Icewine Mousse Torte

Yield: 1 torte

Sponge Cake Layers:

6 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cacao
3 Tablespoons melted butter

Mousse:

1 cup Inniskillin icewine (or another icewine)
4 eggs
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
4 gelatin leaves (or 7 grams powdered gelatin)
1 cup whipping cream
4 Tablespoons Inniskillin icewine (or another icewine)

Prepare sponge layers:

Preheat oven to 375° F (190°C). Generously butter 2 baking sheets and sprinkle lightly with flour. Using an electric mixer beat eggs with sugar on low speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to high and beat another 5 minutes. Turn mixer off, sift flour and cacao together and fold into egg mixture. Fold in melted butter. Spread a thin layer of batter onto each baking sheet and bake 8 - 10 minutes or until set. Take cakes out of oven, unmold and let cool.

Prepare mousse:

In medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with 4 tablespoons sugar. Soften gelatin leaves in cold water. In a pot, scrape inside of vanilla bean into icewine and bring to a boil. Quickly whisk into egg mixture and put back onto low heat. Whisk until mixture thickens, do not boil. Take off heat, squeeze excess water out of gelatin leaves, add them to hot mixture and whisk until they dissolve. Let cool. Beat cream until whipped. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, add 1 tablespoon sugar and beat 1 more minute.

To serve:

Combine icewine mixture with cream and egg whites. Chill until beginning to set. Cut each sponge layer into 2. Place a rectangle of sponge cake on a platter. Moisten with a bit of icewine. Spoon 1/4 of mousse on top, cover with another sponge cake layer, moisten with icewine, spoon another 1/4 of mousse on top, etc. Once last layer of mousse is spread, refrigerate until set (2 - 3 hours). Trim sides of torte before serving.