Tuesday, March 27, 2012

My Chocolate Indulgence

Chocolate Indulgence with Banana Filling...
Before I attended a demo class at Bagus Kota Damansara, I have attempted 2 times to make this cake. Taste wise was ok, but failed to make nice and fluffy chocolate & white chocolate mousse filling as well as the shining chocolate ganache. Ohh, and I made them into cupcakes!!

After the class, and with the recipe in hand, I push myself to bake this shiny and delicious Chocolate Indulgence with Banana filling.. First attempt of making layer cake! Got the tips of slicing even layer of cakes during the demo class!!! You have to have the turntable and the right knife!!! Enough said, Here is the recipe;

First slice commissioned by Hubby!!!
Ingredients;

Meringue
5 size A or 6 size B egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
75g castor sugar

Cake Mix
5 size A or 6 size B egg yolks
45g castor sugar
30g dark cocoa powder
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup corn oil
1 tsp soda of bicarbonate
130g cake flour (superfine or rose flour can also be used)
1.4 tsp vanilla essence

Chocolate Mouse Filling
150 g cooking chocolate (can also use 1/2 bitter + 1/2 milk)
2 tblsp coffee
1 cup non-dairy whipping cream
(If making the white chocolate mouse too, halves the recipe for each chocolate)

Chocolate Ganache
150g bitter sweet chocolate
100g milk chocolate
100 ml whipping cream
100g liquid glucose

Method;

Cake Mix & Meringue;
  1. Sift cake flour with soda about 3 times. Set aside
  2. Mix warm water with cocoa powder into a paste.
  3. Add sugar, egg yolk and vanilla, continue mixing.
  4. Add flour and mix until well combined.
  5. Add oil and also mixed well. Set aside.
  6. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with high speed until egg whites form a bubble.
  7. Then add sugar little by little and continue whisking at high speed until stiff peak.
  8. Add cake mixture to the meringue and mix well.
  9. Bake in 8 inches round lined cake tin at 140-150 Celsius until cake is done.
Chocolate/White Chocolate Mousse Filling;
  1. Chop the chocolate thinly. Melt chocolate using double boiler. Stir to expedite melting.
  2. When there are no more lumps, remove from double boiler add coffee granules and continue stirring and to let the melted chocolate cool.
  3. Beat fresh cream until hard peak, incorporate the melted chocolate and mix well.
Chocolate Ganache
  1. Chop the chocolate thinly and melt the chocolate using double boiler.
  2. Stirring the chocolate continuously to smooth out the chocolate.
  3. When there are no more lumps, add whipping cream and mix well.
  4. Next, add liquid glucose continue stirring until well combined, remove from double boiler.
  5. Stir the chocolate occasionally to let it cool faster.

Assembling the Cake

  1. Slice the cake into 3 or 4 layers.
  2. Spread a portion of white chocolate mousse, top with a layer of cake, spread with chocolate mousse, top with cake. Repeat to finish off the layers. Spare mouse for cake coating.
  3. Coat the whole cake with a thin layer of the mousse or chocolate butter cream evenly. 
  4. Refrigerate cake for about 2-3 hours until set.
  5. Place cake on a wire rack, pour over chocolate ganache and decorate with snow powder.