Michael Alexander Cake
For the white chocolate mousse
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
9 ounces fine-quality white chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
White chocolate génoise, cut horizontally with a serrated knife into 3 layers
For the white chocolate génoise
3 ounces fine-quality white chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup framboise for brushing the cake layer
For the raspberry mousse
two 10-ounce packages frozen raspberries in light syrup, thawed and drained, reserving 1/3 cup of the syrup
1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons framboise
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
For the garnish
fresh raspberries
fine-quality white chocolate at room temperature (about 72°F.), shaved with a vegetable peeler into curls and kept covered and chilledfresh mint sprigs
Make the white chocolate mousse:
In a bowl whisk together well the yolks, the sugar, and a pinch of salt, add the cornstarch, sifted, and whisk the mixture until it is just combined. Add the milk, scalded, in a stream, whisking, transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan, and boil it, whisking, for 1 minute, or until it is very thick and smooth. Strain the pastry cream through a fine sieve into a bowl, stir in vanilla and the butter, and chill the pastry cream, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until it is cooled completely. In a metal bowl set over barely simmering water melt the white chocolate, stirring occasionally, and let it cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl whisk together the white chocolate and 1 cup of the pastry cream, reserving the remaining pastry cream for the raspberry mousse, until the mixture is combined well. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks, whisk one fourth of it into the white chocolate mixture, and fold in the remaining whipped cream gently but thoroughly.
Line the sides of an oiled 9 1/2-inch springform pan as smoothly as possible with pieces of plastic wrap (the plastic wrap prevents the filling from discoloring and makes unmolding the cake easier), letting the excess hang over the side, and put an 8-inch cardboard round in the bottom of the pan. Invert the top layer of the génoise onto the round, brush the cake with some of the framboise, and spread it evenly with half the white chocolate mousse (about 2 cups). Invert the middle layer of the génoise onto the mousse, brush it with some of the remaining framboise, and chill the cake and the remaining white chocolate mousse while preparing the raspberry mousse.
