Brunos Chocolate Cake Plain Food

BRUNO'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Butter and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
• Beat yolks until lightand slowly disolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted.
• Stir in rum and vanilla.
• Beat whites with cream of tartar in large bowl to soft peaks.
• Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue beating until stiff and shiny.
• Stir chocolate and butter into yolks until well combined.
• Gently fold in 1/4 of egg whites, then fold chocolate mixture into remaining whites.
• Sift together cornstarch and cocoa powder; combine with amaretti;gently fold into batter.
• Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake until centers of cakes rise and begin to crack, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes in pan, then cool completely on wire rack.
• For chocolate cream;.
• Whisk 1/2 cup hot water into 4 oz. melted semisweet chocolate.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Whip cream until stiff peaks form; gently fold chocolate mixture, amaretti and rum into whipped cream.
• To Assemble:.
• Reserve 1/4 of chocolate cream for decorating top of cake.
• Spread remainder evenly between layers and over top and sides.
• Measure height of cake.
• On sheet of parchment spread 3 oz. melted semisweet chocolate into 1/16 inch-thick rectangle as wide as cake is high.
• Repeat with melted white chocolate on another sheet of parchment.
• Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, but not brittle, about 15 minutes.
• Cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide strips.
• Refrigerate to refirm chocolate, about 15 minutes.
• Carefully arrange strips alternating around edges of cake,gently pressing into icing.
• Spoon remaining pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a No. 3 plain tip.
• Pipe mixture in straight lines atop cake.
• Dust lightly with cocoa powder; Refrigerate.
• Cake may be prepared 1 day ahead.
• Decorate with chocolate leaves and balls.
• Bring to room temperature before serving.

BRUNO'S CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Butter and flour 3 9-inch round cake pans.
• Beat yolks until they are pale yellow and form a ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in rum and vanilla.
• Beat whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks.
• Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and continue beating until stiff and shiny.
• Stir 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate and butter into yolks until well combined.
• Gently fold in 1/4 of egg whites to lighten the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites.
• Sift together cornstarch and cocoa; combine with ground amaretti.
• Gently fold into the batter.
• Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake until centers of cakes rise and tops begin to crack, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes in pans, then cool completely on wire rack (cakes will fall slightly.)
• For Chocolate Cream: Whisk together 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate and hot water; cool to room temperature.
• Whip cream until nearly stiff.
• Gently fold chocolate mixture and rum into whipped cream.
• To Assemble: set aside 1/4 of the chocolate cream for decorating the top of the cake.
• Spread remainder evenly between the 3 layers, stacking them neatly, then spread over the reserved cream over the top and sides.
• Measure height of the cake.
• On a sheet of parchment or waxed paper, spread 3 ounces melted semisweet chocolate into rectangle 1/16 inch thick and as wide as the cake is high.
• Repeat with melted white chocolate on another sheet of parchment.
• Refrigerate until chocolate is firm but not brittle, about 15 minutes.
• Cut chocolate crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide strips.
• Refrigerate to refirm chocolate, about 15 minutes.
• Carefully arrange strips alternately around edges of cake, gently pressing into icing.
• Spoon reserved chocolate cream into pastry bag fitted with a number 3 round tip.
• Pipe mixture into straight lines atop the cake.
• Dust lightly with cocoa; refrigerate.
• Garnish with chocolate leaves. (For chocolate leaves, brush melted chocolate on undersides of holly or lemon leaves; refrigerate until firm, carefully peel off leaves.)
• Bring to room temperature before serving.