Thursday, April 12, 2012

Heirloom Chocolate Cake


Let me put it this way....to bake this cake you will just need a whisk and a heat resistant mixing bowl other than the ingredients. This is probably the easiest cake that I have ever baked. I baked this cake for my daughter's 5th birthday and fulfilled her Chocolate cake wish. It was so moist, light, and full of chocolate flavor that my son quipped as he devoured his slice, "I am  in heaven"! The sweetness and the fudgy texture was so perfect that we just couldn't stop eating after having one slice.

Adapted from Nick Malgieri's "The Modern Baker".

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE:

Unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces - 8 ounces (2 sticks)
Bittersweet (60%-70% cocoa) chocolate chips - 8 ounces
Sugar - 1 cup
Large eggs - 5
All-purpose flour -1/2 cup
Pinch of Salt

One 8-inch round cake pan, buttered and floured.


PREPARATION :

1.Set the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degree fahrenheit.

2.Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Place the butter in a heatproof mixing bowl and place this over the simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk smooth.


3.Whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs all at once and whisk until combined. Do not over-mix. Whisk in the flour and salt.

4.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 25 minutes.


5. Cool the cake on a rack, then refrigerate until you get the ganache and the chocolate shavings ready.


CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

Heavy whipping cream -3/4 cup
Light corn syrup - 2 tablespoons
Semisweet chocolate chips - 6 ounces
Some chocolate shavings for decorating the top of the cake.

PREPARATION:


1. Combine the cream and corn syrup in a sauce pan and whisk well to mix.

2.Place over medium heat and bring it to a simmer. 

3.Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips.

4.Let the mixture stand for 2 minutes to melt the chocolate and then whisk smooth.

5.Do not over-mix since the glaze will be riddled with bubbles.

6. Pour this into a small bowl and let it cool.

7. Once it is cooled, remove the cake from the refrigerator and place it on a plate lined with parchment paper.

8.Pour the glaze on top of the cake, in a spiral pattern beginning in the center and finishing all the edges.

9. Now sprinkle the chocolate shavings on the top 

10.Transfer the cake slowly to a cake stand or any serving dish and refrigerate until the ganache sets.

Enjoy this perfect delicious, light, moist, Chocolate cake!