Bruno's Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Cream

3 oz Chocolate,semi-sweet, Melted
3 oz Chocolate,white, melted Cocoa, unsweetened Chocolate leaves * (opt) (garnish)
CHOCOLATE CAKE
9 lg Eggs,separated, room temp.
1 T Rum,dark
1/4 t Extract,vanilla
1/4 t Cream of Tartar
8 T Sugar
12 oz Chocolate,semi-sweet, Melted
6 T Butter,unsalted, melted
3 T Cornstarch
2 T Cocoa,unsweetened
2 1/2 oz Amaretti (about 10 Italian macaroons),finely Ground
CHOCOLATE CREAM
4 oz Chocolate,semi-sweet, Melted
1/2 c Water,hot
2 c Cream,whipping
2 T Rum,dark
For Cake:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter and flour 3 9-inch round cake pans. Beat yolks until they are
pale yellow and form a ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in rum and
vanilla. Beat whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and
continue beating until stiff and shiny. Stir 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate and butter into
yolks until well combined. Gently fold in 1/4 of egg whites to lighten the batter, then gently
fold in the remaining whites. Sift together cornstarch and cocoa; combine with ground
amaretti., Gently fold into the batter. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until centers
of cakes rise and tops begin to crack, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then cool
completely on wire rack (cakes will fall slightly.)
For Chocolate Cream:
Whisk together 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate and hot water; cool to room temperature.
Whip cream until nearly stiff. Gently fold chocolate mixture and rum into whipped cream.
To Assemble:
Set aside 1/4 of the chocolate cream for decorating the top of the cake. Spread remainder
evenly between the 3 layers, stacking them neatly, then spread over the reserved cream
over the top and sides. Measure height of the cake. On a sheet of parchment or waxed
paper, spread 3 ounces melted semisweet chocolate into rectangle 1/16-inch-thick and as
wide as the cake is high. Repeat with melted white chocolate on another sheet of
parchment. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm but not brittle, about 15 minutes. Cut
chocolate crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Refrigerate to refirm chocolate, about 15
minutes. Carefully arrange strips alternately around edges of cake, gently pressing into
icing. Spoon reserved chocolate cream into pastry bag fitted with a no. 3 round tip. Pipe
mixture into straight lines atop the cake. Dust lightly with cocoa;' refrigerate. Garnish with
chocolate leaves. Bring to room temperature before serving.