Dark Chocolate Polenta Cake With Salted Caramel Sauce Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE POLENTA CAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm/8in round springform tin and line the base with baking paper.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Leave to cool slightly.
• Mix together the almonds, polenta and baking powder in a small bowl.
• Beat the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is light and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold through the melted chocolate until completely incorporated. Tip the bowl of dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture and fold in using a spatula, until just combined. Add the vanilla extract and fold through.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the tin and leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.
• For the sauce, put the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then cook until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cream, vanilla and salt, then whisk. Bring to a steady simmer, then cook for 3 minutes, or until sticky and thick.
• Cut the warm cake into slices and serve with a little crème fraîche and a drizzle of sauce.

EXTRA DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9-inch round cake pans.
• Combine cocoa powder and chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Pour boiling hot coffee over top and whisk until chocolate chips have melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Combine sugar, butter, and vegetable oil in a separate bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture, beating batter briefly after each addition. Spread 1/3 of the batter into each prepared cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges of each pan to loosen. Invert one layer carefully onto a serving plate and invert the remaining layers onto a cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine sugar and salt for the caramel sauce in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until liquefied. Just after mixture begins to smoke, slowly add half-and-half, stirring constantly, until fully incorporated. (Be careful as the addition of cold liquid makes the molten sugar foam up.) Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Pour 1/2 of the caramel sauce on top of the bottom layer of the cooled cake. Add the second layer of cake, top with remaining caramel sauce, and add the final layer of cake. Dust lightly with powdered sugar.