Lundi Gras Chocolate Cake

CAKE: 9 eggs, separated -- room temp.

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

pinch of salt 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

14 ounces almond paste

1 tablespoon amaretto liquer -- 1 to 2 T.

powdered sugar 3/4 cup amaretto liquer

CHOCOLATE FILLING: 27 ounces extra-bittersweet or bittersweet chocolate -- chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 quart whipping cream -- room temp.

2 cups whipping cream -- whipped

There are two simple tricks to preparing this fancy dessert. First, be certain to use almond paste, not marzipan Second when making the filling, fold the unwhipped cream into the melted chocolate gently; do not beat.

For cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Line lOxl5xl-inch jelly roll pan with parchment; butter parchment. Beat yolks, 3/4 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 1/3 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 9x14-inch rectangle. Refrigerate.

Dust kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Turn cake out onto towel; remove paper. Trim 1/2 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 3/4 cup amaretto into pie plate. Cut cake into 1/3-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.

For 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. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe some cream decoratively around cake. Pass remaining cream separately. Formatted for MC and shared by dianne@olynet.com