Categories: Chocolate, Cakes 
      Yield: 1 servings 
  
--------------------------------CAKE LAYERS-------------------------------- 
     14 lg Eggs, Separated 
  1 3/4 c  Sugar 
      9 oz Bittersweet Chocolate,Melted 
 
--------------------------------BUTTERCREAM-------------------------------- 
      1 c  Sugar 
      2 lg Eggs 
  1 1/2 c  Unsalted Butter, Softened 
      3 tb Instant Espresso, Dissolved 
      1 tb Hot water 
 
----------------------------------GANACHE---------------------------------- 
  1 1/2 c  Heavy Cream 
      6 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, Chip 
 
----------------------------------ASSEMBLY---------------------------------- 
    3/4 c  Apricot Preserves 
           Chocolate Coffee Beans 
  
  Line 2 greased jelly-roll pans, 15x10x1-inch each, with wax paper and 
  butter and flour the paper, shaking off excess.  In a large bowl with an 
  electric mixer, beat the egg yolks.  Add slowly 1-1/2 cups sugar, beating, 
  and beat the mixture until it is thick and pale and forms a ribbon. Add the 
  chocolate and combine the batter well.  In another large bowl with clean 
  beaters, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the remaining 
  1/4 cup sugar slowly, and beat until whites hold stiff peaks. Stir a fourth 
  of the whites into the yolk mixture, fold in remaining whites gently but 
  thoroughly, and pour the batter into the pans, spreading it evenly. Bake 
  the cake layers in the middle of a preheated 375ÜF oven for 18-20 minutes 
  or until pick test. Let cake layers cool in the pans, covered with kitchen 
  towels on large racks. Invert the cake layers onto the racks and remove the 
  wax paper carefully.  Buttercream: In a small heavy saucepan, dissolve 
  sugar in 1/3 cup water over moderate heat, stirring.  Bring mixture to a 
  boil, and boil it until it registers 240ÜF on a candy thermometer. In a 
  large bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs until they are frothy. Add 
  sugar syrup in a thin stream, beating, and beat the mixture until it is 
  cool.  Beat in the butter, one T at a time. Beat in expresso powder and a 
  pinch of salt.  Beat the buttercream until it is combined well. If 
  necessary, chill the buttercream, covered, until it is firm enough to 
  spread.  Ganache: In a large heavy saucepan, bring cream just to a boil and 
  remove from heat.  Add chocolate and stir until it is smooth. Transfer 
  mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until it is 
  cool and thickened. Do not let it solidify. Beat the mixture until it just 
  forms soft peaks, but do not overbeat. Assembly: Force preserves through a 
  fine sieve into a bowl.  Transfer the cake layers to a work surface. Trim 
  edges and halve each layer lengthwise. On a serving plate, arrange one 
  layer, spread with a third of the preserves, and spread a third of the 
  ganache over the preserves.  Top with another layer and proceed with the 
  preserves, ganache and cake in the same manner, ending with a cake layer on 
  top.  Spread the sides and top of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream 
  an chill for 30 minutes. Spread on additional buttercream, leaving about 
  1/3 cup to make rosettes. With a pastry comb or tines of a fork, score the 
  buttercream lengthwise.  Draw the back of a knife crosswise across the 
  scored buttercream at intervals. Transfer the remaining buttercream to a 
  small pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Pipe rosettes on top of the 
  torte along the long sides and intersperse the rosettes with chocolate 
  coffee beans.  Chill.  Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before 
  serving. A 1989 Gourmet Magazine Favorite.