Lemon Mousse Angel Cake Chantecleer
Gourmet December 1994

For cake:
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups egg whites
(about 13 large egg whites)
Pinch cream of tartar
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
(from about 3 large lemons)

For mousse:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, in bits
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 large whole egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, cooled

Make cake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Onto a sheet of wax paper
sift together flour and 3/4 cup sugar. In large bowl of a standing electric mixer beat egg whites until frothy and add cream of tartar. Beat in zest
and remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating, until mixture just
holds stiff peaks.  Spoon batter into an ungreased tube pan, 10-by-3 1/2-inches, and bake in middle of oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and sides have pulled away from edges of pan. Invert the pan onto a 10-inch
cardboard round or a 10-inch tart pan bottom and cool cake thoroughly in
pan. Run a thin knife around edges of pan and with fingers gently turn
cake out onto cardboard round or pan bottom. Put a second cardboard round or pan bottom on top of cake and invert cake onto round or pan
bottom (the widest part of cake will be facing up). Cut cake horizontally
3/4 inch from top with a long serrated knife and invert top layer, cut side
up, onto first cardboard round or pan bottom. With a small sharp knife
cut a 3/4-inch deep trench in bottom layer of cake, leaving edges of cake
3/4 inch wide and discarding cake crumbs.
Make mousse:  In a small heavy saucepan bring lemon juice just to a boil and remove from heat. Whisk in butter, whisking until melted completely.  Whisk in granulated sugar, gelatin, egg, and egg yolk, until combined well. Cook custard over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until a candy ther- mometer registers 170 degrees F.  Pour custard into a heatproof bowl and
cool slightly.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it just holds soft peaks.
Beat in confectioner's sugar, beating until cream just holds stiff peaks.
Fold sweetened cream into custard until just combined. Chill lemon
mousse, surface covered with plastic wrap, until it just begins to set,
about 15 minutes.
Assemble cake:  Spoon mousse into cake trench until just filled (there
may be mousse left over). Replace top layer of cake on bottom layer
and chill 2 hours.
In a small saucepan melt butter and remove from heat. Sift in sugar and
stir in Grand Marnier until combined well. Heat mixture over moderate
heat, stirring, until it just begins to bubble. Remove pan from heat and
stir in almonds. Immediately pour glaze evenly over cake, allowing it to
drip down sides, and chill cake 15 minutes before serving.
 

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