Chocolate Cake For Me

double chocolate layer cake

This old-fashioned chocolate cake made our staff swoon! Chef Ed Kasky uses Callebaut semisweet chocolate for the cake and Guittard French-vanilla chocolate for the frosting, but any fine-quality semisweet chocolate will produce a wonderful result in either.

Watch how to prepare this cake like a pro with our hands-on technique video.

Servings: Serves 12 to 14.

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Ingredients

For cake layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting
1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Special equipment
two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

Preparation

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting:
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

corn and crab chowder

Bon Appétit | January 2008

The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Be sure to use white corn—it's sweeter.

Prep: 25 minutes; Total: 35 minutes

Servings: Makes 4 first-course servings

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Ingredients

1 16-ounce bag frozen petite white corn (do not thaw), divided
1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
4 tablespoons sliced green onions, divided
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
4 ounces cooked crabmeat, flaked

Preparation

Reserve 1/4 cup corn. Bring remaining corn and milk to boil in medium saucepan. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Puree mixture in blender. Add clam juice, 3 tablespoons green onions, and 1 teaspoon ginger; puree again until almost smooth. Return puree to saucepan; bring to simmer. Mix in 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn; sauté 1 minute. Add crab, 1 tablespoon green onions, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 3 teaspoons lemon juice; stir just until warm. Season with salt and pepper. Divide soup among bowls; mound crab mixture in center.

Sponge Cake Coklat Youngy Gunawan

Resep:

Bahan A:
15 btr merah telur (ukuran M)
7 btr putih telur
200 gr gula kastor (manisnya udah pass)
100 gr terigu (aku pake kunci biru)
25 gr maizena
15 gr susu bubuk (aku ga punya, aku pake terigu aja)
15 gr emulsifier (aku ga pake)
25 gr coklat bubuk

Bahan B:
150 gr mentega, lelehkan
3 sdm coklat pasta BF (aku pake coklat pasta biasa)

Loyang :
3 ly bulat 25×4cm atau
2 ly 30×30x2cm, atau
3 ly 22×22x4cm
(aku pake 3 loyang diameter 22, sisa dikit)

Cara membuat:
- campur terigu, maizena, susu bubuk dan coklat bubuk, aduk rata sisihkan.
- Kocok bahan A, kecuali tepung-tepungan, hingga kental, matikan mixer.
- Ayakan campuran tepung diatas adonan telor, secara bertahap sambil diaduk hingga rata.
- Tuang mentega leleh dan coklat pasta, aduk perlahan hingga tercampur rata
- Tuang kedalam loyang, oven hingga matang lk. 15 menit tergantung panas oven. (di aku 25 menit pake suhu 150derajat C)

*Ganache

400ml whipcream ditim sampe panas, tuang ke 500gram DCC cincang, aduk sampe merata dan lembut. Nanti cair gitu hasilnya, masukin kulkas sekitar 3 jam, setip 1 jam diaduk2. Setelah kental dimixer trus dibikin olesan. Ini agak lembek tapi bisa displuit kok.

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Susu bubuknya aku ga pake karna ga punya, di rumah lagi ujan dan kasian kalo nyuruh embaknya pergi ke warung ujan2 gitu. SMS papa yg lagi pergi sepedaan, pulangnya nitip minta beliin susu bubuk, eh katanya lagi ada di Sentul, nyasar di bukit apa gitu, buset dah. Pagi2 pamitnya sepedaan cari sarapan ke Pemda Cibinong, lewat Nepal kali ampe jam 2 belom pulang, pake nyasar di Sentul pula, nyampe rumah baru jam 7 malem, ya ampyunnn…. sigh….