Rich Chocolate Cake With Ganache Frosting And Truffle Egg Nest Recipes

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook milk, butter and chocolate over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; let stand for 10 minutes., Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, beat eggs and vanilla; stir in chocolate mixture until smooth. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture and mix well (batter will be thin). , Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, in a small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate. Stir in confectioners' sugar and heavy whipping cream until smooth., For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache reaches a spreading consistency., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread ganache over top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GANACHE FROSTING AND TRUFFLE-EGG NEST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 3-inch-high, 7-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. Coat parchment with cooking spray, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and espresso powders and water; whisk until dissolved. Whisk in sugar until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk until combined.
• Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes. Unmold, and remove parchment; let cool.
• Trim tops of cake layers level. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread with 1/2 cup ganache frosting. Place remaining layer, cut side down, on top. Coat top and sides with remaining cup frosting. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Put semisweet chocolate, cream, and corn syrup into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes. Pour over cake, and then refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Using a chef's knife, scrape milk chocolate bar at a 90-degree angle, forming enough curls and shards to measure 1 1/2 cups. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Transfer cake to serving dish; form a nest with chocolate shavings on top, and fill with truffle eggs.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cake will be tough.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let cool thoroughly in the pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Place the cake upside down on a wire rack and pour the glaze evenly over the top, making sure to cover the entire cake and sides. You can tilt the rack to smooth the glaze. Decorate with candied violets, if desired, or gently crumble the gold leaf and place it on the center of the cake. Do not refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes. Combine buttermilk and sour cream. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition. , Pour into two greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate with cream over low heat. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Transfer to a small mixing bowl; chill until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Chill until mixture achieves spreading consistency. , For ganache, in a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate and butter. Gradually add cream; heat until just warmed. Chill until slightly thickened., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Slowly pour ganache over top of cake. Refrigerate until serving.

TRUFFLE EGGS

Steps:

• Put bittersweet chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth; remove from heat. Stir in butter.
• Pour into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until very cold and set but still pliable, about 2 hours.
• Using a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, scoop balls of ganache, transferring them to baking sheets lined with parchment paper as you work. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Using your hands, roll each ball into an egg shape. Place in freezer until very firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, put 1 1/2 pounds white chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth; remove from heat. Divide between 2 medium bowls. Add food coloring to 1 bowl until desired blue shade. Add a few drops of food coloring to other bowl, and swirl lightly with a toothpick.
• Working with one at a time, dip half of the eggs in blue chocolate, then dip remaining eggs in swirled chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. As you work, transfer eggs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Truffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
• For sparkly truffles, brush luster dust onto blue eggs to coat if desired.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE FOR TRUFFLES AND CAKE ICING

Steps:

• Place the chocolate in a large bowl.
• Put cream and cinnamon stick (if using) in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to the boiling point. Add the butter and stir. Pour the cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve over the chocolate. Rotate the bowl a bit so all the chocolate is covered in cream. Let stand for two minutes. With a rubber or silicone spatula gently stir the mixture working all the cream into the chocolate until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. If using chocolate chips break up any little lumps with the back of the spatula. Add vanilla, coffee and grey salt if using and stir.
• If using as cake filling and icing: Cool the ganache to room temperature. If desired, you can take out about one cup of ganache and refrigerate it to decorate the cake with a pastry bag after it's been filled and frosted. Use about half the mixture to fill your cake. To frost the cake use a lazy susan if you have one. Put four strips of parchment or wax paper under the cake all around. This is so that any extra ganache will fall on the paper and you can gently pull them out. Use the rest of the ganache to frost the cake. Use a flat metal spatula to smooth the ganache around the top and sides of the cake.
• If using for truffles: Chill ganache for at least two hours. To make this as mess free as possible use food grade vinyl or silicone gloves and a cookie scoop. Scoop out the ganache, roll in your choice of toppings to coat evenly and set aside. Truffles can be stored in the refrigerator but should be served at room temperature.
• Suggested toppings for truffles: Cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process), finely chopped nuts, finely crushed toffee bits, finely crushed peppermint candy, cookie crumbs.
• Truffles can also be coated in dark, milk or white chocolate but that's another recipe.

DARK-CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans; dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in chocolate and vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes; run a knife around edge of each pan, and invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Set a rimmed baking sheet upside down on a work surface. Place one cake on sheet, and spread top with 1/3 of ganache. Place second cake on top, and spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake. Using two wide metal spatulas, carefully transfer frosted cake to a serving platter.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch rounds.
• Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread with about 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium heat until hot (do not boil); remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Let stand 5 minutes. Carefully pour chocolate mixture onto top center of cake; spread to edge, allowing some to drizzle down side. Garnish top of cake with toffee candy. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Store covered in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until melted, about 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
• Combine buttermilk and eggs in another bowl and add melted chocolate mixture. Beat into flour mixture on low speed for 1 minute; increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Immediately remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until it thickens and is smooth. Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate and spread with a layer of ganache frosting. Lay the second layer on top and use remaining ganache frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

DEEP & DARK GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. square baking pans with parchment; grease the paper. , Place chocolate in a small bowl. Pour hot coffee over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, beat eggs on high speed until lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar, oil, vanilla and the chocolate mixture, beating until well blended. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. , Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For ganache, place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth., Let stand at room temperature to cool and thicken slightly, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Mixture will be very soft, but will thicken when spread onto cake.), Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/3 cup ganache. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake.

WHIPPED GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Put chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of stiff cream cheese, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk until fluffy and smooth.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum if desired.
• Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

THREE-LAYER CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Beat in mayonnaise, coffee and vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For filling, in a small heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely. In a large bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in cooled mixture. Stir in chocolate chips., For ganache, place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until cold. Beat ganache just until soft peaks form, 15-30 seconds (do not overbeat)., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with ganache. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate, cream and butter. Microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, stirring twice. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over cake, allowing some to flow over sides. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

SERIOUSLY RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3/fan oven 150C. Grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Dust the sides with a little flour. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until melted, then remove the bowl from the pan and stir until smooth. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds, and the liqueur, if using. Put the egg whites into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form. Continue whisking, sprinkling in the sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stir 2 tablespoons of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remainder until no traces of white are left.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch. Cool in the tin (don't worry if the cake sinks and cracks slightly - it will still be fine). You can make the cake up to this stage up to four days ahead and keep it in an airtight container in a cool place. It also freezes well for up to one month.
• To serve, remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Sift cocoa powder liberally over the top and cut into slices. Serve with crème fraîche.