Chestnut Cake With Chocolate Ganache And Single Malt Scotch Syrup Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT CAKE

Steps:

• For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F Butter and flour 9x2-inch round metal baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
• Put chestnut spread in small bowl. Mix in 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in 1 cup brown sugar, then egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat in chestnut spread mixture, then milk. Mixture will look a bit grainy.
• Sift dry ingredients over the mixture and gently mix together by hand.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Cut around cake to loosen. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
• For Chestnut Cream: Melt chocolate over simmering water or in microwave. Set aside to cool. Place one cup unsweetened chestnut spread in bowl of food processor (mini bowl is fine). Pulse a few times to loosen. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and process to combine well. Add melted chocolate and process to combine well.
• In large bowl of electric mixer (preferably chilled) whip the cream on high until until very soft peaks form. Add the chocolate chestnut mixture and beat until stiff peaks form.
• For Dark Chocolate Ganache: Place the semisweet chocolate in a 3-quart stainless steel bowl. Heat the heavy cream and the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, the coffee, the liquor and the salt. Stir until smooth. This may take a few minutes as the cream absorbs the chocolate. Once well combined, set aside to cool. If desired, set aside and chill about 1 1/2 cups ganache to pipe onto finished cake.
• For Chestnut Brandy Syrup: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.
• Assemble the cake: Take the cake out of the pan and remove parchment. Split into three even layers. Arrange one of the cake layers in a 9-inch springform pan. Brush with the chestnut brandy syrup. Evenly spread half the filling over the cake and top with the second layer. (It's best to use an offset spatula to spread the filling). Brush layer with the with syrup. Remove ring from springform pan and coat sides and top with room temperature ganache. You will have some ganache left over which you can use for something else like chocolate truffles. Decorate with whole chestnuts, colored sugar and chopped chestnuts. If piping chilled ganache, place it in a pastry bag and pipe a decorative design onto cake.
• Cut cake with a serrated knife, wiping the blade clean after each slice.
• NOTES:.
• 1) If you can find sweetened chestnut cream with vanilla use one cup in cake instead of sweetening it as indicated.
• 2) If you can't find chestnut cream you can make your own with jarred chestnuts, or roast your own.
• 3) If you can't find chestnut liquor, use brandy, rum, or spiced rum.

CHESTNUT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND SINGLE-MALT SCOTCH SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, and line with parchment paper. Sift confectioners' sugar, almond flour, all-purpose flour and chestnut flour into a bowl.
• In a dry bowl of a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining brown sugar; whip until very stiff and glossy.
• Gently fold sifted dry ingredients into meringue in three stages. Divide batter among pans, and smooth tops. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until tops are brown and spring back when lightly pressed. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick liner. In a small saucepan, combine granulated sugar with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let cool.
• Stir whiskey into syrup. Place walnuts in a bowl, and toss them with 1/4 cup syrup. Pour nuts out onto baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, chop all but four of candied chestnuts, and set aside.
• To assemble cake, cut a piece of cardboard into an 8-inch round or use removable bottom of a springform pan. Place a cake layer upside down on this base. Brush cake with a generous amount of whiskey syrup. Spread about 3/4 cup ganache on top, and sprinkle with half the chopped chestnuts. Lay another upside-down cake layer on top, and brush with more syrup. Spread on another layer of ganache, and sprinkle with remaining chopped chestnuts. Repeat with final layer of cake, more syrup and more ganache. Using a metal spatula, spread a thin layer of ganache onto sides of cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Spread another coat onto top and sides of cake, smoothing it well. Press candied walnut halves onto sides, and arrange candied chestnuts on top. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.