...a combo of dark and light.
Chocolate Cake with Caramel-Milk Chocolate Frosting
Bon Appetit April 2003
Ingredients
Cake
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 2 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 24 ounces imported milk chocolate (such as Lindt), finely chopped
- 3 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 1/4 cups whipping cream
For cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Beat in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Divide batter among prepared pans (about 2 1/3 cups for each). Smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks. Invert cakes onto 9-inch-diameter cardboard rounds or tart pan bottoms (cakes are delicate). Peel off parchment.
- Combine milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in large bowl. Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Carefully and slowly add whipping cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until any hard caramel bits dissolve and mixture is smooth. Pour caramel over chocolate; let stand 1 minute to allow chocolate to soften, then whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Chill chocolate-caramel frosting until completely cool, about 2 hours. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before continuing.
- Using electric mixer, beat frosting just until color resembles milk chocolate and frosting is easily spreadable, about 1 minute (do not overbeat or frosting will become stiff and grainy). If necessary to correct graininess, set bowl with frosting over saucepan of simmering water for 10-second intervals, whisking just until frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Place 1 cake layer on platter, flat side up. Spread 1 cup frosting evenly over top. Top with second cake layer, flat side up, pressing slightly to adhere. Spread 1 cup frosting over top. Top with third cake layer, rounded side up, pressing slightly. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)
...just. Give. Me. Chocolate.
Chocolate Ice Cream
Fergus and Margot Henderson
Ingredients
- 7 ounces dark chocolate (70% to 75% cacao), finely chopped
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 large egg yolks
- 13 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Place chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Set melted chocolate aside; let cool slightly.
- Whisk milk and cocoa powder in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat until mixture begins to boil; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 7 tablespoons of sugar in another medium bowl until very thick ribbons form, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add hot milk mixture to egg yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Add melted chocolate and whisk to blend. Stir over low heat until slightly thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 175° about 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate custard to a large bowl and place over another large bowl of ice water. Stir until chocolate custard is cool.
- Bring remaining 6 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small heavy, deep saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush (do not stir), until a dark amber color forms, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Whisk caramel into chocolate custard. Strain into a large container; cover and chill for 2 days.
- Process custard in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to another container; freeze for 3 days before eating. DO AHEAD: Ice cream can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.
Lizzy Bee's Note: Now you know how much I like to make ice cream lighter, but in this case, no. Let's just not. Just go all out.
...wait, WHITE chocolate? It's not technically even chocolate! Who cares, just go with it...
White Chocolate Espresso Torte with Hazelnut Praline
Dede Wilson
Ingredients
Praline and chocolate curls:
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted , husked
- 1 6- to 8-ounce block high-quality white chocolate (1 to 1 1/2 inches thick; for chocolate curls)
- 12 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as lindt or perugina), finely chopped
- 5 tablespoons water
- 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder soaking syrup and ganache
- 2/3 cup kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur
- 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
- 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
Blocks of white chocolate are often available at Whole Foods markets and can be ordered online from beryls.com
Directions
For praline and chocolate curls:
- Place sheet of foil on work surface. Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling occasionally, 7 to 8 minutes. Mix in espresso powder, then nuts. Scrape mixture onto foil; quickly spread out. Cool completely. Chop praline into small pieces.
- Microwave white chocolate block at 50 percent power in 10-second intervals until chocolate feels just slightly warm and is just beginning to soften (if too soft, let stand until firm enough to shave). Using vegetable peeler, shave 1- to 1 1/2-inch-wide ribbon, about 4 to 5 inches long, from block. Gently roll ribbon into loose curl (cylinder). Repeat, making 20 to 24 curls. DO AHEAD: Praline and chocolate curls can be made 2 days ahead. Chill separately in airtight containers.
- Stir chocolate and 5 tablespoons water in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until chocolate is smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool chocolate to lukewarm, stirring occasionally. Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually pour lukewarm chocolate over cream, folding to blend well. Transfer 2 1/2 cups mousse to another medium bowl; gently fold in espresso powder. Cover and chill both bowls of mousse until firm, at least 6 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
- Stir liqueur and espresso powder in small bowl until espresso dissolves. Place chocolate and corn syrup in medium bowl. Bring cream to boil in small saucepan; pour over chocolate and corn syrup. Stir until melted and smooth. DO AHEAD: soaking syrup and ganache can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and store at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 15 x 10-inch sheet of parchment paper with nonstick spray. Line 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with prepared parchment (sides of baking sheet should not be coated).
- Combine eggs, sugar, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, vanilla, and salt in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until egg mixture is thick and fluffy and falls in ribbons when beater is lifted, 6 to 7 minutes. Sift flour over in 3 additions, folding gently just to incorporate after each addition. Transfer 1 cup batter to small bowl; fold in butter. Fold batter from small bowl back into batter in large bowl just until combined; spread evenly on baking sheet.
- Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from pan, about 18 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes.
- Sift 2 tablespoons powdered sugar over cake. Cut around pan sides. Slide spatula under parchment to loosen from pan and invert cake onto work surface. Peel off parchment. Cut cake crosswise into 4 rectangles, each about 10 x 3 1/2 inches.
- Place 1 cake rectangle on platter. Brush 2 tablespoons soaking syrup over. Spread 3 tablespoons ganache over, then 1/3 of espresso mousse (about 3/4 cup). Repeat 2 more times with cake, syrup, ganache, and mousse. Top with fourth cake layer; press lightly to adhere. Spread 2/3 cup plain mousse thinly over top and sides of torte to seal, then spread remaining mousse over top and sides. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Tent loosely with foil and chill.
- Before serving, press praline pieces into mousse on all sides of torte. Mound white chocolate curls on top. Mix 4 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder in small bowl. Sift over top of torte.
Happy baking!
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