Black Pearl Layer Cake
TREND: Exotically flavored chocolate
WHO: Katrina Markoff, CEO of Vosges Haut-Chocolat in Chicago
WHAT: Markoff, one of the first to infuse chocolate with unexpected
ingredients, named this Asian-tinged creation after one of her most popular
truffles. Its Japanese flavors ginger, wasabi, and black sesame seeds are
the building blocks for an inspired cake.
Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Black pearl ganache:
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder*
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds*
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature
Ginger syrup
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons matchstick-size strips peeled fresh ginger
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Cake:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream frosting:
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Additional black sesame seeds
For black pearl ganache:
Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream, ginger, and wasabi to boil in
small pot. Pour hot cream over chocolate; cover with plastic wrap and let stand
15 minutes. Whisk cream and chocolate until smooth. Mix sesame seeds and corn
syrup in small bowl to coat; stir into chocolate mixture. Let cool to lukewarm.
Stir in butter. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight to set.
For ginger syrup:
Place 1 cup water, sugar, and ginger in small saucepan. Scrape seeds from
vanilla bean into pan; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour for
flavors to blend.
Strain syrup into small bowl. Chop ginger. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover
and refrigerate ginger and syrup separately.)
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with
2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment paper.
Whisk 2 cups boiling water, cocoa powder, and reserved chopped ginger in medium
heatproof bowl. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large
bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy,
about 1 minute. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each
addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately
with cocoa mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Divide batter among prepared cake pans; smooth tops.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Cool in pans 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. (Cakes can
be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)
For whipped cream frosting:
Beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar, vanilla, and ginger.
Beat until stiff peaks form.
Using long serrated knife, trim rounded tops off cakes to create flat surface.
Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on plate. Brush top with 1/3 cup ginger syrup.
Spread half of ganache over top of cake. Place second layer, cut side up, atop
first layer. Brush with 1/3 cup syrup; spread with remaining ganache. Top with
third cake layer. Brush with remaining syrup. Spread sides and top with whipped
cream frosting. Sprinkle top with black sesame seeds. Refrigerate until ganache
is set, about 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
*Available in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets.
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