The Melting Pot 2.0/The Melting Pot 2.0.iso/food/cakes/rich_cho.col

Text File | 1995-09-27 | 20KB | 497 lines

Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes
From: [e-mail] (Stephanie da Silva)
Subject: Chocolate Cakes
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 93 15:24:25 CDT


Double Chocolate Threat
(this is a mousse cake)

1/3 c. unsalted butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten well
2/3 c. unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate mousse filling (see below)
1 c. heavy cream, for frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour an 8- or 9-inch square
baking pan.  Set aside.  Melt butter and chocolate over low heat or in
the top of a double boiler over hot water.  Remove from heat, add sugar
and eggs, mix well.  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Stir into the chocolate mixture.  Add the vanilla and pour the mixture
into the prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until
cake is baked but still very moist.  Then cool.  Remove the cake from
the pan and cut into strips wide enough so they can line most of the
side of a 2-quart souffle dish or charlotte mold.  Cut strips through
center to separate into two thinner halves.  Lin the bottom and sides of
diesh with the strips.  Don't worry about piecing; the spaces won't show.
Spoon the mousse filling into the cake-lined dish.  Wrap the dish well,
and chill overnight in the fridge or freezer.  To serve, first defrost the
cake, if frozen.  Remove it from the pan, first loosening the sides with a
knife, then dipping the pan partly into hot water to loosen the cake so it
can be turned outonto a serving plate.  Whip the cup of heavy cream until
stiff and decorate top and parts of sides with cream.  Serve in small slices.

Chocolate Mousse Filling (good by itself too! :-))

1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate
1/2 c. strong coffee
3 eggs, separated
1/2 c. coffee liqueur
1/2 c. heavy cream

Melt the chocolate with the coffee over low heat or in top of double boiler
over hot water.  Remove from heat.  Beat the yolks until pale in color, and
stir them into chocolate.  Stir in the coffee liqueur.  Cool.  Beat egg
whites until stiff but not dry.  Whip 1/2 c. cream until stiff.  Fold the
whites an the cream into the chocolate mixture.
Yield: 12 servings.


Chocolate Cake Glazed With Chocolate Butter Cream
(This cake is small, elegant, rich, dense, chocolatey and goooood!)

3/4 c. sugar
4 eggs, separated
6 oz. German's sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup butter
4 Tbs. cake flour
2 Tbs. almonds, blanched and pulverized
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut a round of waxed paper to fit the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch round
cake pan.  Butter the sides of the pan and one side of the paper.  Lay
the paper butter side up in the pan and flour the paper and the sides
of the pan.  Set aside.  Beat the sugar with the 4 egg yolks until they
are a creamy yellow.  Put the chocolate and the butter into a saucepan
over simmering water, and continue stirring over low heat until well
blended.  Stir in the flour and the pulverized almonds.  Beat the 4
egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff byt not dry.  Stir one
quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighted it;
then fold all back into the remaining egg whites.  Fill the cake pan
3/4 full and tap gently on the table to distribute the mixture evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, watching carefully, until the outside is solid
and the center still creamy (not runny and not dry) when tested with a
sharp knife.  Let the cake cool before unmolding.  Glaze and decorate
cake.  Refrigerate before serving.

To glaze:
Chocolate butter cream

3 1/2 oz. German's sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
2 to 3 Tbsp. coffee or water
3 Tbsp. butter

Melt the chocolate with the coffee or the water until smooth, remove from
the heat, and stir in the butter.  Pour on top of the chocolate cake,
using a metal spatula (moistened in hot water and dried) to spread.

To decorate: Use toasted slivered almonds


Chocolate Fudge Cake

Bake this cake at least two days before you plan to use it.  The flavor
and texture improve on standing.   It's time-consuming to prepare, but
well worth it!

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbsp. strong-brewed coffee
1 Tbsp.  pure vanilla extract
3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter at room temp.
1 pound dark brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 c. sifted all-purpose flour
Confectioner's sugar for decorating
1 c. heavy cream, whipped (optional)

Adjust th rack to the center of the over.  Butter a 10-inch springform
pan.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a double boiler, over
simmering water, melt the chocolate with the coffee.  Remove from heat.
When slightly cool, stir in the vanilla.  (The melted chocolate and coffee
may form a thick paste, but it incorporates easily into the batter when
added.)  In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with
the brown and white sugars until light and fluffy.  Separate the eggs
carefully, placing the whites in a large bowl.  Add the egg yolks one
at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition.
Add the chocolate mixture to the batter and mix well.  Stir in the flour,
mixing only until incorporated.  Using clean, dry beaters, beat the egg
whites until stiff and glossy but not dry.  Gently fold the beaten egg
whites into the chocolate mixture, handling them carefully in order not
to deflate the egg whites.  Fold only until no white streaks remain.
Gently turn the batter into the prepared springform pan.  Smooth the top
with a spatula.  Place in the preheated oven, and bake for one hour or
until the top springs back when lightly touched.  Remove the pan from
the oven and cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil to keep it
from hardening.  Place the pan on a rack to cool.  When completely
cool, store covered in the baking pan until ready to serve.  A plastic
bag, tightly closed provides excellent storage.  *Do not refrigerate!*
At serving time, remove the sides of the springform pan and place the
cake on a 12-inch cake platter.  Dust the top lightly with confectioners'
sugar.  (For a nice effect, you can place a lace doily or stencil on top
of the cake and then dust with the sugar over that.  Carefully remove the
doily or stencil and voila! instant masterpiece!)  Top each portion with
a dollop of cream.

Chocolate Torte with walnuts (or hazel nuts)

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup fine granulated sugar
5 medium eggs, separated
1 whole egg
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup (or more) of grated walnuts or hazel nuts

Cream butter with sugar. Add egg yolks and whole egg mixing well. Melt
chocolate, cool slightly and add to the above mixture. Add the grated nuts.
Mix. Beat whites and fold them into the mixture.

Butter well a 10" Springform pan, and sprinkle with dry breadcrumbs. Put
batter into pan and bake in preheated 350 F. oven for app. 50 minutes.
Use the kniting needle test for donness. Cool and glaze.

Glaze

3/4 cup apricot jam
4 oz sweet dark chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cover top and sides of Torte with apricot jam. Melt the rest of the ingra-
dients over a low flame mixing constanly. Remove from heat and poor over
Torte.


TURTLE CAKE

1 box German chocolate or Devil's food cake mix (Do not use a mix with pudding
in it)
3 eggs
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 1/3 cup water
1 stick butter or margarine
12 oz. chocolate chips
12 oz. caramels
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt 14 oz. caramels in a double boiler, then add 1/3
cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk.  While caramels are melting, mix
together the cake mix, eggs, water, and butter.  Put half of the batter in a
greased and floured 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Take out of oven
and sprinkle 12 oz. chocolate chips and 1 cup walnuts on top.  Pour on melted
caramels and top with remaining cake batter.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350.  Top
with whipped cream or chocolate frosting, if desired.


MALLO-NUT FUDGE CAKE

3 oz. baking chocolate, cut fine
3/4 cup boiling water
1-3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup thick sour milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs unbeten
18 large marshmallows, cut in half  (or 1-1/2 cups small marshmallows)
1/2 cup nuts

Put chocolate in mixing bowl.   Pour boiling water  over chocolate and
stir until melted.  Cool.  Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and
soda into  chocolate  mix.   Drop in  shortening.   Beat 2 minutes  at
medium. Add sour milk, vanilla, eggs and beat 2 minutes more.  Bake at
350 deg. for 30 - 40 minutes in 9 x 13" pan.

While still warm, put marshmallows and nuts on top of cake.  Cool.
Frost with following frosting recipe.


MINUTE FUDGE FROSTING

Combine:
  1 oz. baking chocolate, finely cut
  1 cup sugar
  1/3 cup milk
  1/4 cup shortening
  1/4 tsp salt

Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil  1 minute.
Beat until lukewarm.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla, then beat with mixer on high
until thick enough to spread.


BEST FUDGE CAKE

3 oz. baking chocolate  (pre-melted or melted squares)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2-1/4 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 cup boiling water


In a large mixer bowl, cream butter until smooth.  Add brown sugar and
eggs.  Beat  with mixer till  light and fluffy - about  5  min.   With
mixer on  low speed, beat  in vanilla and chocolate, then  baking soda
and salt.  Add flour alternately with sour cream, beating on low speed
until smooth.  Pour in  boiling water; stir  with spoon until blended.
Pour into greased and floured pan(s).  Bake 35  minutes or until done.
Makes one 9 - 13" pan or one 2-layer 9" round cake.


Chocolate Genoise Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 squares (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate
6 slightly beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
Espresso Buttercream

Grease and lightly flour two 9 x 1 1/2 inch round baking pans.  In a
saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring often; set
aside.

In a large mixer bowl combine eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Set bowl over
(not touching) 1 to 2 inches of hot (not boiling) water in a large
saucepan.  Heat over low heat, stirring occasoinally, about 10 minutes
or till lukewarm.

Remove from heat; remove bowl from saucepan.  Beat with an electric
mixer on high sped about 15 minutes or till nearly tripled in volume.

Gently fold in flour, 1/3 cup at a time.  Gradually fold in chocolate
mixture.  Spread evenly in prepared pans.  Bake in a 350F oven 25 to 30
minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out
clean.  Cool 10 minutes on wire racks.  Remove from pans; cool.

Meanwhile, prepare Espresso Buttercream.  Fill and frost cake with
Espresso Buttercream.  Pipe chocolate buttercream around the edge of cake.

Espresso Buttercream

6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
4 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, melted and cooled

Beat egg yolk with electric mixer till thick and lemon colored; set
aside.  In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water, and coffee powder;
bring to boiling, stirring till dissolved.  Cook over medium high heat.
Stir constantly, till mixture reaches solt-ball stage (236F).

Quckly pour the hot mixture in a steady stream over yolks, beating
contantly on high speed.  Continue beating till mixture is thick and
smooth.  Cool 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the unsalted butter till light and fluffy.  Beat butter,
1 tablespoon at at time, into cool yolk mixture.  Cover and chill for 30
minutes or until stiff enough to spread.  Stir semisweet chocolate pieces
into 1/2 cup of the buttercream.


Black Forest Cherry Cake

Cherry Filling:
Drain 1 16-oz. can of pitted dark sweet cherries, reserving 1/2 cup liquid.
Halve cherries, and pour 1/3 cup Kirschwasser over them.  Let stand 2 hours
or overnight.  Reserve a few cherry halves for garnish. Combine 4 tsp.
cornstarch and reserved liquid, add cherry-Kirsch mixture.  Cook and stir
until bubbly.  Cool.

Cake:
1 slightly beaten egg
1-2/3 C. granulated sugar
1-1/2 C. milk
3 squares (3 oz.) unsweetened baking chocolate, cut up
1-3/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 pt. whipping cream (whip w/sweeting you prefer)

Oven 350 F
Grease & lightly flour 2 9-1/2" round baking pans.  Combine beaten egg
2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk, and chocolate.  Cook and stir until mixture
just boils.  Cool.  Combine flour, soda & salt.  Beat shortening 30 seconds,
add remaining sugar & vanilla, beat until fluffy.  Add the 2 eggs, beating 1
minute after each.  Add dry ingredients and remaining 1 cup milk alternately to
beaten mixture, beating after each addition.  Stir in chocolate mixture, turn
into pans.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes on racks, remove from
pans, cool.
To assemble, place 1 cake layer on a serving plate, spread with cherry filling
and whipped cream.  Place 2nd layer on top, frost with whipped cream and
garnish with reserved cherry halves and shaved chocolate curls.
NOTE:  This recipe originally called for using a plain buttercream frosting
in place of whipped cream, but all the versions I have had in restaurants
use whipped cream instead.  Use your discretion.  You can also add a little
kirsch to the whipped cream.


Sourdough Chocolate Cake

1 cup sourdough starter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup milk
Cocoa Cream Cheese Filling
Sweet Chocolate Glaze

Bring sourdough starter to room temperature.  Grease and flour two
9 x 1 1/2-inch round cake pans; set aside.  Stir together the flour,
baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  In a large bowl beat the butter with
an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and
vanilla; beat till fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 mintue
after each addition.  Beat in the melted chocolate.

Combine the sourdough starter and milk.  Add dry ingredients and milk
mixture alternately to beaten mixture beating till well combined.
Turn the batter into prepared pans.  Bake in a 350F oven about 30
minutes or till done.  Cool 10 minutes on wire racks.  Remove from
pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks.  Fill with Cocoa Cream Cheese
Filling and glaze cake with Sweet Chocolate Glaze.  Drizzle a design
atop with reserved cream cheese icing and top with white chocolate
leaves.  Makes 12 servings.

Cocoa Cream Cheese Filling

1 cup sifted powdered (confectioner's, icing) sugar
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

In a small mixwer bowl beat together the 1 cup powdered sugar and
cream cheese till fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla.  If necessary, beat
in enough milk (about 2 teaspoons) to make of pouring consistency.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture and set aside to decorate the top of
the cake.  Stir the cooa powder into the remaining mixture in the
bowl.  Add the 1/3 cup powdered sugar and beat till smooth.  Use the
cocoa mixture to spread between cake layers.  Makes 2/3 cup filling;
1/4 cup icing.

Sweet Chocolate Glaze

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
2 squares (2 ounces) German sweet chocolate, cut up
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a small saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch and dash salt.  Stir
in water and chocolate.  Cook; stir till chocolate is melted and
mixture is thickened.  Cook; stir 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat;
stir in vanilla.

Cover surface with clear plastic wrap or waxed paper.  Let stand 10
to 15 minutes or till slightly cooled and of spreading consistency.
Spread glaze over top and sides of cake.  Chill cake till set.  Makes
1 1/2 cups glaze.


HAZELNUT-CHOCOLATE VIENNESE TORTE
Potato starch (or sugar) for the pan

 6 large eggs, 5 of them separated
 Pinch of salt
 2 teaspoons lemon juice, preferably fresh
 3/4 cup sugar, divided
 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon rind (yellow part only)
 3 oz. very finely grated semisweet (or "dark") bar chocolate
 2 and 1/2 cups very finely ground unblanched hazelnuts (about 8 oz.)

 1/4 cup sweet Passover wine, sherry, or flavored brandy
 about 1/2 cup apricot (or other) jam or preserves

 1/3 cup water
 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
 1 cup sugar
 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

 about 1 cup ground hazelnuts, for the sides of the torte
 12 whole hazelnuts
 1 ounce semisweet (or "dark" bar chocolate (for chocolate curls)

Grease a 9-inch springform pan well, and coat it with potato starch (or
sugar), tapping out any excess. If desired line the bottom of the pan with
wax paper to make removal of the cake easier. Set aside.
    For the batter, in a large mixing bowl, beat the 5 egg whites with
the salt and lemon juice until foamy. Then very gradually add 1/4 cup of
the sugar, and continue beating the whites until they form stiff, but not
dry, peaks.
    Use the same beaters and another bowl to beat the 5 egg yolks and the
additional whole egg with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon rind
until they are very light and fluffy. Gently, but thoroughly, fold the
beaten whites into the beaten yolk mixture. Then fold in the grated
chocolate and ground hazelnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
    Bake the torte in a preheated 325-degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes,
or until the top springs back when gently pressed with a fingertip.
Leave the torte in the oven, turn off the heat, and open the oven door
slightly. After 10 minutes, remove the torte from the oven. Run a knife
around the edge of the torte to release it from the pan rim; then cool
the torte for 30 minutes longer in the pan. Remove the pan rim, and COOL THE
TORTE COMPLETELY ON THE PAN BOTTOM. (The center of the torte will settle
slightly.)
     Cover a 9- or 10-inch cardboard circle with a heavy duty aluminum
foil or freezer paper, for a base (or use a cake platter). Invert the torte
onto the prepared base and remove the bottom of the pan (and the wax paper,
if used). Sprinkly the wine evenly over the torte. Heat the jam (in a small
saucepan on the stove, or in a small heatproof bowl in the microwave oven)
until it is thinned; then brush or spread the jam all over the torte. (This
not only adds flavor, but also evens out the surface of the cake so the
chocolate glaze will be perfectly smooth.)
     For the chocolate glaze, combine the water, oil, sugar, and cocoa in
a small saucepan and mix very well. Cook the mixture over LOW HEAT, stirring
constantly for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the glaze thickens slightly and
is very smooth and shiny. For the best flavor and texture, it should not
boil. Remove the glaze from the heat and stir it for 3 to 4 minutes
longer, or until it cools slightly and gets a bit thicker. Pour all the
glaze in the center of the torte, and immediately use a metal or rubber
spatula to evenly spread it all over the top and sides. Wipe up any drips
from the cardboard base or serving platter.
    Let the torte rest a few minutes until the glaze begins to set, but is
still soft. Press handfuls of ground hazelnuts all over the sides of the
torte, but NOT the top. Arrange the whole hazelnuts, evenly spaced, in a
circle on top of the torte, about 1 inch in from the edge. Heap some
chocolate curls (or coarsely grated bar chocolate) in the center of the
torte (where it may have settled a bit). Refrigerate the uncovered,
completed torte for several hours or, preferably, overnight so that the
glaze can set, and the flavors and textures can "mellow."

   For the best flavor and texture, remove the torte from the refrigerator
a few hours before serving.

Makes about 12 servings.