Chocolate Temptation
- Ready In:
- 4hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
8-12
ingredients
-
Chocolate Cake
- 1⁄2 lb unsalted butter (2 Tablespoons melted)
- 6 1⁄2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2 ounce pieces
- 2⁄3 cup egg yolk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2⁄3 cup egg white
-
Chocolate Ganache
- 1⁄2 cup hazelnuts
- 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 10 1⁄2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2 ounce pieces
-
Raspberry Filling and Sauce
- 1 1⁄2 pints red raspberries
- 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
-
Chocolate Curls
- 1 ounce solid piece semisweet chocolate
directions
- Lightly coat the insides of two 9 by 1 1/2-inch cake pans with melted butter.
- Line each pan with parchment paper, then lightly coat the parchment paper with more melted butter.
- Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Heat 1 inch of water in bottom half of double boiler over medium heat.
- Place the remaining butter and 6 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate in top half of double boiler.
- Tightly cover the top with film wrap.
- Allow to heat for 10- 12 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir until smooth, and hold at room temperature.
- Place 2/3 cup egg yolks and 1 cup sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle.
- Beat on high speed until lemon colored and slightly thickened about 4 minutes.
- Scrape down sides of bowl and beat for additional 2 minutes.
- While egg yolks are beating, whisk 2/3 cup egg whites in a large stainless steel bowl until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the beaten egg yolk mixture.
- Add a quarter of the beaten egg whites and stir to incorporate, then gently fold in remaining egg whites.
- Divide between prepared pans, spreading evenly, and bake in oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes.
- During baking, the surface of the cake will form a crust; this crust will normally collapse when the cake is removed from the oven.
- Adjust the oven temp to 425°F.
- Invert cakes onto cake plates.
- Remove parchment paper and refrigerate cakes for 1 hour.
- While cakes are cooling, prepare the ganache.
- First toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 5 minutes in the 450°F oven.
- Remove from oven and immediately cover with a damp towel.
- Invert another baking sheet over the top to steam the skins off.
- After 5 minutes, remove the skins from the nuts.
- Allow nuts to cool to room temperature.
- In a food processor fitted with metal blade, chop nuts into 1/8-inch pieces.
- Heat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 4 Tablespoons butter, and 1/4 cup sugar in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium high heat.
- Bring to a boil.
- Place 10 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl.
- Pour the boiling cream over chocolate and allow to stand for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir until smooth.
- Remove 1/2 cup chocolate ganache and combine with chopped hazelnuts.
- Hold this mixture at room temp to use for the filling.
- Remove another 1/2 cup chocolate ganache and reserve under refrigeration for 1 hour (this 1/2 cup will be used to decorate the Temptation).
- Hold the remaining ganache at room temp until needed.
- Puree the raspberries and 1/2 cup sugar in food processor with metal blade for 12- 15 seconds.
- Transfer to stainless steel bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Assemble and decorate the cake.
- Remove cake from refrigerator.
- Using a cake spatula, spread 1/4 cup raspberry puree over one cake.
- Spread the puree evenly to the edges.
- Spread the ganache and hazelnut mixture over raspberry puree.
- Spread ganache evenly to edges of cake.
- Invert the other cake layer on top of the ganache covered cake.
- Pres cakes together.
- Using a very sharp serrated knife, trim the top and sides of the cake so they are even.
- At this point, the cake must be refrigerated for 30 minutes.
- Remove the well-chilled cake from the refrigerator.
- Pour the room temp chocolate ganache over the cake, spreading with a spatula to create an even coating of ganache on both the top and sides of the cake.
- Refrigerate the cake for 20- 25 minutes, to set the ganache.
- Transfer the 1/2 cup well-chilled ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a#2 star tip.
- Removed the cake from the refrigerator.
- Pipe 8- 12 stars on top of the cake.
- Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate curls from the 1 ounce piece of chocolate directly onto the center of the cake.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing.
- Temper the cake slices at room temp for 1 1/2- 2 hours before serving.
- Portion 1/4 cup raspberry puree onto each plate.
- Place a slice in the center of each plate and serve.
- Cooks notes: The cake layers may be refrigerated for 2- 3 days before assembly of dessert.
- The raspberries are not strained for seeds.
- Do not pour ganache over cake until completely cooled, or it will not adhere.
- The cake will cut much more easily when cold; using a knife dipped in hot water between each slice will assist this.
- The chocolate for the chocolate curls should be room temperature.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
skat5762
Hampton Roads, Virginia
Food, felines, vino, photography