In the world of fine desserts, there are confections—and then there are creations that transcend mere sweetness to become art. This Chocolate Genoise Cake, made by Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, filled with a Bandola coffee–infused mascarpone mousse and finished with a glossy espresso ganache, is precisely that. The kind of dessert you’d expect to find in a grand Riviera patisserie or served at an intimate chef’s table in Paris, it’s both technically masterful and irresistibly indulgent.
Each layer tells a story: the airy cocoa genoise, the velvety mousse touched with Italian espresso, and the elegant sheen of ganache that crowns it. Served with a fine digestif or a flute of champagne, it’s a dessert worthy of the most sophisticated tables.
Serves 8
Chocolate Genoise Cake
Ingredients
1lb and 2oz of eggs
12oz of sugar
10oz cake flour
4oz butter
0.25oz vanilla extract or lemon flavor
3oz of cocoa powder
Method
- Sift the flour with the cocoa powder.
- Combine the eggs, sugar, and salt, and warm over a bain marie until 110 degrees F.
- With a wire whip, beat the eggs at high speed until they are light and thick. This may take as long as 10 minutes.
- Whip in the vanilla extract. Fold in the sifted flour in three stages.
- Carefully fold in the melted butter. Do not deflate the foam.
- Immediately pan onto parchment paper, lined baking pans.
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
Bandola Bombe Mixture
Ingredients
10 egg yolks
3 eggs
7oz sugar
2oz water
2oz Bandola coffee
Method
- Mix all and heat oven to 180 degrees F, stirring constantly.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and whip until light, fluffy, and cool.
Mascarpone Mousse
Ingredients
Bombe Mixture
1oz of gelatin sheets
18oz of Mascarpone
4oz of heavy cream
3oz of sugar
1oz of Bandola Coffee
6oz whipped cream whipped to peaks
Method
- Heat cream, sugar, and coffee together.
- Dissolve gelatin in cold water.
- Squeeze out gelatin and add to sugar-coffee mixture.
- Stir to dissolve gelatin.
- Stir the coffee mixture with the mascarpone cheese, then mix with the Bandola bombe mixture and fold in whipped cream.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
10oz of bittersweet chocolate chopped
1 cup of heavy cream
1oz of Espresso
Method
- Heat the cream and espresso over heat until almost boiling.
- Remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate.
- Stir to dissolve.
- Use as a glaze or whip to soft peaks for a frosting.
Cake Assembly
Gently release the edges of the genoise cake from the parchment-lined baking pan. Place the Mascarpone Mousse in the center and spread to the edges. Roll up tight. Cover and refrigerate. Pour the ganache over the cake. Let it be set up. Decorate with edible gold and chopped nuts, fruit, etc. Slice and serve.
The Final Flourish
A masterpiece of textures and temperaments, this dessert balances the decadence of dark chocolate with the sophistication of Italian coffee and the silkiness of mascarpone. Every bite offers contrast—warm and cool, light and rich, sweet and bitter—an edible symphony for those who view pastry not as indulgence, but as an art form.
Paired with an aged Armagnac, espresso martini, or a night spent under candlelight, it’s a reminder that luxury is not excess—it’s precision, patience, and the pursuit of perfection.
