Cake

• 1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter - cut into chunks
• 5 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate - coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs - chilled

Ganache

• 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate-finely chopped (Total chocolate 11oz)
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 325deg. Butter 9“ cake pan, line with parchment paper, butter paper.
2. Whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.
3. Put large heatproof bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water. Add the butter, scatter the chocolate on top, heat stirring often until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar. One by one energetically stir in the eggs, beating for 1 min. after last egg is added so mixture looks like pudding. Stir in dry ingredients.
5. Scrape the mixture into the cake pan, rap against the counter to settle the batter.
6. Bake for 18-20 min, rotating once, until a tester into the center comes out clean or with tiny streaks
7. Transfer to rack, cool 5 min, unmold the cake and peel off paper, invert and cool to room temp.
8. Make the ganache: Pour 1 1/4 cup cream into a small saucepan and refrigerate the rest. Scald the cream, turn off heat, stir in the chocolate until fully incorporated. Transfer to a heat proof bowl.
9. Refrigerate for 10 min, whisk. Repeat cycle until ganache is thick enough to make tracks when you stir, 50-60 min.
10. The mousse layer is initially too soft to stand on its own, add retaining band, 1 1/4”x26“ around the cake. 8”dia>25 1/8“ circum.
11. Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream until it holds medium peaks.
12. Using a whisk, gently beat the ganache until it's soft and spreadable. With a spatula fold in the chipped cream. Spread over the cake, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or cover and keep for up to 2 days). When refrigerating take out 20 min prior to serving.
13. To finish put the cocoa powder in a fine-mesh strainer and shake over the top of the cake. Cut with a long knife that has been run under hot water and wiped dry between each cut.

Serves: 10     Total cook time: 20min cake + 70min ganache + 2hr refrigerate prior to serving
Source: NYT Cooking App