Rigó Jancsi

Rigó Jancsi is a traditional Hungarian Chocolate Mousse Cake. The cake is named after Rigó Jancsi, a famous Hungarian gypsy violinist in the early 20th century.

In 1896 Rigó Jancsi was playing the violin at a Parisian hotel while in the audience was Belgian Prince de Caraman-Chimay with his young beautiful wife, Clara Ward, a daughter of an American millionaire. Klara was so fascinated by good-looking gypsy and his music that she left her husband and children to follow Jancsi who divorced his wife.

Ingredients:

For the Sponge Cake

3 eggs, separated
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Filling:
100g/3 ounces chocolate, chopped
400ml /1 pints whipping cream, whipped to firm peaks
1/2 cup sugar

Glaze
50g/ 1,5 ounces chocolate, chopped
half tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation:

Sponge Cake
* Whisk the egg yolks and the sugar until foamy. Beat the egg whites and fold it into the yolk foam. Whisk the flour and cocoa together and then gently fold it into the batter.
* Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Spread the batter over the wax paper into a thin layer. Bake in a preheated 180C/350 ºF oven for 8 minutes until the cake springs back when pressed in the center. Cool fa few minutes.

Filling
* In the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in a third of the whipped cream. When incorporated, add the remaining whipped cream and stir gently and carefully.
* Using a long serrated knife, cut the cake into two halves. Place 1 layer to a flat platter and spread the chocolate mousse over it. Refrigerate until firm.

Glaze
* In the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate and oil and heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts and is smooth. Pour the glaze over the second cake layer, spreading it with a dry knife to cover the cake evenly. When the glaze firms up, cut it into 6 squares, remove the chilled layer from the refrigerator and carefully set the glazed layer on top of it.
* Cut the cake into squares.