Butter, unsalted
|
12 ounces +
greasing pans |
Flour, all-purpose
|
2 ¼ cups +
dusting pans |
Baking powder
|
2 ¼ teaspoons
|
Salt
|
1 teaspoon
|
Sugar
|
1 2/3 cups
|
Vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
|
1
|
Eggs
|
3 yolks +
2 large |
Milk, whole, room temperature
|
1 ¼ cups
|
- Start with the filling as it takes the most time to set; recipe follows.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper, butter the paper, and then dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the 3 sticks of butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the milk solids turn brown, and the butter smells nutty, about 4 minutes longer.
- Scrape the melted butter and browned bits into a large heatproof bowl.
- Set the bowl in an ice water bath until the butter begins to set around the edges, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.
- Remove the bowl from the ice water, and scrape up the hardened butter.
- Transfer the butter to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, and beat until creamy.
- Add the sugar and vanilla seeds, and beat at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg yolks, followed by the whole eggs.
- Beat in the dry ingredients and milk in three alternating additions, scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans, and bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes (rotating the pans halfway through baking, if you lack a nice convection oven), until the cakes are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans on a rack for 20 minutes, and then invert them onto a rack to cool completely.
- Peel off the parchment paper!
Loving my new Wolf double ovens! These are the best looking fresh-from-the-oven cakes I've ever made (and, yes, they taste great: crusty outside, with a perfect spongy, moist center). |
Gelatin, unflavored
|
½ teaspoon
|
Water
|
½ tablespoon
|
Cream, heavy, chilled
|
½ cup
|
Coffee (or hazelnut) liqueur
|
2 tablespoons
|
Eggs
|
2 yolks
|
Sugar
|
2 tablespoons
|
Salt
|
Pinch
|
Chocolate, bittersweet,
melted, cooled |
4 ounces
|
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water, and let stand until softened.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the cream until softly whipped.
- Refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, heat the liqueur until hot, about 45 seconds.
- Stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved.
- In another medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and salt at high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes.
- While beating the yolks, beat in the liqueur-gelatin mix; scrape the side and bottom of the bowl.
- Beat in the melted chocolate.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream in two additions.
- Scrape the mousse into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Milk chocolate mousse: Substitute milk chocolate for the bittersweet.
- White chocolate mousse: Substitute white chocolate for the bittersweet, and substitute orange liqueur for the coffee.
Chocolate buttercream frosting
Sugar
|
1 cup
|
Eggs
|
3 whites
|
Salt
|
¼ teaspoon
|
Vanilla extract
|
½ teaspoon
|
Butter, unsalted,
cut into tablespoon chunks |
1 cup +
2 tablespoons |
Chocolate, extra bittersweet, melted, cooled
|
4 ounces
|
- In a blender or food processor, pulse the sugar until powdery.
- Transfer the sugar to a medium heatproof bowl, and whisk in the egg whites and salt.
- Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and whisk gently until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the warm egg mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk.
- Add the vanilla, and beat at medium-high until stiff and glossy, about 8 minutes.
- Beat in the butter a few pieces at a time, ensuring it's fully incorporated before adding more.
The buttercream should be light and fluffy; if it appears runny at any time, transfer the bowl to the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, and then return it to the mixer and continue. - Beat in the melted chocolate until fully incorporated, scrapping down the side and bottom of the bowl.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer, and beat with a wooden spoon to remove any air bubbles.
- Hazelnut buttercream: Substitute 2 tablespoons hazelnut-praline paste for the extra-bittersweet chocolate.
- White chocolate buttercream: Substitute white chocolate for the extra bittersweet.
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