Chocolate Chiffon Cake Ring Food

CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a bowl, combine cocoa and water until smooth; cool for 20 minutes. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, oil and vanilla; add to dry ingredients along with the cocoa mixture. Beat until well blended. In another large bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into egg yolk mixture. , Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on lowest rack at 325° for 60-65 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Invert cake onto a serving plate., For icing, melt butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat; stir in the confectioners' sugar, chocolate, vanilla and water. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE RING

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, water, oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients; beat until well blended. In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. , Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 325° for 60-65 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar.,

CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Sift cake flour, 3/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
• Whisk together egg yolks, water, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg mixture. Whisk until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
• Combine egg whites and cream of tartar together in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar and beat until well combined. Gently fold egg white mixture into the batter in 3 portions, until just combined.
• Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch, 2-part tube pan and smooth the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a metal bowl and wire whisk in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
• Remove cake from the oven. Invert pan onto an upside-down mug to cool completely, about 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges of the cooled cake to loosen it from the pan and carefully transfer it to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake in half horizontally.
• Combine sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract in the chilled metal bowl and whisk to combine. Add 2 tablespoons cream and stir. Add remaining cream and beat using the chilled whisk until peaks form.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Combine chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a metal bowl and place over the saucepan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove glaze from heat and let cool slightly.
• Place the bottom half of the cake on a cake plate and top evenly with about 1 cup of frosting reserving the rest for decorating. Carefully place top layer over filling. Pour glaze over the cake and use a spatula to coat the sides of the cake with glaze. Fill remaining frosting into a piping bag and decorate cake to your liking.

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT CAKE

Steps:

• For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F Butter and flour 9x2-inch round metal baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
• Put chestnut spread in small bowl. Mix in 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in 1 cup brown sugar, then egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat in chestnut spread mixture, then milk. Mixture will look a bit grainy.
• Sift dry ingredients over the mixture and gently mix together by hand.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Cut around cake to loosen. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
• For Chestnut Cream: Melt chocolate over simmering water or in microwave. Set aside to cool. Place one cup unsweetened chestnut spread in bowl of food processor (mini bowl is fine). Pulse a few times to loosen. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and process to combine well. Add melted chocolate and process to combine well.
• In large bowl of electric mixer (preferably chilled) whip the cream on high until until very soft peaks form. Add the chocolate chestnut mixture and beat until stiff peaks form.
• For Dark Chocolate Ganache: Place the semisweet chocolate in a 3-quart stainless steel bowl. Heat the heavy cream and the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, the coffee, the liquor and the salt. Stir until smooth. This may take a few minutes as the cream absorbs the chocolate. Once well combined, set aside to cool. If desired, set aside and chill about 1 1/2 cups ganache to pipe onto finished cake.
• For Chestnut Brandy Syrup: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.
• Assemble the cake: Take the cake out of the pan and remove parchment. Split into three even layers. Arrange one of the cake layers in a 9-inch springform pan. Brush with the chestnut brandy syrup. Evenly spread half the filling over the cake and top with the second layer. (It's best to use an offset spatula to spread the filling). Brush layer with the with syrup. Remove ring from springform pan and coat sides and top with room temperature ganache. You will have some ganache left over which you can use for something else like chocolate truffles. Decorate with whole chestnuts, colored sugar and chopped chestnuts. If piping chilled ganache, place it in a pastry bag and pipe a decorative design onto cake.
• Cut cake with a serrated knife, wiping the blade clean after each slice.
• NOTES:.
• 1) If you can find sweetened chestnut cream with vanilla use one cup in cake instead of sweetening it as indicated.
• 2) If you can't find chestnut cream you can make your own with jarred chestnuts, or roast your own.
• 3) If you can't find chestnut liquor, use brandy, rum, or spiced rum.