Double Chocolate Torte

I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, which was the first food blog I ever found. I knew that I needed to make this. It was calling my name. The smooth dark chocolate, the sweet whipped cream and raspberries. I mean, how can you go wrong? Oh, that’s right. You can’t.

I recommend a tall glass of milk with this.

Double Chocolate Torte
From Smitten Kitchen

Cake

8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325°F. 
Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan; dust with sugar. 
Melt chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.
Cool to lukewarm. 
Whisk in sugar. 
Whisk in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. 
Mix in vanilla and salt, then flour. 
Pour batter into pan. Bake until cake just rises in center (tester inserted into center will not come out clean), about 35 minutes. 
Cool completely in pan on rack. 
Cover; chill while making mousse.

Mousse

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup whipping cream, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons red currant jelly melted with 1 tablespoon water

Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). 
Whisk yolks, 1/4 cup cream and vanilla in small bowl to blend. 
Gradually whisk yolk mixture into bowl with melted butter. Whisk constantly over simmering water until thermometer registers 150°F, about 6 minutes (mixture may appear broken). 
Remove from over water; add chocolate and stir to melt. Set aside.
Beat egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to medium-stiff peaks. 
Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg white mixture into warm chocolate mixture to lighten. 
Fold in remaining egg white mixture. 

Pour mousse over cake in pan; smooth top. 
Chill torte until mousse is set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
Run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen torte. Release pan sides. 
Transfer torte to platter. 

Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup cream in medium bowl until peaks form. 
Spread whipped cream over torte. 
Top whipped cream with raspberries.

Vanilla Cupcake, Coconut Buttercream, Caramel Drizzle

Here is a delicious cupcake. And its easy. Easy peasy.

My mom was throwing a party and needed 60+ cupcakes. So, I went to my handy dandy box mix. Then I love my classic buttercream, so I dressed it up with a little coconut. Finally, it needed a little more oomph. I drizzled those babies with a classic store bought caramel sauce. The kind you drizzle on ice cream. I like the ones that aren't as "artificial" tasting, but use whatever kind you like.

Unfortunately, only 10 people showed up to her party. In the end that meant more cupcakes for me. But the people who did show up loved the cupcakes.

Coconut Buttercream

12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 14oz bag of flaked sweetened coconut

Cream the butter, confectioners sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer. Once it is nice and smooth add the coconut.

Kahlua and Biscoff Cake

Another hiatus. I know. I'm a terrible blogger.

But, I got a job. Like a real human job. So that's good.

Also, I took 511 photos of my thanksgiving pies and that number is so daunting I cannot even bring myself to go through them to find the good ones.

Hopefully this will make up for my absence: 

Here is cake recipe that I found on pinterest. The original recipe was for 12 cupcakes, so I trippled it for a 3 layer 9" cake.

Delicious.

I mean. Biscoff, Chocolate and Kahlua. Duh. Perfect combination.

The cake was great. Really intensely kahlua-ey. But, when I pulled it out of the oven, it was hard as a rock. The top had baked into what I would describe as brownie brittle meets...well... a rock. I mean. I knocked on it. And it went nowhere. So, I flipped the cake and checked the bottom to see what was going on. And the bottom was UNDERCOOKED (seriously, can I ever bake anything and not experience drama??)

I threw it back in the oven and lowered the temperature. It all came out fine in the end. The top softened a ton once it was iced and no one knew about my major issues.

The frosting is so good. If you haven't tried a) Biscoff (shame on you!) or b) Swiss Meringue Frosting then you need to get on it now.

For the piping, I swiped some of the chocolate ganache along the inisde of the piping bag and then filled it with the Biscoff swiss meringue.

Overall, A+ to this recipe. Try it now. The cake and chocolate are easy peasy. The icing is a bit of a challenge, but worth it. 100% worth it.

 

Adapted from Baker's Royale

Kahlua Cake

Yield: 3 layer 9" cake or 36 Cupcakes

3 cups all flour

3 cups plus 6 tablespoons sugar
1 cup plus 6 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and warm
6 large eggs
3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoon instant coffee (dry)
1 1/2 cup Kahlua

"Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, instant coffee and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. 

Add in the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. 

Add half of the Kahlua into the mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add remaining Kahlua. 

Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. 

The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the 3 pans."

Bake ~20-30 minutes. I don't have an exact number, so just watch it. Carefully.

Biscoff Swiss Buttercream

5 large egg whites
11/2 cup sugar
4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup of Biscoff spread

"Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 160 degrees F while whisking constantly.

Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium high speed (speed 8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer) until mixture cools and doubles in volume and forms stiff peaks; about 10-12 minutes.

Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again. 

Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. 

Add in Biscoff and mix until well combined."

Chocolate Pouring Sauce

2/3 cups dark chocolate
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
4-5 tablespoons water, warm

"Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. 

Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. 

Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. 

Set aside all chocolate pouring sauce to cool until warm."