Chocolate Star Gazing Observatory

Ingredients
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** Chocolate Mousse:
1 lb semi-sweet chocolate
6 eggs separated
1/2 lb powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup armagnac

** Chocolate Raspberry Cakes:
1/4 oz chocolate liquor
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 lb butter
1-1/4 cups seedless raspberry puree
5 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cake flour

** Chocolate Meringues:
1/8 cup room temperature egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 cup plus 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

** Chocolate Domes:
6 oz bitter-sweet chocolate
4 small balloons

** Chocolate Bands:
6 oz white chocolate
4 9 inch by 1-1/2 inch wax paper strips

** Chocolate Tuiles:
4 oz unsalted butter
2 oz honey
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 large egg whites

** Sugar Hook and Star:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preparation
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** Chocolate Mousse:

Melt chocolate over double boiler with armagnac.
Meanwhile, whip yolks with 1/4 lb powdered sugar to a ribbon stage.
Whip whites to soft peaks and add 1/4 lb powdered sugar.
Whip to stiff, shiny peaks.
Whip heavy cream to soft peaks.
Fold cooled chocolate into yolk mixture.
Fold in whites.
Fold in heavy cream.

** Chocolate Raspberry Cakes:

Melt chocolates and butter over double boiler.
Beat yolks with half the sugar to ribbon stage.
Fold into chocolate with puree.
Beat white to soft peaks.
Add the other half the sugar.
Fold into chocolate with cake flour sifted over the top.
Bake on 1/2 sheet pan at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
Cool, then cut out 16 3 inch circles with a round cookie cutter.

** Chocolate Meringues:

Beat whites until frothy.
Add cream of tartar.
Beat until soft peaks form and add 1/2 tbsp sugar.
Beat until stiff peaks form and add remaining sugar.
Beat until stiff and glossy.
Sift cocoa powder and powdered sugar together. Fold into whites.
Mark 8 3 inch circles on parchment paper and line baking sheet. Pipe meringue onto the circles.
Bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours or until meringues are hard.

** Chocolate Domes:

Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
Inflate balloons.
Dip two smooth ends into chocolate, and chill until the chocolate is hard.
Pop balloons.
Repeat to produce 8 chocolate domes.

** Chocolate Bands:

Melt chocolate over a double boiler.
Spread melted chocolate over one side of strip.
Place on pan and cool until the strip looks dull.

** Chocolate Tuiles:

Cream butter and honey until smooth.
Add sifted sugar, cocoa, and flour.
Add egg whites gradually at high speed.
Spread chocolate tuile batter on a greased sheet pan.
Bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cut small squares and while tuile is still warm, wrap around a pen or straw. Let cool.
Cut and mold 8 tuiles in total.

** Sugar Hook and Star:

Place sugar and lemon juice in pan over high heat.
Stir constantly until sugar melts and become medium brown in color.
Remove from heat and continue stirring until caramel cools slightly.
Form 8 stars on on a parchment lined sheet pan.
On another pan, form 8 long hooks to hold the stars.

** Assembly:

Spread a thin coat of mousse over the top of chocolate meringue discs.
Top each disk with a chocolate cake circle.
Layer mousse on top of cake.
Repeat with another layer of cake.
Invert chocolate domes onto chocolate cake circles.
Wrap chocolate cake layers with white chocolate strips.
Chill until chocolate bands are set.
Peel off the wax paper from the bands.
Cut a 1/2 inch hole in chocolate domes and insert tuile cookie.
Lean caramel sugar rod against dome, and hang a star off the hook.