2011, yet another year has come to an end and we are eagerly awaiting the curtain raiser for 2012.. The countdown has begun in hours , minutes and seconds all over the world .Are we in agreement with the same zeal,eagerness and enthusiasm to welcome 2012 ?
It surely has been an eventful year with ups & downs , mentions on the web, guest posting on JODI365, loads of new blogging acquaintance and a new outlook for SK .
New Year’s Eve is the ‘time’ to bid adieu to the year gone by and welcome the new year. It’s the time to rock and roll with friends and family! What better way can it be welcome the new year than with this delectable Chocolate Cake ??? This luscious dessert will have you drooling.
Happy Birthday to you !!! Yes Yes!! This was a surprise birthday cake for an old lad… And he loved it… In fact the whole gathering adorned it… The little ones kept coming back for more.. Cloud 9 !! Indeed , I was on top of it .. explaining every other person in the cluster,how to make chocolate shards.. They tasted exactly like Mint Thins .
I always tussle when it comes to beautifying the confection.With my thinking hat on, I chose Chocolate Shards because the cake cant be dainty for a lad’s birthday with baskets, roses and butter cream .. I knew effort is minuscule and payoff is Huge .
Chocolate Cake with Nutella Biscoff spread and frosted with shards
Self Raising Flour | 2 Cups |
Baking Powder | 1 Tsp |
Baking Soda | 2 Tsp |
Plain Chocolate | 75 Gm. |
Unsweetened cocoa powder | 0.5 Cup |
Caster Sugar | 1.5 Cup |
Hot Coffee Decoration | 1 Cup |
Unsalted Butter | 1 Cup |
Milk | 1 Cup |
Eggs | 4 Nos |
Vanilla Essence | 1 tsp.. |
Nutella Biscoff Ganache
Ideally Biscoff spread is made from spiced cookies, like gingersnaps.
Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa) | 150gm |
milk chocolate (40% cocoa) |
150gm |
Nutella (Hazelnut Spread) |
400gm Jar |
Double Cream | 300gm |
Icing Sugar (Optional) |
1/2 Cup |
Chocolate Shards
Dark chocolate | 150gm |
Peppermint Essence – Oil Soluble | 2 Drops |
Demerara Sugar /Brown Sugar | 3 Tblspn |
DIRECTIONS:
CHOCOLATE CAKE:
-
Separate the white and yolk from the egg. Keep the butter out of the refrigerator a few hours before the making procedure, to have Butter at Room Temperature.
-
Prepare the hot Coffee Decoration by mixing 1.5 Tsp Bru or any Instant Coffee Powder with 1 Cup of Water. You could use any instant coffee powder of your choice.
-
Preheat the Fan Assisted Oven to 180 C. Cream together butter and sugar in a bowl. Whisk them until creamy and smooth. Its time to incorporate the yolk and whisk again.
-
In a separate mixing bowl ,Add the dry ingredients together – Self Raising Flour , Baking Powder , Baking soda & coco powder and give it a good stir. Add in the wet Ingredients – Hot Coffee decoration & Milk one by one with regular mixing after each incorporation.
-
Beat the White separately until a rising peak is achieved . Now add the chocolate pieces after melting them in the microwave for a minute to the Egg White Mixture. Mix Well. Add this White Mixture to the large mixing bowl containing the rest of the ingredients. Also include the butter – sugar mixture.
-
Using an hand blender , whisk the mix for about 1-2 minutes until all the lumps are gradually gone.
-
Grease 2 Sandwich Cake tins of 21cms with a lil butter and dust a bit of coco powder all around. Pour the cake mix in the sandwich tin up to 3/4th and place it in the preheated oven.
-
Bake for nearly 45 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted comes out neat. Let it rest in the wire rack for a while( about 30 minutes) until the cake cools.
BISCOFF SPREAD:
- Break the chocolate pieces into small equal pieces and place them both in the top of a double boiler set over hot water and allow to melt, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the Nutella spread. Add the double cream and with the help of an electric mixer, whisk until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat, as the frosting will become grainy.
- Taste , if you feel the sweetness needs to be adjusted , add in 1/2 a cup of icing sugar and give it a good blend.
CHOCOLATE SHARDS:
-
Bring together the essence and sugar and give it good mix. At the same time , prepare a double boiler and melt the chocolate in them . Mix the essence into it .
-
Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over hot water and allow to melt, stirring often. Place a 16-inch-long parchment paper on your work surface. Pour the melted chocolate onto the paper and using an offset spatula, spread it in a thin and even layer, about 1/3 of an inch off each edge. Place a second sheet of same-sized parchment paper on top and gently press to release the air bubbles. Starting with one short end, roll the parchment paper tightly into an-inch-wide tube. Place it seam side down on a rimmed baking tray and chill in the refrigerator until set, for at least 2 hours.
Have a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready and remove the tube from the refrigerator. Unroll the tube in one quick motion, which creates the chocolate shards. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper, and with the help of a large offset spatula go underneath the pieces, pick them up and transfer them to the lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to use. -
Use the large shards for the sides and the broken small ones for the top.
-
I have adapted the process of making Shards from here.
CAKE ASSEMBLING:
-
Using a long serrated knife , chop of the top bumpy bits and make it uniform.. Keep them aside , believe me .. they will handy when you want to taste the cake
-
Place one of the cake on cardboard carefully . Frost the cake,by spreading 1/3rd Ganache over the top . Place the second cake over the top of the frosted first half and frost the with top and sides with the remaining Ganache.
-
-
Carefully pull out the frozen shards .With the help of a tweezers , place the long pieces onto the sides and smaller ones on the top . Refrigerate the cake until the Shards set onto the Ganache and serve.
-
KITCHEN NOTES:
-
I haven’t used sandwich tins in this occasion , rather a regular heart shape cake pan . Baked the cake in 2 instincts. Alternatively you could also bake one large cake and slice them in to 2.
-
Chocolates begin to melt very easily with warm hands, hence use tweezers to place the shards.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 2 Cups Self Raising Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 2 Tsp Baking Soda
- 75 Gm. Plain Chocolate
- 0.5 Cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.5 Cup Caster Sugar
- 1 Cup Hot Coffee Decoration
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Milk
- 4 Nos Eggs
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
Nutella Biscoff Ganache
- Ideally Biscoff spread is made from spiced cookies like gingersnaps.
- 150 gm Dark Chocolate 70% cocoa
- 150 gm milk chocolate 40% cocoa
- 400 gm Jar Nutella Hazelnut Spread
- 300 gm Double Cream
- 1/2 Cup Icing Sugar Optional
Chocolate Shards
- 150 gm Dark chocolate
- 2 Drops Peppermint Essence – Oil Soluble
- 3 Tbsp Demerara Sugar /Brown Sugar
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE:
- Separate the white and yolk from the egg. Keep the butter out of the refrigerator a few hours before the making procedure, to have Butter at Room Temperature.
- Prepare the hot Coffee Decoration by mixing 1.5 Tsp Bru or any Instant Coffee Powder with 1 Cup of Water. You could use any instant coffee powder of your choice.
- Preheat the Fan Assisted Oven to 180 C. Cream together butter and sugar in a bowl. Whisk them until creamy and smooth. Its time to incorporate the yolk and whisk again.
- In a separate mixing bowl ,Add the dry ingredients together - Self Raising Flour , Baking Powder , Baking soda & coco powder and give it a good stir. Add in the wet Ingredients - Hot Coffee decoration & Milk one by one with regular mixing after each incorporation.
- Beat the White separately until a rising peak is achieved . Now add the chocolate pieces after melting them in the microwave for a minute to the Egg White Mixture. Mix Well. Add this White Mixture to the large mixing bowl containing the rest of the ingredients. Also include the butter – sugar mixture.
- Using an hand blender , whisk the mix for about 1-2 minutes until all the lumps are gradually gone.
- Grease 2 Sandwich Cake tins of 21cms with a lil butter and dust a bit of coco powder all around. Pour the cake mix in the sandwich tin up to 3/4th and place it in the preheated oven.
- Bake for nearly 45 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted comes out neat. Let it rest in the wire rack for a while( about 30 minutes) until the cake cools.
BISCOFF SPREAD:
- Break the chocolate pieces into small equal pieces and place them both in the top of a double boiler set over hot water and allow to melt, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the Nutella spread. Add the double cream and with the help of an electric mixer, whisk until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat, as the frosting will become grainy.
- Taste , if you feel the sweetness needs to be adjusted , add in 1/2 a cup of icing sugar and give it a good blend.
CHOCOLATE SHARDS:
- Bring together the essence and sugar and give it good mix. At the same time , prepare a double boiler and melt the chocolate in them . Mix the essence into it .
- Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over hot water and allow to melt, stirring often.
- Place a 16-inch-long parchment paper on your work surface. Pour the melted chocolate onto the paper and using an offset spatula, spread it in a thin and even layer, about 1/3 of an inch off each edge. Place a second sheet of same-sized parchment paper on top and gently press to release the air bubbles.
- Starting with one short end, roll the parchment paper tightly into an-inch-wide tube. Place it seam side down on a rimmed baking tray and chill in the refrigerator until set, for at least 2 hours.
- Have a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready and remove the tube from the refrigerator. Unroll the tube in one quick motion, which creates the chocolate shards.
- Remove the top sheet of parchment paper, and with the help of a large offset spatula go underneath the pieces, pick them up and transfer them to the lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Use the large shards for the sides and the broken small ones for the top.
CAKE ASSEMBLING:
- Using a long serrated knife , chop of the top bumpy bits and make it uniform.. Keep them aside , believe me .. they will handy when you want to taste the cake
- Place one of the cake on cardboard carefully . Frost the cake,by spreading 1/3rd Ganache over the top . Place the second cake over the top of the frosted first half and frost the with top and sides with the remaining Ganache.
- Carefully pull out the frozen shards .With the help of a tweezers , place the long pieces onto the sides and smaller ones on the top . Refrigerate the cake until the Shards set onto the Ganache and serve.
Notes
I haven’t used sandwich tins in this occasion , rather a regular heart shape cake pan . Baked the cake in 2 instincts. Alternatively you could also bake one large cake and slice them in to 2.
Chocolates begin to melt very easily with warm hands, hence use tweezers to place the shards.
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhyaskitchen and Hashtag #sandhyaskitchen!
simply.food says
Cake looks delectable.
Reva says
Lovely lovely cake… very fancy unusual frosting and decorations… Sure it must have been a big hit..:)
Beautiful..
A Happy New Year Dear..:)
Anisha says
My husband just walked in a looked at the picture on what's next on SK? and exclaimed "that looks yummy". So I showed him the recipe and he said…" oh she made it already come lets taste it… "
It really looks awesome!!!
ANU says
wow am drooling already…very nice recipe…thanks for sharing!
SYF&HWS – Cook With SPICES" Series – CARDAMOM (Dec 5th to Jan 5th)
Raji says
This looks really heavenly..love it. Wishing you a very Happy New Year !
Ambika says
Wow Sandhya!! The cake looks gorgeous! Wish you and your family a very Happy and Yummy new year 🙂
Sayantani says
awesome cake Sandhya…Wish you and your family a very happy new year.
Ramya says
your cake looks awesome and so chocolatey..first time in ur space..lovely blog..following u..
Red Chillies says
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
Ann says
Wow – this cake is an absolute show stopper! I can't get over how PROFESSIONAL it looks! Beautifully done and a slice of that would be like a slice of heaven!
Rookie Qookie says
Chocolate! Nutella!! You got me 🙂
zareena says
Cake looks amazing. Perfectly baked. Wish you a happy and prosperous new year.
Priya's Feast says
Wow..the cake luks stunning,sandhya..
Happy new year 2012
Ananda Rajashekar says
looks fantastic Sandhya wow for chocolate shards and your new outlook great!! Happy new year to you and yours!!
Priya says
Happy new year wishes to u and ur family..Wat a super tempting and gorgeous cake.
Prathima Rao says
WOW!! Mind blowing & such a stunning cake!!!! The shards add a nice gourmet touch!!!
Happy new year to u and your family!! And btw…love the new look of your blog!!
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
Chitra says
wow , its so nice..delectable cake 🙂
kankana says
Happy New Year to you too 🙂
This cake looks just so fantastic .. like a pro .. with all that fancy decoration. Great job on it 🙂
PrathibhaSreejith says
Awesome cake n great presentation 🙂
New to your space n all the pics are really amazing. Wishes for a Very Happy 2012..
Glad to follow you, check out my space when you get a chance….
http://cook-ezee.blogspot.com/
Kalyan says
Just mouthwatering…looks crisp, smooth & delicious!
TheYummyMorsel says
Amazing cake!
Sona says
Hello sandhya,
first time here, wow!! the cake looks stunning!!
Anu Nandu says
Brilliant and totally beautiful! I want this for my birthday!!
Cookingcutie11 says
Gorgeous, delicious looking cake! Looking for something to make for my husband for Valentine's Day, but I'll have to convert to US measurements. It's too beautiful not to try.
Camp Stove says
I really like this blog, It's always nice when you can not only be informed, but also get knowledge, from these type of blog, nice entry. Thanks…
meigancam01 says
Great article with excellent idea! I appreciate your post. Thanks so much and let keep on sharing your stuffs keep it up.
meigancam01 says
Hi, many, many thanks for taking the time to share.. It was useful for my team. Thanks for all of your hard work! I enjoy your weblog and will sign up to your feed so I will not miss anything. Fantastic content.
Kevin Alex says
Thank you for a delicious chocolate cake recipe. I can’t wait to try the shards!
Leslie McDonald says
I was searching for Cake but I saw your blog and am stuck on this rich and luxury cake. Am not a good cook but I will pass this link to my mom. She wil be happy 🙂