Friday, March 4, 2011

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE


CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE


FOR THE CAKE:

11 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1 1⁄2 cups flour

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%, 
chopped

1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar

7 eggs, separated

1⁄2 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup dark rum

FOR THE GANACHE:

24 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%, 
roughly chopped

3 cups heavy cream

Chocolate shavings
Cocoa powder, for dusting

1. Make the cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Grease pan with 1 tbsp. butter. Add 1⁄4 cup flour; shake to evenly coat inside. Invert and tap out excess flour; set pan aside.
2. Set a medium bowl over a 1-qt.saucepan of simmering water. Add chocolate; melt. Set aside to let cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat the melted chocolate, butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour and salt and mix until just combined; set batter aside.
4. In a bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until frothy. Sprinkle in 1⁄4 cup sugar and beat to form stiff, glossy peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the cake batter.  Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack; let cool. Invert and unmold cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers (see How-To: Cutting Cake Layers); set cake layers aside.
5. Dissolve remaining sugar and 1⁄4 cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until syrup has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum; let cool.
6. Make the ganache: Place chocolate in bowl of a standing mixer. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour over chocolate; let sit for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine chocolate and cream. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache reaches room temperature. Chill until ganache has the consistency of peanut butter, 2 hours. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with a whisk. Whip on medium speed, 15–20 seconds.
7. Place bottom cake layer on a cardboard cake circle. Using a pastry brush, brush cake with one-third of rum syrup. Using a butter knife, spread 1 cup ganache evenly across cake top. Top with second cake layer and one-third of rum syrup; repeat process with remaining cake, rum syrup, and ganache. Spread remaining ganache over cake. Press chocolate shavings onto sides. Shake cocoa powder over cake with a mesh sieve.
(I DRIZZLE CHOCOLATE (with a little butter) ON THE PLATE AND TOP OF THIS) 
SERVES 16
Saveur Issue #118
IF YOU MISSED ~ 




8 comments:

  1. Teresa you are adding to my chocolate addiction. This recipe looks scrumptious & would love to try it when my daughter comes home in a week for spring break. Thank you and sending all my best to you for a fun weekend.

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  2. Did you seroiusly have to put that huge glossy delicious looking picture first? Here I was proud that I hadn't had my "sweet treat" tonight though my stomach is begging me to and I come here! You know what that means..I am headed straight to my kitchen to grab anything chocolate....as I am suddenly craving it! This looks heavenly good..and could be lethal in this household, wouldn't make it an hour is my guess:)

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  3. Yum...so wish someone would make that for me!! I would somehow manage to eat the entire cake over the weekend, Teresa. Hope yours is wonderful ~

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  4. Hi Dear Teresa
    Trying to get back into the swing of blogging and here you are tempting me with this delicious chocolate cake!!!

    Hope your weekend. is just as sweet.. ciao xxx Julie

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  5. All I can say is it is a good thing I am my way to bed or I might start eating everything in my kitchen to try and fill in the craving I now have for chocolate, Good night sweet dreams to Me!! KS

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  6. Oh, thank goodness I don't like to bake because this would not stand a chance in my house! I can already hear my reasoning... "Well, if I just go ahead and eat the whole thing then there won't be anything left to worry about eating." hee hee Hope your weekend is wonderful, Teresa!! xo

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  7. ...death by chocolate....this is getting copied and pasted in my cooking file....
    thanks, Teresa....
    maureen

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  8. Yum, Yum. I'll have to save that one for later on. I've been doing the no carb thing for a few weeks trying to shed my winter coat. Chocolate cake is one of our favorites and this looks like a great recipe.

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