Chocolate Cake with Lemon Mousse

INSTRUCTIONS for the chocolate base

• 1
  The base is baked in a water bath, so a silicone mold has proven to be the best. Line its bottom with baking paper. A classic springform cake tin must be wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil from the outside to prevent water from getting in during baking. Use a mold with a diameter of 20 to 23 cm.
• 2
  Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Whisk the yolks with sugar into a firm foam, whisking at high speed for at least 5 minutes, during which time the foam will lighten significantly. Finally, briefly whisk in the sifted cocoa. Separately, whisk the egg whites with salt into a firm snow, which is gently folded into the cocoa mixture by spoonfuls.
• 3
  Pour the batter into the prepared mold, place it in a deeper, higher baking tray, pour boiling water into it, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes in an oven preheated to 170°C with fan. After baking, let it cool in the mold. During baking, the batter will rise a lot, but it will sink again during cooling.

INSTRUCTIONS for the lemon mousse

• 1
  The mousse is distinctly sour; if you prefer sweeter desserts, add more sugar.
• 2
  Soak the gelatin in cold water and let it swell. Before use, it should have the consistency of a crumpled plastic bag.
• 3
  Boil the lemon juice, zest, and half of the sugar until the sugar dissolves. Whisk the yolks with the second half of the sugar for 5 minutes into a foam. Then, while constantly whisking at the highest speed, pour the lemon juice into the foam in a thin stream. Put the entire mixture into a saucepan with a thicker bottom and bring it to a boil over a low flame, stirring constantly with a whisk. It is necessary to stir quickly because the mixture tends to burn. When the mixture starts to boil, immediately remove it from the flame, put 1 tablespoon into a bowl, and mix in the gelatin, from which you have previously squeezed out the excess liquid. The gelatin must dissolve completely.
• 4
  Whisk the remaining part of the mixture again at the highest speed until it increases in volume and firms up, whisking for about 10 minutes. Carefully fold the dissolved gelatin and whipped cream, which you have previously whipped separately, into this firm foam.
• 5
  Remove the cooled cake base from the cake tin and peel off the baking paper. Place the base on a tray on which it will be served and close it in a cake ring. Spread the lemon mousse on the base, smooth the surface, and chill for several hours, or even overnight, in the refrigerator. Before serving, decorate with candied lemon peel.

INSTRUCTIONS for candied lemon peel

• 1
  Grate the peel of one chemically untreated lemon into thin strips using a peeler. In a small saucepan, dissolve 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in 100 ml of water, add the lemon peel, and simmer in the sugar water for 10 minutes. Then let it dry on a paper towel.