Read Rose's Heavenly Cakes Online
Authors: Rose Levy Beranbaum
Rose's Heavenly Cakes (65 page)
These exquisite chocolate cakelets contain hidden little puddles of ganache baked into their centers for a double hit of chocolate. These are my signature special-occasion baby cakes. They hit just the right sweet spot after a grand dinner.
3.5 ounces/100 grams
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
dark chocolate, 60% to 62% cacao, chopped | . | 1.5 | 42 |
heavy cream | ¼ cup (2 fluid ounces) | 2 | 58 |
Make the Dark Chocolate Ganache Puddles
Heat the chocolate until almost completely melted. Use a small microwavable bowl, stirring with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds (or use the top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water, stirring often—do not let the bottom of the container touch the water). Remove the chocolate from the heat and, with the silicone spatula, stir until fully melted.
In a 1-cup heatproof glass measure in a microwave or small saucepan, heat the cream, stirring often, until warm (110°F/43°C). (Don't worry if it gets a little hot; it will just take longer for the ganache to cool and thicken.) With a silicone spatula, gradually stir the cream into the chocolate. Allow the ganache to sit uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened to the consistency of softly whipped cream. Whisk for a few minutes to lighten and firm the texture so that it holds its shape like buttercream. Cover and set aside at room temperature until ready to use.
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder | ¼ cup plus ½ tablespoon (sifted before measuring) | 0.7 | 21 |
boiling water | ¼ cup (2 fluid ounces) | 2 | 59 |
about 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature | 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) | 1.3 | 37 |
water | 1½ tablespoons | . | . |
pure vanilla extract | ¾ teaspoon | . | . |
cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour) | ¾ cup plus ½ tablespoon (or 2/3 | 2.7 | 78 |
superfine sugar | ½ cup | 3.5 | 100 |
baking powder | 1 teaspoon | . | . |
salt | ¼ teaspoon | . | . |
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C) | 5 tablespoons (½ stick plus 1 tablespoon) | 2.5 | 71 |
Special Equipment
Nordic Ware Sweetheart Rose pan with 12 cavities (1/3 cup each) or small muffin pans, coated with baking spray with flour. If using the Sweetheart Rose pan, brush the coating into the crevices.
Preheat the Oven
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Mix the Cocoa and Water
In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. To speed cooling, place the bowl in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before proceeding.
Mix the Liquid Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the yolks, the 1½ tablespoons of water, and the vanilla just until lightly combined.
Make the Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Fill the Molds
Pipe or spoon the batter into the prepared pan cavities (they should be about half full) and smooth the surfaces with the back of the spoon. Dab 1 teaspoon/5 grams of the ganache onto the center of each. (Any leftover ganache can be chilled until firm enough to roll into instant truffles. Roll them in unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder, if desired.)
Bake the Cakelets
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cakelets spring back when pressed lightly with a greased fingertip.
Cool and Unmold the Cakelets
Let the cakelets cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Unmold them onto a serving plate or wire rack that has been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray. They will be about 1¼ inches high and are delicious still warm or at room temperature.
nine 3-ounce fluted brioche or seven 4-ounce cupcakes
3-ounce silicone brioche molds, 10 minutes; 4-ounce silicone muffin containers, 14 minutes
The first time I tasted this dessert, at one of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurants in New York, I thought it was the most perfect chocolate dessert I had ever tasted. Legend has it that the liquid center was the result of a fortuitous accident of underbaking. Although the recipe started appearing in every magazine and newspaper, I could see that it presented a real challenge to the home baker because if even slightly overbaked, the luscious liquid center would no longer flow. The solution was to use ganache instead of solid chocolate. This ganache requires chocolate with a relatively high cacao content.
Plan Ahead
Make the ganache centers several hours before using. Bake the cakes at least 8 hours ahead.
8 tablespoons/5 ounces/140 grams
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
dark chocolate, 60% to 62% cacao (see | . | 2 | 58 |
heavy cream | ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 fluid ounces) | 3 | 87 |
Melt the Chocolate
A silicone bowl is perfect for melting the chocolate, especially because after stirring in the cream, the bowl can be squeezed together to create a spout for pouring the chocolate mixture into the container for shaping.
Heat the chocolate until almost completely melted. Use a small microwavable bowl, stirring with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds (or use the top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water, stirring often—do not let the bottom of the container touch the water).
Remove the chocolate from the heat and, with the silicone spatula, stir until fully melted.
Make the Ganache Centers
In a 1-cup heatproof glass measure in a microwave or small saucepan, heat the cream, stirring often, until warm (100°F/43°C). (Don't worry if it gets a little hot; it will just take longer for the ganache to cool and thicken.) Gradually stir the cream into the chocolate.
Line an egg crate with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing the plastic into each of the cavities. Pour or spoon the ganache evenly into nine of the cavities, about 0.5 ounce/14 grams each. If a few of the ganache balls are left over, they are delicious rolled in unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder and eaten as truffles. Cover with a second piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, or until firm enough to mold.
Note
If the mixture never becomes firm enough to shape, it is because the chocolate contains a lower amount of cacao than 60 percent. If this is the case, you will need to freeze the chocolate briefly in order to shape the balls. Avoid using a higher than 62 percent cacao chocolate to ensure a flowing consistency.
With scissors, cut between the plastic wrap to separate each of the portions of ganache. Lift each out with the plastic wrap and use the wrap to press the ganache into round balls. Refrigerate until ready to bake the cakes.
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
dark chocolate, 60% to 62% cacao, chopped | . | 1.5 | 43 |
unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder | ¼ cup plus ½ tablespoon (sifted before measuring) | 0.7 | 21 |
unsalted butter | 3 tablespoons | 1.5 | 42 |
about 3 large eggs, separated, plus 1 large egg white, at room temperature | 3½ tablespoons (1.7 fluid ounces) | 2 | . |
crème fraîche or heavy cream | 3 tablespoons (1.5 fluid ounces) | 1.5 | 43 |
cream of tartar | ½ teaspoon | . | . |
sugar | 3½ tablespoons | 1.5 | 44 |
Special Equipment
Nine 3-ounce silicone brioche molds or seven 4-ounce silicone muffin containers, coated with baking spray with flour, but only Baker's Joy, as other brands may cause sticking and unpleasant odors. You can also use clarified butter and a dusting of flour. (You will need only 2 teaspoons, so if you don't have any on hand, simply melt about 2 tablespoons butter and use only the clear upper part, avoiding the milk solids and water below.)
Preheat the Oven
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Melt the Chocolate, Cocoa, and Butter
In the top of a double boiler, set over hot, not simmering, water, heat the chocolate, cocoa, and butter. (Don't let the bottom of the container touch the water.) Stir often with a silicone spatula until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat. Let the mixture cool just until warm to the touch.
Make the Batter
Whisk together the yolks and crème fraîche and whisk into the chocolate mixture. Lightly whisk the ½ cup of egg whites to break them up for easier pouring. Measure out 2 tablespoons and, with the whisk, gently stir these two tablespoons of egg white into the chocolate mixture just until incorporated.
Beat the Remaining Egg Whites into a Stiff Meringue
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, beat the remaining lightly beaten egg whites on medium speed until foamy. With the mixer off, add the cream of tartar. Raise the speed to medium-high and continue beating until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Use a wire whisk to stir one-fourth into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remainder.
Fill the Molds
Arrange the molds on a baking sheet. Fill them about three-quarters full with the chocolate batter. Gently place the ganache balls directly in the center of each. (Avoid pushing them down.)
Bake the Cakes
Bake for 10 minutes in the 3-ounce containers and for 14 minutes in the 4-ounce ones. The cakes will have puffed, the top surfaces dulled, and they will have a slight crack in the centers.