Chocolate Truffle Cake

Assalam, apa2pun nak masukkan juga recipe Chocolate Truffle Cake for my own reference, senang kalau nak buat lagi, sebab ada sukatan yang telah kita adjust....This cake was for Iqram's birthday on 28th March yang lalu, genaplah 13 tahun bujang kedua kita tu....sedapp pada kami..My mum already ordered untuk buatkan my niece birthday next week..hehe..untuk keluarga dan anak sendiri oklah kita buatkan tapi kalau untuk order orang luar, ada sikit pressure & stress disitu...:)

Anyway, cake ni kita ambil recipe dari buku Martha Stewart..memang seronok tengok recipe2 dalam buku tu..semuanya kasi orang menjejes air liur..hehe..bekenan yang ni..of cos juga dalam gambar cake Martha lagiii lawa compared dgn kita punya, oh tepi kek tu memang kita sengaja buat macam tu tau..hehe....tak apalah kan asal edible dan kita buatlah mana yang termampu...nak deco susah2 memang comfirm kita mati kering buat cake tu..hehe...so here it is for my future reference dan sibuk2 masuk dalam blog sendiri ni ya..:)

Chocolate Truffle Cake
Sources:-Martha Stewart's Cakes
Adjusted, Tried & Tested:-Ayu@curlybabesatisfaction
Ingredients:-
1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature.
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp best quality unsweetened cocoa powder-(Ayu used Valrhona cocoa powder)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp boiling water
3/4 cup milk +1/4 cup(Ayu added this)
21/4 cups sifter cake flour(not self rising)-(Ayu used top flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
13/4 cups sugar-(Ayu used 200g) -7/8 cup (half the amount of 13/4)
2 tsp vanilla extract-(Ayu used vanilla essence)
3 large eggs lightly beaten

Method:-
Use 3nos 9x2 inch round cake pans.(Ayu used 1 no. 8' round cake pan & cut to 3 slices)
Preheat oven to 180c. Stir cocoa into a medium bowl. Stir in the boiling water until smooth, gradually whisk in milk. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. With an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla.

Add eggs in one by one. beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and reserved cocoa mixture a little at a time in alternate batches, starting and ending with the flour beat until combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake rotating halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely.

With a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to level. Place bottom cake layer on a cake stand or platter and spread evenly with about 11/4 cups of whipped ganache, top with second layer and 11/4 cups ganache. Top with third layer. Spread remaining whipped ganache over top and sides of cake to form a crumb coat, refrigerate until ganaches is firm about 30 minutes.(Ayu used own chocolate ganache, and did not whip it)

Chocolate Ganache
Sources:-Ayu@curlybabesatisfaction
200ml whipping cream 
250g dark chocolate, chopped finely
a pinch of salt
In a double boiler, warm the cream until just at boiling point, add the chocolate & salt and stir. When all the chocolate has melted, remove for heat and continue stirring until all well mixed.

Whipped Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache
Sources:-Martha Stewart's Cakes

1 pound bittersweet chocolate finely chopped-(454g)
21/2 cups heavy cream 

Method:-
Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat. pour over chocolate, swirling to cover completely. Let sit 10 minutes. With a flexible spatula or a small whisk, gently stir chocolate and cream until combined.

Refrigerate ganache stirring every 5 minutes until mixture is cool to touch. Whisk ganache until it just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in colour. Do not overwhip, or mixture will become grainy(ganache will keep thickening after you stop whisking.)Use immediately.

POURED GANACHE VARIATION:
Omit step 2. At the end of step 1, let ganache sit at room temperature until just thickened, about 15 minutes. The ganache will get thicker as it sits, it should be pourable but thick enough to fully coat the cake.

Rich Chocolate Frosting:- (Ayu used half of this for this cake)

Sources:-Martha Stewart's Cakes
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder-(Use normal cocoa powder good enough)
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp warm water
11/2 cups(3 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
21/4 tsp salt -(If use salted butter DO NOT add this)
11/2 pounds semisweet chocolate chopped melted and cooled.(680g)

Method:-(Sorry just updated 14/4/2014)
Whisk together cocoa and the warm water in a bowl until cocoa disolves.With an electric  mixer on medium speed, beat butter, confectioner's sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and then cocoa mixture until combined. Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature and beat on low speed before using.

After covered the cake with rich chocolate frosting, Ayu top with shaved milk chocolate compund..: