Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (19 page)

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Authors: Maida Heatter

BOOK: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts

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Bake for 10 minutes. Then quickly reverse the pans top to bottom and front to back to insure even baking. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes more (total baking time 13 to 15 minutes) until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip. They will be a pale golden color when done. They should not be overbaked.

While the cakes are baking spread out two smooth linen or cotton towels—not terry-cloth.

As soon as the layers are done, invert them onto the towels. Quickly remove the pans, peel off the paper linings (the layers will be ½ inch thick), and cover each layer loosely with a second smooth linen or cotton towel. Let stand until cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

6 ounces (6 squares) unsweetened chocolate

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons water

¾ pound (3 sticks) sweet butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

3 eggs (graded large)

Chop the chocolate into rather fine pieces and set aside on a piece of wax paper.

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spatula until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a fast boil. Dip a pastry brush in water and wash down the sides to remove any undissolved granules of sugar.

Add the chopped chocolate and stir over heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from the heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter. Add the vanilla and cocoa and beat well. Then add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating after each addition until it is incorporated.

On low speed gradually add the chocolate mixture (which will still be warm), scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until smooth, (The warm chocolate will thin the buttercream.) Remove from the mixer and set aside.

Now you will invert the cooled cakes onto a large cutting surface. Remove the top towels and then lift the remaining towels with the layers on them, invert onto the surface, and remove the towels, leaving the cakes right side up.

Partially fill a large bowl with ice and water. Place the bowl of buttercream in the bowl of ice and water and stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the mixture is as thick as mayonnaise. While it is chilling it will thicken unevenly (the coldest part will thicken sooner); when that happens remove the bowl of buttercream and stir it well with the spatula until it smooths out, then return it to the ice and continue to stir.

When the mixture is thick enough, remove and set aside 2 cups for the icing. With a long, narrow metal spatula spread half of the remaining buttercream (¾ cup) on each sponge sheet. Spread very smooth all the way to all the edges.

Now each cake will be cut into four strips the long way. It is important that the strips are all cut exactly the same width; use a ruler and toothpicks to mark both of the narrow ends of each cake into quarters.

With a long, sharp knife cut the strips.

To form the cake: Roll one of the strips (with the chocolate to the inside) into a tight spiral like a jelly roll. Place the rolled strip on the end of another strip, fitting the ends together. Continue to roll.

Place the rolled strips (which will be the middle of the cake) on a flat side so the spiral pattern is up, in the center of a large, flat cake plate. Carefully pick up another strip, place a narrow end of it against and touching the end of the rolled strips, and roll it around the cake. Continue this way with all of the remaining strips, being careful not to leave air spaces where the ends of the strips come together.

When all of the strips are rolled around in a spiral, you will have a cake 9 inches in diameter and 2½ inches high.

If you have a cake-decorating turntable or a lazy Susan, place the cake plate on it.

Briskly stir the reserved 2 cups buttercream to soften it slightly. Spread it over the top and sides of the cake, spreading it smooth with a long, narrow metal spatula.

Wipe the cake plate if any icing is on it.

Refrigerate the cake overnight, or freeze it for several hours or longer. (Freeze until the icing is firm before wrapping. Thaw for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator before unwrapping.) It must be cold when it is served or it will not slice well.

Hungarian Seven-Layer Cake

12
P
ORTIONS

This is a first cousin to Dobosh Torte—it is seven thin layers of a classic white sponge cake, filled and covered with a deliciously bittersweet dark chocolate buttercream.

You will need 8-inch layer-cake pans and, since you will bake seven separate layers, it will go a little faster if you have many pans. However, the layers bake quickly, so even with only a few pans this is not a tremendous chore (although it does take more patience than baking a one- or two-layer cake). This is fun, and a wonderful cake.

It may be refrigerated for a day or two, or it may be frozen.

6 eggs (graded large), separated

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

If you have only two or three 8-inch pans, and if they will fit on the same rack, adjust the rack to the lowest position in the oven. If you have more pans than will fit on one rack, adjust two racks, one to the lowest position and the other closer to the middle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut seven circles of wax paper to fit the 8-inch pans. Butter as many pans as you have, line them with the papers and butter the papers. Set the prepared pans aside and reserve the extra circles of wax paper.

In the small bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg yolks and about half of the sugar at high speed for about 5 minutes until very pale and thick. On low speed gradually add the flour and beat, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until the flour is incorporated. The mixture will be very thick. Remove it from the mixer (use your index finger to scrape the beaters clean).

Add the salt to the egg whites in the large bowl of the electric mixer. With clean beaters, beat until the whites hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate, gradually add the remaining sugar, then increase the speed again and beat until the whites hold a firm shape.

Add about ½ cup of the beaten whites to the yolks and stir it in. Then stir in another ½ cup. Then, adding about ½ cup at a time, fold in all but about 2 cups of the whites. Fold the yolks into the remaining whites.

You will have about 6½ cups of batter to make seven layers, therefore each layer should use a scant 1 cup of batter. It is not necessary to measure the amount—you can approximate it. Spread the batter smooth all the way to the edges of the prepared pans—it must touch the sides of the pans all the way around, and it should be smooth.

The layers should bake about 15 minutes. If you are using more than one rack, the pans must be reversed top to bottom once during baking; each layer should spend some time on the lowest rack so that the bottom bakes well. When done, the tops will be barely colored, and the layers may show signs of beginning to come away from the pans at the edges.

Spread out a large, smooth (not terry-cloth) cotton or linen towel.

When the layers are done, cut around the sides to release and then invert the layers onto the towel. Remove the pans and peel off the papers. If the bottoms are baked dry enough the papers will peel off in one piece; if they don’t, it is all right to tear the papers off, one section at a time. (The bottoms should be a little darker than the tops.) With your hands immediately turn the layers right side up—the tops of the layers are sticky and would stick to the towel. Let stand until cool.

The remaining batter may wait uncovered at room temperature, but don’t waste any time getting it all baked. Wash the pans, prepare them as before, and bake the remaining layers.

Prepare a flat cake plate by lining the sides with four strips of wax paper. Place one layer right side up on the plate, checking to be sure that the papers touch the cake all around.

If you have a cake-decorating turntable or a lazy Susan, place the cake plate on it.

Prepare the filling and icing.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE FILLING AND ICING

5 ounces (5 squares) unsweetened chocolate (see Notes)

¼ cup water

½ cup granulated sugar

I tablespoon dry instant coffee

4 egg yolks

¼ pound (1 stick) sweet butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and at room temperature

Place the chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Cover until partially melted, then uncover and stir until completely melted.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix the water with the sugar and instant coffee. Place over moderate heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil.

Also meanwhile, in the small bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks at high speed until they are pale lemon-colored.

When the sugar/coffee syrup is ready, turn the mixer speed to low and very slowly, in a thin stream, beat the syrup into the yolks. Then add the warm melted chocolate and beat only until smooth—it will be very thick.

Now, beating slowly, add the butter, one or two pieces at a time, and beat well until completely blended.

With a long, narrow metal spatula spread a very thin layer of the buttercream over the cake, spreading it smoothly all the way to the edges. The layers of filling must be thin or there will not be enough to cover the top and sides—this amount is just right if you spread it thin enough.

All the layers should be placed right side up except the top one, which should be upside down to insure a perfectly flat top.

After filling all the layers, cover the top and sides. But just before spreading the icing on the top and sides of the cake, if it is not silken smooth, and if you have a food processor, process the icing (use the metal blade) for a few seconds and like magic it will become completely smooth, Then, with a long, narrow metal spatula, spread the icing smooth.

Remove the wax paper strips by pulling each one out toward a narrow end.

Refrigerate for several hours to set the icing. The cake may be cold when it is served or at room temperature. It should be cut with a sharp, heavy knife.

NOTES
:
1. For a sweeter filling and icing, substitute semisweet chocolate for all or part of the unsweetened chocolate.

2. If you freeze this, chill it until the icing is firm before wrapping; then thaw overnight or for several hours in the refrigerator before unwrapping.

3. Before serving the top may be covered with small chocolate shavings which may, if you wish, be coated with a sprinkling of dry powdered sweetened or unsweetened cocoa.