Scharffen Bergerchocolate SoufflÉ Cake With Salted Caramel Food

SCHARFFEN BERGER FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Grease the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
• 2. Break up chocolate and put in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl over simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir to melt. Remove from heat and let cool to slightly warm.
• 3. In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg yolks and continue beating to a light consistency.
• 4. Add cooled chocolate and beat until smooth and velvety. Beat egg whites with a completely clean wire whisk attachment until soft peaks. Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture.
• 5. The egg whites should be gently folded in with a spatula. Make sure there are no white streaks in the batter.
• 6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The top will be puffy and may crack.
• 7. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
• 8. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream and a few fresh berries. Alternatively, dust the top with powdered sugar.

JOHN WHAITE'S CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTER CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 25cm round deep cake tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, mix the oil, egg yolks, vanilla paste, caster sugar and 200ml water until well combined. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
• Sift in the flour, bicarb and 1 tsp salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into the batter with a large metal spoon and mix until everything is well combined.
• Gently pour the mixture into your cake tin, then bang it on the work surface twice to expel any large air pockets. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until the cake springs back when gently prodded and an inserted skewer comes out clean. (Cover with foil after 1 hr if the cake starts to get too dark.) Remove from the oven, cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a large wire rack and peel off the parchment. Leave until the cake is completely cool.
• Make the salted caramel icing while the cake bakes. Heat the brown sugar, ½ tsp salt and cream in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Bubble for a few mins, then leave to cool completely. Beat the butter until smooth, pour in the cooled cream mixture and continue mixing until softly whipped. Chill until needed.
• To make the ganache, heat the cream until just boiling. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few mins until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth sauce consistency. Leave to cool at room temperature until the ganache is a pipeable thickness, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. To finish the cake, slice in half and fill with the salted caramel buttercream. Pipe tall spikes of chocolate ganache on top and decorate with the sea salt crystals. Will keep for up to 2 days in a cool place.