Triple Chocolate Layer Cake

A tall, dramatic chocolate cake built from thin oil based chocolate sponge sheets, stacked with silky chocolate cremeux, then finished with a glossy chocolate mirror glaze.

Ingredients

Chocolate cremeux

• 300 g Chocolate, 55% cocoa solids, chopped
• 180 g Whole eggs
• 7 g Caster sugar
• 225 g Whole milk
• 225 g Double/heavy cream
• Pinch Sea salt flakes

Chocolate sponge

• 145 g Egg yolks
• 35 g Caster sugar (for the yolks)
• 100 g Caster sugar (for the meringue)
• 270 g Egg whites
• 90 g Vegetable oil
• 65 g Whole milk
• 80 g Plain flour / all-purpose flour
• 45 g Cocoa powder

Chocolate mirror glaze

• 4 g Powdered gelatin (200 bloom)
• 26 g Cold water
• 40 g Double/heavy cream
• 50 g Water
• 20 g Cocoa powder
• 55 g Caster sugar
• 30 g Nappage blonde or apricot jam

Method

Cremeux

1. Put the chopped chocolate in a large bowl with a sieve resting over the top.
2. Heat the eggs, sugar, cream, and milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it reaches 80 to 83°C. Stay closer to 80°C to avoid scrambling it.
3. Pour the hot custard through the sieve onto the chocolate, let it sit 2 minutes, then blend or whisk until smooth.
4. Whisk in a good pinch of sea salt. Cover the surface directly with cling film and chill for 3 to 4 hours, until set but still soft enough to spread with a spoon.
5. If it firms up too much before use, warm it gently (a hair dryer or heat gun works, or mix it in a stand mixer while gently warming the bowl) just until spreadable. Do not overmix or it can split.

Sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (non-fan). Grease and line a 15x10 inch tray, or use a lightly greased silicone sponge roll mat.
2. Whisk the egg yolks with 35 g sugar until thick, pale, and holding a slight ribbon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
3. Whisk the egg whites until frothy, then gradually add the remaining 100 g sugar while whisking to a medium-stiff meringue.
4. Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture in three additions.
5. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold in carefully.
6. Fold in the vegetable oil and milk last, scraping the bottom of the bowl so the oil doesn't stay pooled underneath.
7. Spread half the batter evenly onto the lined tray.
8. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, cool 5 minutes, then flip onto parchment. Repeat with the rest of the batter for a second sponge sheet.
9. These bake quickly and don't need long to cool, so it works well to bake them close to when the cremeux finishes chilling.

Mirror glaze

1. Stir the gelatin into the cold water and let it bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Scoop the bloomed gelatin into a tall jug with the nappage or apricot jam (strain the jam first if it has fruit lumps).
3. Heat the cream and water in a small saucepan for about 30 seconds.
4. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder and bring to a boil. Cook 30 seconds, then pour over the gelatin mixture.
5. Blend with a hand blender until smooth, trying to avoid whipping in air bubbles.
6. Let the glaze cool to 25 to 27°C before using, roughly 1 to 2 hours at room temperature. It can be made ahead, chilled until solid, then gently remelted and reblended.

Assembly

1. Spread half the cremeux evenly over one sponge sheet using a palette knife. If the cremeux resists spreading, warm the knife under hot water and dry it off.
2. Repeat with the second sponge sheet.
3. Cut each sponge into 4 equal rectangles, for 8 pieces total.
4. Stack the pieces on a lined tray, cremeux side matching up, finishing with cremeux facing up on the very top layer. Work quickly since the sponge is delicate.
5. Freeze the stack for 20 minutes.
6. Use this time to make sure the glaze has cooled to the right temperature.
7. Lift the cake onto a wire rack and pour the glaze over the top, letting it run down the sides. Let it set 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Trim the rough edges with a hot, sharp knife to reveal a neat rectangle.
9. Slice into 4 pieces.
10. Best served right away while the cremeux is still soft. If it's been in the freezer longer, let it sit at room temperature until the cremeux softens again.