I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of chocolate cake. People either tend to make them too dry, or add so much chocolate to them that one bite fulfills your sugar quota for a month and puts you into a sugar coma. I have two very good chocolate cake recipe's for the inevitable request for one. This is a more sophisticated grown up cake, as I like to call it. Four layers of a delicate crumb cake layered with a beautifully rich, but not overly sweet, dark chocolate ganache. I highly recommend that if you are going to make this cake use the highest grade dark chocolate you can get your hands on for the ganache as possible. I tend to use a Lindt dark chocolate and I have found that you can now by it in the supermarket. I would make this cake if I was going over to a friends place, having an afternoon tea, etc. Due to the dark chocolate it is not really a kids cake, although my 3 year old niece did polish off her slice quiet fast.
Devil's Food Cake
Adapted from: Tartine by E Prueitt and C Robertson
Ingredients - Cake:
1 3/4 cups Plain Flour
4 1/2 tbs Cornflour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
115g Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Unsalted Butter
570g Caster Sugar
5 Large Eggs
310ml Buttermilk
Ingredients - Ganache:
900g Dark Chocolate / Bittersweet Chocolate
4 cups Double Cream
Ingredients - Caramel:
2/3 cup Double Cream
1/4 Vanilla Bean
240g Caster Sugar
60ml Water
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbs Light Corn Syrup
3/4 tsp Lemon Juice
55g Unsalted Butter
Method:
To make the caramel:
1. Pour the cream into a small, heavy saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the cream. Heat over a medium-high heat. Bring to just under a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat - if it becomes cold heat up again.
2. In a medium, heavy saucepan combine the sugar, water, salt and corn syrup. Bring to boil over a medium heat, stirring only to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved, cook without stirring for 5 to 8 minutes until the mixture starts to become a caramel colour. Remove from heat.
3. Carefully add the cream to the sugar syrup. The mixture will bubble at first, just keep stirring until it simmers down. Add the lemon juice and allow too cool for 10 minutes.
4. Cut the butter into 1-inch chunks and add them into the caramel one at a time, whisking constantly until all the butter is combined. Whisk periodically as the caramel cools.
To make the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Butter and lightly flour the sides of two 9-inch pans, knocking out any excess flour. Line the bottom of each pan with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, cornflour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl together and set aside.
3. Cream the butter on a medium-high speed until light and creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition - scrape down the sides as required.
4. Turn the mixer to a low speed and add the flour in 3 equal batches, alternating the buttermilk in 2 batches. Make sure you begin and end with the flour mixture. DO NOT over mix the batter.
5. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for about 45 minutes - until the top springs back lightly when touched or a cake tester comes out clean when inserted. Turn the oven to 120 degrees celsius.
6. Allow the cakes to cool in there pans for 10 minutes then remove from the pans and allow to cool on wire racks.
7. Slice the domed portion of the cakes off to make them flat, then roughly break up these offcuts and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
8. Heat in oven until completely dry, about 1 hour. Let completely cool and then process them in a food processor to create crumbs. Sift through a medium mesh sieve to remove the larger crumbs, set aside.
To make the ganache:
1. Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to just under a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes until chocolate is partially melted.
2. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and shiny. If you find the ganache splits, you can use a blender to combine it.
To assemble the cake:
1. Split the cakes into 2 layers. Transfer 1 of the layers to the serving plate. Using an offset spatula, spread about 3 tablespoons of caramel evenly over the cake layer. Spread a thin layer of ganache over the caramel.
2. Top with the second cake layer and again spread 3 tablespoons of caramel and then a thin layer of ganache. Repeat for the third cake layer, using the remaining caramel, a thin layer of ganache. Top with the fourth cake layer.
3. Refrigerate the cake for 1-2 hours or until the center seems firm.
4. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, using the rest of the ganache frost the tops and sides of the cake.
5. Sprinkle the cake with the crumbs, gently tilt the cake to ensure that the sides are evenly coated with crumbs
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