Chocolate cake is always a showstopper and the star of the dessert menu. This cake is totally chocolaty, from its first to its last layer, beginning with extra dark, bitter chocolate and ending with real white chocolate. Enriched with vanilla and topped with milk chocolate Ganache it is sure to make your day better. Also, Tina's cookings celebrates its 5th birthday today!
Ingredients
For the dark chocolate layer
60 grams butter
15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
50 grams muscovado sugar
1 small egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
30 grams plain flour
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
For the dark chocolate filling
100 grams extra dark chocolate
100 ml double cream
For the milk chocolate layer
60 grams butter
50 grams milk chocolate
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
50 grams sugar
1 small egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
45 grams plain flour
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
For the white and milk chocolate filling
200 grams white chocolate
50 grams milk chocolate
100 ml double cream
For the vanilla layer
2 egg whites
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon powdered vanilla extract
2 tablespoons plain flour
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
For the chocolate Ganache
200 grams cooking chocolate
200 ml double cream
Preparation
For the dark chocolate layer, dice the butter and place it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Put it over medium heat and when it starts melting, sift in the cocoa powder and whisk until melted and well blended. Remove it from the heat and add the sugar. Mix for a few seconds until the sugar starts to dissolve, then add the egg and vanilla, and whisk well. The batter should be smooth and glossy. Finally, add the flour and baking powder, and fold it through the batter until only combined. Do not overmix the batter at this point. Grease (or line) a small baking pan (12 cm; 5-inch), pour in the batter and bake in a preheated oven, at 170˚C (340˚F), for about 10-12 minutes. Check it with a toothpick to make sure the cake does not overbake. Let it cool and star working on the next layer.
For the milk chocolate layer,again, dice the butter and place it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, to make sure it does not burn while melting, then add the milk chocolate. Put the pan over medium heat and when it starts melting, add the cocoa powder and whisk until melted and blended. Remove it from the heat and add the sugar. Mix for a few seconds, then add the the egg and vanilla, and whisk well. Finally, fold in the flour and baking powder until only combined. Grease (or line) a small baking pan (12 cm; 5-inch), pour in the batter and bake in a preheated oven, at 170˚C (340˚F), for about 10-12 minutes. Again, make sure you check it with a toothpick to make sure it does not overbake. Let it cool and start working on the next layer.
For the vanilla layer, place the egg whites in a large glass or metal bowl, add the cream of tartar and beat with an electric mixer on high until frothy. At that point, without switching the mixer off, add the sugar, a bit at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the powdered vanilla extract and beat until stiff peaks form. Finally, add the flour and the baking powder and beat on the lowest setting until combined. Grease a small baking pan (12 cm; 5-inch), pour in the batter and bake in a preheated oven, at 170˚C (340˚F), for about 10-12 minutes. Again, making sure it does not overbake. Let it cool completely in the pan.
When the cakes are baked and cooling, start working on the fillings. For the white and milk chocolate filling, chop up the chocolate bars and place them in a large bowl. Heat the double cream until almost boiling and pour it over the chocolate. Let it stand for about a minute, then mix well. When everything is melted and combined, let the filling cool down to a thick, spreadable consistency.
For the dark chocolate filling, chop up the chocolate, and put it in a large bowl. Put the double cream in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and heat it up over medium high heat until very hot, but not boiling. Tip it over the chocolate and let it stand for about a minute, then stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, until well blended. Let the Ganache sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, to cool down and thicken up before filling the cake.
To assemble the cake, start by levelling the cakes and placing the dark chocolate layer on the serving platter. Fold a sheet of baking paper in half, then fold it around the dark chocolate layer and close the cake ring around it. This will allow you to stack the cake higher without it falling apart while cooling. Carefully and evenly spread the dark chocolate ganache on top of the cake, then place the milk chocolate layer and gently press it down into the filling. Top that layer with the white and milk chocolate filling and place the white cake layer on top. Again gently press it flat with your palm, cover the top with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
When the cake is cool and firm, make the Ganache for the decoration. Chop up the chocolate, and put it in a large bowl. Heat up the double cream in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and over medium heat until very hot, but not boiling. Pour it over the chocolate and let it stand for a minute, then stir with a wooden spoon or a spatula, until well blended. Let the Ganache cool down and thicken up before decorating. Take the cake out of the fridge, carefully remove the ring and the baking paper, then quickly decorate it with the thickened up ganache and return it to the fridge for another 2 hours.
