The Devils Chocolate Food

CHOCOLATE DEVILS

Steps:

• For the best chocolate sheet cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use an 18-by-13-inch sheet cake pan. Cut parchment paper to fit the pan and spray each side with baking spray.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cocoa to the butter and stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water to the pan and then allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds. Pour over the flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
• Pour the buttermilk into a bowl and add the baking soda, vanilla and beaten eggs. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the butter/flour mixture. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20 minutes. Let the cake cool completely.
• Cut the cooled cake into circles with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, and then lay the circles on another sheet pan with a wire rack; set this pan in the fridge to make sure there is no warmth to the cake at all. (The frosting is so light and fluffy, the coolness will help keep it all together.)
• For the white frosting: In a small saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick--thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. If in a hurry, place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools. It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in the vanilla.
• While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven't beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream. Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness. If there is any left after your taste test, spread it on a cooled chocolate cake.
• For the ganache: Heat the cream until very hot. Add the vanilla, and then pour over the chocolate pieces. Stir to completely melt.
• To assemble: Place the white frosting into a frosting bag. Squeeze the frosting onto one circle of cake. Press a second circle on top. Using a ladle, pour ganache over the cake, allowing the chocolate to run over the sides. Place 3 cherries on the center. Repeat the process with each cake. Chill the cakes until ready to serve!

THE ONLY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED! (DEVIL'S FOOD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, coffee and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes. Expect batter to be thin.
• Pour into a 9" x 13" greased and floured pan or 2- 9" round pans. Bake 9 x 13 pan for about 45 minutes or 9" pans for about 30 minutes. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes and then cool completely on racks.
• While cake is cooling make the icing: Combine the milk and flour in a saucepan and cook over low heat until thick, whisking constantly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk and flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes. Frost cooled cake and enjoy! The frosting sounds intimidating, but it is worth it! By the way, for some reason, we prefer this cake chilled, right out of the refrigerator. The rich chocolate and cool frosting just seem to taste best this way.

THE DEVIL'S CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Line a 900g loaf tin with two criss-crossed strips of baking parchment. Crush 8 amaretti biscuits and scatter these over the base of the tin. Sprinkle over 2 tbsp amaretto liqueur. Set aside.
• Tip the chocolate into a heatproof bowl along with the butter. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir for 5 mins until melted. Or, melt in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Dip 8 amaretti biscuits in the chocolate, then arrange on a sheet of baking parchment. Set both the biscuits and chocolate aside to cool.
• Whip 400ml double cream to soft peaks using an electric whisk, being careful not to over-whip. Use a large metal spoon to fold 80g mascarpone into the cream. Crush 5 amaretti biscuits and fold these into the mixture along with 75ml amaretto liqueur. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together using an electric whisk until light, fluffy and tripled in volume - the mixture should form a slowly disappearing trail when you lift the beaters. Gently fold the almonds into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the amaretto cream to combine.
• Add the cooled melted chocolate and mix gently to combine. Whip the egg white to stiff peaks using an electric whisk, then fold this in, too, being careful not to knock out the air. Taste and fold in the remaining 25ml amaretto liqueur, if you like.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and chill for at least 4 hrs or overnight until set. If you have any extra mixture that won't fit into the tin, you can pour this into small dessert glasses and chill alongside the tin until set.
• Tip the remaining double cream, the rest of the mascarpone and the icing sugar into a bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Spoon this into a small serving bowl and dust with cocoa or espresso powder. Invert the set dessert onto a serving plate or board, lift off the tin and remove the parchment. Dust with cocoa or espresso powder. Crush the rest of the amaretti biscuits, scatter these over the top and decorate with the chocolate-dipped biscuits. Slice with a warmed knife and serve with spoons of the mascarpone cream.