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1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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2
Butter a heavy-duty jellyroll pan 10 by 15 inches.
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3
Line the bottom of the pan with wax paper, allowing it to extend about two inches past the ends.
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4
Butter the paper.
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5
Combine 9 ounces of the chocolate with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the espresso powder and 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the boiling water in the top of a double boiler.
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6
Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
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7
Beat the egg yolks until very thick and light.
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8
Gradually beat in the sugar.
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9
Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture and set aside.
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10
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, by hand in a copper bowl if possible, until they form peaks but are still of a creamy consistency.
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11
Do not overbeat.
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12
Stir one-quarter of this mixture into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest.
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13
Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
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14
Bake about 20 minutes, until puffy and beginning to shrink from the sides of the pan.
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15
The surface will also have lost its sheen and will spring back when touched lightly.
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16
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for 45 minutes.
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17
Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining 4 tablespoons espresso in the remaining tablespoon of boiling water.
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18
Stir until syrupy, then refrigerate.
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19
Beat the cream in a chilled bowl until thick, like sour cream, but not yet stiff.
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20
Sift in the confectioner's sugar, beating, then the cooled espresso.
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21
Refrigerate.
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22
Place remaining chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
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23
Stir when melted.
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24
Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
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25
Add the oil, stir; set aside.
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26
To assemble the cake dust the top with half of the cocoa.
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27
Gently warm the bottom of the jellyroll pan by holding it over a low burner, moving it around.
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28
Cover the pan with a large flat baking sheet, invert the pan and the baking sheet together.
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29
Hold down the wax paper and lift off the jellyroll pan.
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30
Carefully peel off the wax paper.
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31
Dust the cake very lightly with the remaining cocoa.
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32
Cut the cake in four equal portions crosswise.
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33
Using two broad spatulas, lift one of the portions onto a serving dish.
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34
Gently spread with some of the chilled espresso cream.
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35
Top with another portion of the cake, spread with more of the cream, add another cake layer, more cream, then the final cake layer.
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36
If any of the cake sections crack slightly while being transferred, don't worry.
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37
Icing will cover the flaws.
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38
Remove any excess cream from the sides of the cake with a spatula.
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39
Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.
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40
Mask the exposed parts of the platter with pieces of foil or wax paper, slipping them just under the edges of the cake.
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41
If the glaze has set, warm it gently until it is fairly liquid.
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42
Pour about three-quarters of the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
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43
Smooth the top and cover the sides with the remaining glaze.
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44
Pat the toasted almonds all over the sides of the cake.
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45
Remove the protective paper or foil from the platter.
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46
Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
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47
Cut the cake with a thin knife warmed in hot water and wiped dry.
