Bittersweet Chocolate Cappuccino Bars Recipes

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE GANACHE - 2 WAYS

Steps:

• To make the ganache, place the chocolate, heavy cream and instant coffee granules in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Melt the chocolate until it's just melted and stir it until it's smooth.
• For whipped ganache, allow the ganache to cool completely and then put it in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and mix on high speed until it is a very light.

CAPPUCCINO POUND CAKE WITH BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Whisk the flour and baking soda together until blended.
• In a large bowl, mash the butter, cream cheese, white sugar and brown sugar with a spoon until the mixture is creamy and thoroughly combined. Beat in 1 egg at a time, mixing it in completely before adding the next one. Stir the vanilla extract with the instant espresso powder in a small bowl, and add it to the butter mixture. Stir in until well combined.
• Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 1/2-cup quantities until the flour has been thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the chopped dark chocolate. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Start checking for doneness after about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cake dish and allow to finish cooling. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

CAPPUCCINO BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
• Make brownie layer:
• In a heavy 1 1/2-quart saucepan melt chocolate and butter with espresso mixture over low heat, stirring, until smooth and remove pan from heat. Cool mixture to lukewarm and whisk in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well until mixture is glossy and smooth. Stir in flour and salt until just combined and stir in walnuts.
• Spread batter evenly in pan and bake in middle of oven 22 to 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Cool brownie layer completely in pan on a rack.
• Make cream cheese frosting:
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until combined well. Spread frosting evenly over brownie layer. Chill brownies 1 hour, or until frosting is firm.
• Make glaze:
• In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and butter with cream and espresso mixture, stirring, until smooth, and remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat. Cool glaze to room temperature.
• Spread glaze carefully over frosting. Chill brownies, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.
• Cut chilled brownies into 24 squares and remove them from pan while still cold. Serve brownies cold or at room temperature. Brownies keep, covered and chilled, in one layer, 5 days.