TOASTED COCONUT CHOCOLATE CAKE

TOASTED COCONUT CHOCOLATE CAKE image

Number Of Ingredients 19

3/4 cup - unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups - SWANS DOWN Cake Flour
2 teaspoons - baking powder
1/2 teaspoon - salt
1 3/4 cup - sugar
8 ounces - bittersweet chocolate (60% cocoa), melted
6 - large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon - vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups - milk
2 cups - sugar
1/4 cup - gold rum
8 ounces - bittersweet chocolate (60%), chopped
3 tablespoons - unsalted butter
4 - large eggs, seperated
1 cup - heavy cream
1/2 pound - unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
1 1/2 cups - heavy cream
2 tablespoons - unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons - sugar

Steps:

PREPARATION Make Cake: Preheat oven to 325º. Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt into a bowl, set aside. Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in melted chocolate. Add egg yolks one by one, beating well after each. Add vanilla and mix. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating milk, and beat until smooth. In another bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, then fold into the batter. Pour into the pans and smooth the tops. Bake until cake tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes on a rack, then invert pans to unmold, and let cakes cool completely. Make Rum Syrup: Bring 2 cups of water to a low boil over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and cook until dissolved, about 1 minute. Stir in the rum and set aside to cool. Make Mousse: Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water until chocolate is just melted, stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks while chocolate is still warm. Scrape into another bowl and let cool. In a clean bowl, beat cream into soft peaks, then fold into the chocolate mixture. In another clean bowl beat egg whites to stiff peaks then fold into chocolate mixture. Fold about ½ cup