flavored liqueur, coffee and vanilla in small cup.
- Stir until coffee dissolves.
- Whip the cream with the coffee mixture and sugar in chilled large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, until soft peaks.
- ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE:.
- Split the cake into two equal parts, using a long serrated knife.
- Brush one sponge layer with about one-fourth of the coffee syrup, using a pastry brush.
- Place the cake layer, syrup "soaked" side down, into a 3-quart glass straight-sided bowl.(My friend used a beautiful trifle bowl made of cut crystal).
- Trim cake to fit, if necessary.
- Generously brush the top of the cake layer with syrup.
- Top with crumbled amaretti cookies.
- Spread with half of the chocolate mousse.
- Reserve 1 cup of the coffee whipped cream for piping on the top of the trifle.
- Spread the remaining whipped cream over mousse.
- Repeat the same with the remaining cake, syrup, & mousse.
- Fill a pastry bag with a large star tip with reserved coffee whipped cream.
- Pipe a decoration on top of trifle.
- Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans and slivered almonds.
- Refrigerate the trifle for at least 4 hours before serving.
- *The cake & mousse were made the day before.