French Chocolate Cake Food

THE BEST FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160C (325F). Generously butter a 9.5 inch (22cm) springform pan, then sprinkle with a little sugar and tap out the excess.
• Set aside 3 tbsp of the sugar. Place the chocolate, butter and remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and let the mixture cool slightly.
• Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture (when cool - otherwise the eggs will cook), beating each in well, then sift in the flour.
• In a clean grease-free bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites slowly until they are frothy. Increase the speed, add the salt and continue beating until soft peaks form. Sprinkle over the reserved sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy. Beat one third of the whites into the chocolate mixture (I use my electric mixer for this), then fold in the remaining whites (with a wooden spoon).
• Carefully pour the mixture into the pan and tap the pan gently to release any air bubbles.
• Bake the cake for about 35 to 45 minutes until well risen and the top springs back when touched lightly with a fingertip. (If the cake appears to rise unevenly, rotate pan after 20 to 25 minutes.) Transfer the cake onto a wire rack, remove the side of the pan and let cool completely. Remove the pan base, dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.
• Enjoy!

FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven at 350. Line two greased 9 inches round baking pans with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and coffee. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk (batter will be thick).
• Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring sugar, milk and butter to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in extract.
• Invert cakes onto wire racks; drizzle with glaze. Cool completely. In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips with milk; stir until smooth. Refrigerate until spreadable, stirring occasionally.
• Place one cake on a serving platter; spread with filling. Top with remaining cake. Spread whipped topping over top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator. Granish with chocolate curls.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Generously grease a 9-inch springform cake tin. Dust with a little sugar, and tap out the excess.
• Set aside 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Place the chocolate, butter, and remaining sugar in a large, heavy-based pan. Cook over moderate heat until the chocolate and butter have melted, and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the vanilla, and leave the mixture to cool slightly.
• Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour.
• In a large bowl, scrupulously clean and grease-free, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt, and beat to stiff peaks. Sprinkle reserved sugar over egg whites, and beat until stiff and glossy. Use a whisk or spatula to fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining whites. Carefully pour batter into the prepared tin, and tap the tin gently to release air bubbles.
• Bake until well risen and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check the cake after 30 minutes: if the cake appears to rise unevenly, rotate after 30 to 35 minutes. If the cake starts to crack or become too brown, place a piece of foil lightly over the top. Transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack, and remove the sides of the springform tin. Cool completely, and then remove the base. Do not attempt to remove the cake before it's completely cooled as this cake is very fragile.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler). Melt the chocolate and butter together and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add the egg yolks to the chocolate, 1 by 1, beating with a whisk until incorporated. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Beat heavy cream in a chilled bowl until it begins to foam and thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip the cream until it holds soft peaks.
• Gradually and gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, delicately fold in the whipped cream. Take care not over work the mousse. Divide mousse into 4 individual glasses. Cover and chill for several hours. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST CAKE

Steps:

• For the French toast: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray, line with parchment paper and spray again. Press 4 slices of the bread into each cake pan to form 1 even layer.
• In a blender, combine the cream, chocolate syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and eggs and blend until smooth. Pour half of the custard between the 2 cake pans to cover the first layer of bread. Sprinkle half of the chocolate over each. Press 4 slices of the bread into each cake pan to form a second even layer. Divide the remaining custard between the cake pans over the second layer of bread. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the custard.
• Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pans until slightly warm, then remove the cakes from the pans.
• For the frosting: In a medium pot, combine the milk, sugar, vanilla, cornstarch, salt and yolks and whisk until blended. Add the butter and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the coconut and 1 cup of the pecans. Let cool until slightly warm.
• Put one layer of the French toast cake on a serving plate. Spread half of the frosting over the cake. Sprinkle on half of the remaining chocolate. Place the second layer of cake on top and spread with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle on the remaining coconut, pecans and chocolate.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• Slice the pound cake into 8 slices. Place the prepared baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 12 minutes.
• In a small pot, heat 1/4 cup heavy cream over low heat. When hot, whisk in the white chocolate chips until melted and fully incorporated into the cream. Remove from the heat and chill in the fridge until cool but still a pourable consistency, about 30 minutes.
• In a blender, combine three-quarters of the strawberries with the sugar. Reserve the remaining strawberries for garnish. Blend until smooth. Strain the puree through a strainer into a bowl. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Strawberry sauce can be made the day before and keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
• In a large chilled bowl, combined the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream and the cooled white chocolate cream mixture. Whip with a hand mixer until medium peaks form. Cover and place in the fridge while you make the French toast.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
• In a baking dish. whisk together the chocolate milk, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs until well blended. Place 4 pieces of the pound cake into the egg mixture and let soak for 15 seconds. Flip and soak the other side for 15 seconds. Remove the cake from the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, and place in the heated skillet with the butter. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a platter. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and repeat with the remaining 4 pound cake slices.
• To assemble: Place a small pool of the strawberry sauce onto 4 plates, 2 to 3 tablespoons per plate. Place 2 pieces of French toast onto each plate. Top each with a large dollop of the white chocolate whipped cream, sprinkle with the some chocolate chips and garnish with a fresh strawberry and mint sprig.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (preferably light metal); dust with cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Combine the butter and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water); stir until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until thickened and very airy, 4 to 6 minutes. Beat in the orange liqueur and vanilla. Gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula in three additions until just combined (do not overmix).
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the edges are set and the center puffs but is slightly jiggly, 30 to 40 minutes. (The cake will continue to set as it cools.) Transfer to a rack and let cool completely (the center may sink a bit). Remove the springform ring. Dust the cake with cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar just before serving.

EVELYN SHARPE'S FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line the base of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Melt the chocolate gently in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. This is a critical step in the preparation and should be done very slowly (or it can be done more speedily in the microwave).
• Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in the butter, flour and sugar. Beat the yolks lightly and whisk into the chocolate mixture gradually.
• Beat the egg whites until they hold a definite shape but are not dry and fold into the chocolate mixture. Overbeating or underbeating will ruin the cake. The beaten egg whites should be folded smoothly, quickly and easily into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat; open the oven door, leaving it ajar, and allow the cake to cool completely in the oven.
• The cake is best served a little warm. Decorate with whipped cream. Run a long, thin knife under hot water and then slice the cake into small slivers. It is rich.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Place oven rack in centre of oven, heat to 350°F.
• Butter and flour bottoms of 2- 8 inch round cake pans, reserve.
• Beat eggs in large mixer bowl at high speed 1 minute.
• Continue beating, adding sugar very slowly, about 7 minutes.
• Melt chocolate with 3/4 cup butter.
• Drizzle warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
• Add sour cream and vanilla, beat at low speed until thoroughly blended.
• Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, the cocoa and baking soda.
• While beating at low speed, add dry ingredients, about 1/2 cup at a time, to chocolate mixture alternating with milk, about 1/3 cup at a time.
• Stop mixer as necessary to clean sides of bowl with rubber spatula.
• Beat until well blended.
• Pour half of batter into each reserved pan, place pans in oven diagonally on same rack.
• Bake until cake tester or wooden pick inserted in centre of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool cakes in pans on wire racks until just warm, remove from pans and cool completely on racks.
• Prepare Chocolate Buttercream.
• Reserve about 1/2 cup buttercream for decorative piping.
• To assemble cake, place 1 layer on serving plate, spread top evenly with 3/4 of the firm buttercream.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Place second cake layer on top of first layer.
• Frost sides, then top of cake completely with buttercream.
• Pipe reserved buttercream through pastry bag fitted with star tube in a decorative border around top of cake.
• Refrigerate cake until thoroughly chilled, serve cold.
• Cake must be stored in refrigerator.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Spray a 9 or 10" pan, ideally a springform, with cooking spray.
• Combine egg whites, sugar and vanilla, add and stir in cocoa, flour and baking powder.
• Stir in apple sauce.
• Carefully stir in the cubed pears, (count out 6 half-pears, eat any extras).
• Pour batter into greased pan and bake at 350° for about 45 minutes.
• Cool and unmold, dust with cocoa and/or powdered sugar to decorate.