Triple Chocolate Celebration Cake
Cake
2 3/4 cups cake flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Ganache
3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
finely chopped
Mousse
4 1/3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
finely chopped
Assembly and serving
2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 15 3/4x11 3/4-inch transfer sheet with gold-thread design*
3/4 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
finely chopped
3 1/2-pint baskets raspberries
1/2 pound cherries
1 1-pint basket small strawberries
1 1/2-pint basket blueberries
1 1/2-pint basket blackberries
*Transfer sheets, or "transfers," are sturdy but flexible plastic
sheets coated with a mixture of cocoa butter and food coloring and
etched with repetitive designs, such as golden swirls.
Here's how they work in this recipe: First, melted chocolate is
spread over the sheets. After the chocolate has been chilled until
firm, the plastic sheets are peeled away, leaving an edible design
on the chocolate's surface.
Transfer sheets are available at some cake- and candy-supply stores
or by mail from Beryl's Cake Decorating; call 800-488-2749.
Make cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350�F.
Butter and flour two 10-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high
sides; line each with round of parchment paper or waxed paper.
Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend well.
Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs and egg yolks in large bowl
until very thick and heavy ribbon falls when beaters are lifted,
about 6 minutes. Add oil, sour cream and vanilla, then dry
ingredients all at once to egg mixture. Beat at low speed until just
blended, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat at high
speed until well blended, about 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips;
divide batter between prepared pans (about 3 3/4 cups batter in
each).
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about
40 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pans on racks. Cover; let cakes
stand at room temperature overnight.
Make ganache: Bring cream to simmer in heavy large saucepan over
medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until
melted and smooth. Transfer ganache to glass bowl. Let stand until
thick enough to spread, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead.
Cover; chill.)
Make mousse: Using electric mixer, beat 3 1/3 cups cream in large
bowl until peaks form; refrigerate. Combine remaining 1 cup cream
and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove
from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted, smooth, and still
warm to touch. Pour warm chocolate mixture directly onto whipped
cream and fold in gently. Chill until mousse is set, at least 8
hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Assemble and serve cake: Cut around pan sides; turn out cakes. Peel
off paper. Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer,
cut side up, on 9-inch tart pan bottom or 9-inch cardboard round.
Place another layer, cut side up, on clean baking sheet. Spread each
with 1/3 cup raspberry jam. Chill until jam sets, about 15 minutes
If ganache is chilled, microwave on defrost setting in 15-second
repetitions until just soft enough to spread, stirring occasionally.
Drop 1 cup ganache by rounded teaspoonfuls over each jam layer.
Using offset spatula, gently spread ganache to cover jam. Drop 3
cups mousse by heaping spoonfuls onto each ganache layer; gently
spread to cover. Refrigerate cake layers 30 minutes. Using large
metal spatula, place cake layer from baking sheet, mousse side up,
atop cake layer on tart pan bottom. Place third cake layer, cut side
down, on cake (reserve remaining cake layer for another use). Spread
1 cup mousse over top of assembled cake. Using long offset spatula,
spread sides of assembled cake with enough ganache (about 1 1/2
cups) to fill gaps and make smooth surface. Transfer cake on tart
pan bottom to platter.
Turn 1 large baking sheet upside down on work surface. Arrange two
20-inch-long pieces of foil on work surface. Cut two 4 1/2-inch-wide
by 15 3/4-inch-long strips from transfer sheet. Lay 1 transfer sheet
strip, rough-textured design facing up, onto each sheet of foil.
Place chocolate in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of
simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Stir
until chocolate is smooth and very warm to touch (about 115�F).
Remove bowl from over water.
Pour thick ribbon of melted chocolate (about 2/3 cup) onto 1
transfer sheet strip. Using long offset spatula, spread chocolate
evenly over transfer strip, covering completely (chocolate will run
over sides of strip). Lift edge of chocolate-coated strip with tip
of knife. Slide hands between transfer strip and foil, lift entire
transfer strip and place it, chocolate side up, on inverted baking
sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate on strip is set and loses gloss
but is still flexible (do not let chocolate become too firm), about
1 1/2 minutes. Using fingertips, lift chocolate-coated strip and
attach, chocolate side in, to side of cake. Press strip to seal
chocolate to side of cake (strip will stand about 1 inch above top
edge of cake). Coat remaining transfer strip with chocolate,
transfer to inverted baking sheet; chill until set but still
flexible. Arrange 1 end of second strip against (but not
overlapping) 1 end of first strip. Press second strip to seal
chocolate to side of cake (both strips will just encircle cake).
Refrigerate cake until chocolate strips are firm, about 30 minutes.
Carefully peel transfer paper off chocolate strips. Chill cake at
least 3 hours and up to 1 day. Mound fruit atop cake. Refrigerate
until ready to serve. (Cake can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead.)
Makes 20 servings.
Bon App�tit
June 2001 |