Chef Le Ruths extensive pastry background is revealed in this impressive dessert Cassata Parfait tort. It is an adaptation of Italian desserts, with sponge cake layers alternated with ricotta cheese or ice cream.

President´s Cake
Dominique Leborgne
Le Palais du Chocolat
Washington, D.C.

The only thing more spectacular than the appearance of this chocolate cake is its taste. Flourless chocolate cake is laced with rum syrup and layered with chocolate mousse. A strip of pure chocolate is wrapped around the cake, and it is topped with ruffles of more chocolate. Make a slightly wavy motion with the comb as you drag it through the dark chocolate for the wrapping strip, and when you apply the milk chocolate later the finished strip will look like wood grain.

Serves 8 to 10

Chocolate Flourless Cake:
1 cup plus 6 tablespoons (23‚ÅÑ4 sticks) butter, melted
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
10 egg whites
Pinch of salt
2-1‚ÅÑ2 tablespoons sugar
6 egg yolks
1‚ÅÑ3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
Rum-flavored simple syrup (see Simple Syrup, Basics)

Chocolate Mousse
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1‚ÅÑ2 cup (11‚ÅÑ4 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons butter
1‚ÅÑ3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
2 egg yolks
6 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1‚ÅÑ3 cup sugar

To Decorate the Cake
Melted dark chocolate
Melted milk chocolate

To make the chocolate flourless cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl cream together the melted butter and melted chocolate. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt. When the egg whites reach the soft peak stage, add 21‚ÅÑ2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff.

In another bowl beat the egg yolks with 1‚ÅÑ3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar until the yolks are thick and the sugar is dissolved. Add the egg yolk mixture to the chocolate mixture. Fold in the egg whites. Pour the batter evenly into three 8-inch ring pans placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the cake layers to cool. Soak the layers with rum-flavored simple syrup.

To make the chocolate mousse: In the top of a double boiler over simmering water melt the chocolate. In a large bowl combine the butter and 1‚ÅÑ3 cup plus 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add the chocolate and mix until incorporated. Add the egg yolks and mix well.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add 1‚ÅÑ3 cup of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

To assemble the cake: Place a cake layer in an 8-inch ring mold. Spread a layer of mousse over the cake. Brush with rum-flavored simple syrup. Repeat with the two remaining cake layers, ending with a mousse layer. Level the top layer of mousse with a spatula. Refrigerate until chilled. Remove the ring, and ice the outside edge of the cake with the mousse.

To decorate the cake: Cut a piece of plastic film (heavy, but flexible—not plastic wrapping film) to fit the outside edge of the cake. Using a comb, spread the plastic film with a thin layer of melted dark chocolate. When dark chocolate is set, top with a very thin layer of milk chocolate. Let stand until set but still flexible. Apply the strip around the cake, covering the entire outside of the cake.

Ladle melted dark chocolate onto a marble slab or similar heatproof hard flat surface. Spread the chocolate very thinly with a spatula. When the chocolate has lost its sheen, scrape up the chocolate into strips resembling ruffled ribbon.

Arrange the ruffled ribbons in one layer around the outer edge of the top of the cake. Repeat with a second layer just inside the first layer, overlapping slightly. Repeat the layers, working toward the center of the cake, until the entire surface of the cake is covered. Arrange some small pieces of ruffled chocolate in the center. Refrigerate the cake until chilled and set. Sprinkle the top of the cake with confectioners´ sugar.