Chocolate -- Gateau Grand Marnier

Recipes on this page were developed or tested by CeCe Sullivan and Dawn Clark, Times home economists. The recipes are evaluated by staff members and are printed in a format suitable for clipping.

In the nutritional data, 5 to 7 percent of the fatty acids are undefinable.

The following recipe is from ``Cocolat - Extraordinary Chocolate Desserts'' by Alice Medrich.

GATEAU GRAND MARNIER

12 servings; approximate preparation time 1 hour

Genoise:

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sifted cake flour

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

4 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

Syrup:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup Grand Marnier

Filling and buttercream:

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

8 ounces butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1/2 cup apricot jam, heated slightly and strained

1. To prepare the genoise: Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Cut a round of wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan; grease again and flour.

2. Melt the butter and remove the white foam that rises to the top. Measure 3 tablespoons and combine with the vanilla. Keep hot.

3. Sift together the flour and cocoa twice; set aside. Place the eggs and sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Set over simmering water and whisk until just lukewarm, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat at high speed until it triples in bulk and resembles softly whipped cream.

4. Sift about one-third of the flour mixture over the whipped eggs and fold in by hand. Fold in half of the remaining flour mixture; fold in the remaining amount. Scoop about 1 cup of the batter into the hot butter mixture. Fold that into the remaining batter. Turn into the prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven about 25 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Cool and remove from the pan.

5. To prepare the syrup: In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar; transfer to a bowl. Cool completely before stirring in the Grand Marnier.

6. To prepare the buttercream: Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over hot water. Stir until almost melted. Remove from the heat and stir until completely melted.

7. In a saucepan combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and continue to boil 1 minute. Beat the egg and egg yolk until pale and thickened. Slowly add the boiling syrup and continue beating at high speed until cooled to room temperature and very thick. Add pieces of the butter slowly, beating at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the chocolate and Grand Marnier. (If the buttercream curdles, transfer to a food processor and process until it pulls together.)

8. With a long, thin knife cut the genoise into 3 layers. (It is easiest to first make a shallow cut around the cake for each layer.) Place the top layer upside down on a cake platter; fit strips of wax paper under the layer. Brush with some of the syrup and spread with half of the apricot jam. Spread with some of the buttercream. Top with the second layer, brush again with syrup and spread with the remaining jam; spread with buttercream. Top with the third layer and brush with syrup.

9. Spread the remaining buttercream over the cake, starting with the sides. Texture the top of the cake with a knife. Remove the wax paper strips and smooth the bottom edge of buttercream. Refrigerate, loosely covered, until ready to serve. Remove from refrigeration 30 minutes before serving.

Data per serving

Calories 527

Protein 5g

Fat 32g

Carbohydrates 56g

Sodium 233mg

Saturated fat 18g

Monounsaturated fat 10g

Polyunsaturated fat 2g

Cholesterol 162mg