In music terminology fortissimo means to play a passage of music loudly. True to its namesake, this cake has bold chocolate flavor, yet it retains lightness with its sponge base, silky buttercream and chantilly fillings. Overall, a symphony of really beautiful flavors and textures. This cake has several components and steps, but each is pretty straight forward. It is of intermediate skill level, and bakers with knowledge of making genoise sponge will have no trouble. If you’re a beginner baker, use the genoise recipe along with the video provided in the blog post for success. This cake hinges on a well-risen sponge because it is torted in three layers and must be tall enough after baking to do so.Tia Maria is the suggested coffee liqueur to use in this recipe, but Kahlua is a fine substitute. For the buttercream, use salted (yes, salted!) butter with 82% milkfat. This is sometimes labeled as ‘extra-creamy’ or ‘European-style’. Imported French butters are among those with higher milkfat.
wax seal stamp with music motif, such as treble clef or music notes
Ingredients
Chocolate genoise
3large eggs
3large egg yolks
3/4cupgranulated sugar
1/8teaspoonsalt
1/3cupcake flour
1/3cupcornstarch
1/4cupdark unsweet cocoa powder
Truffles
2teaspoonsinstant espresso powder
2tablespoonscoffee liqueur
4oz.semisweet chocolate choppedyou can also use chips
4tablespoonsunsalted butterat room temperature
2tablespoonsconfectioners’ sugarsifted
1tablespoonheavy cream
1/4cupunsweet cocoa powdernot dark
Crème Chantilly
2/3cupheavy cream
2teaspoonsconfectioners' sugar
1tablespooncoffee liqueur
Mocha buttercream
2teaspoonsinstant espresso powder
2teaspoonsunsweet cocoa powder
4oz.semisweet chocolatechopped fine (can use mini chips)
3tablespoonsboiling water
2cupseuropean style salted butter with 82% milkfat such as Land-O-Lakes extra creamy
1cupconfectioners’ sugar
Coffee syrup
6tablespoonswater
3tablespoonssugar
3tablespoonscoffee liqueur
Chocolate seals
2/3cupsemisweet chocolate chips
Crushed ice
Instructions
Chocolate Genoise
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round baking pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
Set a medium saucepan filled 1/3 with water over medium heat.
In a heat-proof bowl, preferably stainless, beat together the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt, using an electric hand mixer at high speed. Place the bowl over the pan of simmering water and continue beating with the hand mixer until the mixture reaches ribbon stage, about 5 minutes. Ribbon stage is when the batter increases in volume, lightens, and the batter leaves a thick trail or ribbon when the beaters are lifted from the bowl. To get this right, set a timer for 5 minutes once you start mixing over the simmering water.
Remove the bowl from the water. Sift the cake flour, cornstarch, and cocoa over the egg mixture. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Do this carefully as to not deflate the batter too much. This may take about 5-7 minutes of careful mixing. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched with a finger. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the wire rack and peel away the parchment paper. Let cool while you make the truffles.
Truffles
Dissolve the instant espresso in the coffee liqueur. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate with the dissolved coffee in the microwave, about 1 minute at 100% power. Stir well until smooth. Let cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar (I did this with a whisk, but you could use a hand mixer). Beat in the chocolate mixture and the cream. Whisk vigorously to combine. Chill for 40 minutes. Shape the mixture into 8 even-sized balls (use a small cookie scoop 4 teaspoon capacity). Dust in the cocoa powder and chill while you prepare the remaining cake components.
Crème Chantilly
In a large bowl, whip together the cream and sugar with an electric hand mixer. Beat in the coffee liqueur. Beat on high speed to stiff peaks. Cover and chill.
Mocha buttercream
Stir together the instant espresso powder and cocoa powder in a small microwave-safe bowl. Pour in the chopped chocolate. Add 3 tablespoons boiling water and let stand 1 minute. Whisk together until smooth. If lumps of chocolate remain after whisking well, microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Let cool until thickened but not set, about 5-7 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together for 5 minutes until fluffy and lightened in color. Add the chocolate mixture and beat again until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat again until lightened, thick and fluffy. Cover bowl with a damp towel and set aside at room temperature.
Coffee syrup
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the water and sugar. Heat in the microwave at 100% power for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir until the sugar is melted. Stir in the coffee liqueur. Let cool.
Chocolate seals
Gently heat chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave at 30 second intervals; be careful to not over heat. Stir smooth.
Transfer chocolate to a clean bowl. Let it stand 3-5 minutes or until it’s barely warm to the touch. It’s important the chocolate is not too hot when you make an impression with the stamp. The heat from the chocolate will warm the metal stamp and it will cause the chocolate to smear.
Place metal wax seal stamps in the cup filled with crushed ice. The stamp bottoms need to be thoroughly chilled.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop dime-size amounts of chocolate onto the parchment paper. Remove a stamp from the ice and quickly wipe it free of water droplets with a towel. Place the stamp onto a mound of chocolate. Let the stamp stand pressed in the chocolate for 3-5 seconds, or until the edges of the chocolate turn matte. Press down very gently but firmly and lift the stamp (see instructional video for clear visual). You should be left with a clear impression in the chocolate. Replace metal wax stamp into the crushed ice until it is thoroughly chilled and repeat with remaining melted chocolate. You’ll need 8 seals for this cake’s décor. Make more than you need, and pick out the best 8. Refrigerate finished chocolate seals until firm.
Assemble
Slice the genoise cake into 3 layers using a wire cake leveler or a serrated knife. Sprinkle or brush on the coffee syrup onto each cake layer. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake board. Fill with about 1/2 inch thickness of the mocha buttercream. Spread evenly. Top with another cake layer. Fill with all of the Chantilly cream. Spread evenly. Cover with the remaining cake layer.
Remove about 1/2 cup of the mocha buttercream frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Set aside. Cover the entire cake with a thick layer of the remaining mocha buttercream. Place the chilled truffles on top of the cake, well-spaced. Pipe stars of buttercream between each truffle. Stand chocolate seals into the buttercream stars upright.
Serve cake slightly chilled or at room temperature. This cake improves over 24 hours, as the flavors marry and syrup brushed crumb settles. Leftovers keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.
Notes
Origins: This is an abbreviated version of Chocolate Fortissimo from the book Ultimate Cake by Barbara Maher. The original has the same components but is made with two genoise cakes. I developed this single layer genoise version to save a little time on an even lengthier recipe.Longevity: Improves over 24 hours in the refrigerator. Keeps for 1 week refrigerated. Freezes for 1-2 months, undecorated.Make ahead: The truffles and coffee syrup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. The genoise can be made and frozen for future assembly.