Hard Times Chocolate Cake Food

WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

EXTREME CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. This cake is known for sticking, you may want to cut out parchment circles to fit your pan, place in bottom of pan. If you use cocoa powder instead of flour, you won't get that white residue.
• Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans (note that the batter will be thin, it's supposed to be - promise!).
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely. The times are approximate, it can take longer depending on the weather and your oven.
• To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.
• Split the layers of cooled cake horizontally, cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake.
• NOTE: For a REALLY rich cake, use Dutch Processed cocoa. Seriously, I would almost insist that you do. It really does make it SO yummy.

HARD TIMES CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350*.
• Stir together first 5 ingredients.
• Add flour, sugar, soda and salt.
• Stir until mixed well.
• Pour into greased and floured 9x13 baking pan.
• Bake for 40 minutes.
• Frosting: Beat all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
• Frost completely cooled cake.

PIKLETS

Steps:

• Sift flour, bicarb soda and sugar together in a large bowl.
• In a seperate bowl combine the egg, milk and vinegar.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and whisk well until smooth. Add the melted butter and mix well.
• Heat a pan over moderate heat, melt a small amount of butter in it.
• Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into the pan and cook until bubbles appear on the top. Flip piklets and fry on other side until golden.
• Continue with the rest of the batter. Serve hot or cold.

EXTRA RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a nine-and-a-half-inch springform pan or nonstick cake pan.
• Melt the chocolate with the coffee, butter and granulated sugar in the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water. Stir until blended. Set the mixture aside, uncovered, to cool.
• When the mixture has cooled, whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate one at a time. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they stand up in stiff peaks. Add one-third of the egg white to the chocolate mixture. Fold them in carefully until blended. Fold in the remaining whites gently until there are no streaks left.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is firm. A toothpick or skewer inserted into the cake about three inches from the center of the pan should come out clean (the cake should not be too dry). Cool on a rack before unmolding. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

LITE AND EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Dissolve the coffee granules in the boiling water and let cool.
• Lightly grease or spray a 13" x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with waxed paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Whisk the milk with the yogurt until blended and add to the flour mixture along with eggs, oil, vanilla and coffee mixture.
• Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.
• Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
• To make the chocolate icing, mix the sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan.
• Whisk in the milk until smooth.
• Over medium heat, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
• Continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Let cool for 2 hours (the icing thickens as it cools.).
• Spread over the top of the cake.