TRIANON

A tangerine mousse enclosed in thin sheets of chocolate.

Serves: 10

1/2 cup ground almonds
5 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
5 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup sliced almonds
Mousse:
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 teaspoons Tangerine liqueur or Grand Marnier
1 1/2 cups orange marmalade or tangerine marmalade
2 cups whipping cream
1 11-ounce can mandarin orange segments, drained
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

For Pastry:
Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Line a 12-by 6-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the ground almonds, sugar, and flour. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar to form soft peaks. Add sugar and beat until stiff by not dry. Add milk and beat 30 seconds. Fold in the almond mixture. Spread evenly over prepared pan. Bake 15 to 20 min. Cool in pan. Refrigerate.
For Mousse:
Dissolve gelatin in liqueur. Simmer marmalade in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in gelatin. Cool at room temperature stirring occasionally. Cut two 12 by 3-inch rectangles from pastry; discard parchment. Place one layer in bottom of 12 by 3-by 31/2inch rectangular mold with removable sides or fashion a mold out of cardboard, lined with foil. Beat cream until firm. Fold into the cooled marmalade mixture. Spoon half of mousse into mold. Top with second pastry layer almond side down. Spoon remaining mousse into mold. Smooth surface. Refrigerate 2 hours. (can be prepared 1 day ahead).
Drain orange sections on paper towels.
Cut two 12 by 3-inch and two 3 by 31/2-inch strips of wax paper. Remove pan sides to unmold the cake.
Coating sides of cake with chocolate:
Drizzle 2 teaspoons chocolate down center of 12 inch paper strips. Spread chocolate evenly over paper with spatula. Immediately press chocolate gently against long side of mousse; do not remove paper.
Repeat with remaining large paper strip. Drizzle 1 teaspoon chocolate down center of each 3-inch paper strips. Spread chocolate evenly over paper. Immediately press against short sides of dessert. Do not remove paper. Overlap mandarin segments in one row down the center of mousse. Spoon remaining chocolate into parchment cone with small opening. Drizzle chocolate over mandarins. Refrigerate dessert 30 min. Remove paper. Serve chilled.