Gooey Chocolate Stack Food

SUPER GOOEY CHOCOLATE DROPS

Steps:

• Position racks in the lower and upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (If you don't have 3 pans, simply cool the pan between batches.)
• Put the butter and the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
• Stir the light brown and granulated sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.
• In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks and dried cherries, if using.
• Drop the batter in heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets--a small ice cream scoop is ideal for this. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve.
• Store cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.

GOOEY CHOCOLATE ICING

Steps:

• In a double boiler, combine milk, water, salt and chocolate. Heat, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add vanilla.
• Spread or drizzle over your cake.

GOOEY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and bottom line a 24cm spring form cake tin. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas. Melt 120g chocolate in a bowl. Cool for 5 mins, then beat in egg yolks. In a bowl, beat the butter and 100g sugar until soft and creamy. Mix in the melted chocolate and yolks.
• Whisk the egg whites to firm peaks then beat in remaining 120g sugar in three batches and continue whisking until stiff. Beat a third of the meringue into the chocolate mix. Then, gently fold in alternate spoonfuls of the flour and remaining meringue.
• Spoon into the tin, level and bake 40-45 mins until the top forms a light crust. Test the centre with a metal skewer, it should come out clean. Remove, cool 10 mins, before turning out of the tin. When cooled, cut in half carefully as it is fragile, with a large serrated knife.
• To make the filling: in a bowl beat the double cream until thickened, but not stiff. Then mix in the crème fraîche and the zest.
• Spread one half of the cake with all the zesty cream and sandwich together with the other half. Place on a rack with a large plate beneath.
• To make the ganache icing: break up the chocolate into a pan and add the double cream. Melt over the lowest heat and stir until smooth, then cool until the consistency of thick pouring cream. Pour over the cake.
• Let excess icing run onto the plate and spoon it back over to fill any gaps. Spread the icing evenly on the top and around the sides using the back of a spoon or a palette knife. While the icing sets sprinkle the grated chocolate on top and around the sides.
• Make the curls: You will need a large block of chocolate. Ensure the chocolate is at warm room temperature and placed on a worktop. Gordon used a sharp knife to make the curls, but it's easier to draw a swivel vegetable peeler down the side of a thick block of chocolate.
• Place a large ring cutter (about 10cm) in the centre of the cake and fill with the chocolate curls. Carefully remove the ring and let the curls cascade gently out. Serve at room temperature. If chilled ahead the cake should be allowed to come to room temperature before serving.

GOOEY CHOCOLATE STACK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Line the baking sheets with parchment and draw and 8-inch circle in each one with a bow or cake pan and use that to outline it.
• Whisk egg whites until stiff, then add sugar a spoonful at a time, beating in well after each addition. It takes patience. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar and fold in gently but firmly.
• Divide the meringue disks among the 3 circles, spreading evenly. Don't worry about beating the air out of them.
• Cook for 1 hour, then turn off the oven, leaving the meringues until cool. If you keep them in an airtight container in-between parchment paper they will keep for a week.
• Now for the creme patissiere: Beat the egg yolks and sugar togethe, then add the cocoa and flour, whisking well. Warm the milk and cream in a saucepan, then, whisking, pour this onto the eggs and sugar before pouring everything back into the saucepan on the heat, stirring constantly, bring it to a boil. When the mixture has thickened, take it off the heat and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Let it cool now, but avoid putting it in the refrigerator as it will become too solid. You can stop it forming a askin either by covering it with buttered parchment paper. Another option is to stick it in a bowl of ice water and keep stirring it until it is cold.
• To assemble the cake place one of the meringues discs on a flat plate or cake stand, spread with a third of the chocolate creme, then carry on layering. Spread the top with chopped nuts of your choice.