Chocolate Gateau

[kirra]

Chocolate Gateau

Ingredients:

Meringues:

4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup blanched ground almonds

Chocolate Filling:

2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 sticks butter, softened
4 oz semisweet chocolate, melted

Preparation:

Meringues:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cut aluminum foil into 4 8" circles and grease each lightly. Whip egg whites until stiff, gradually adding sugar and almonds as eggs begin to stiffen. Place foil rounds on a large baking sheet and spread each evenly with meringue. Bake for 15 minutes or until meringue is dry. Carefully turn meringues over and bake 5 minutes longer.

Chocolate Filling:
In the top of a double boiler, over hot (not boiling) water, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, cocoa, butter, and chocolate, beating until thick and creamy. Remove from heat and cool.

Assembly:
To assemble gateau, place the best meringue layer on the bottom and spread with chocolate. Top with another meringue, pressing down lightly to make layers fit together. Spread with chocolate. Repeat until all meringues are used and the top is liberally coated with chocolate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Yields 1 4-layer gateau