The CIOCCOLATTE CAKE is a real delicacy. Made with a cocoa sponge cake, a soft and delicate milk cream filling and a dark chocolate coating, it is an appetizing and sinful dessert. Great as a birthday cake or party dessert, it will surely satisfy the greediness of adults and children. Making it is easy but not quick because there are several preparations that require fairly long resting times. So arm yourselves with patience and make it the day before to enjoy it.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (medium, at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (about 100 g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (about 50 g)
- 1/4 cup potato starch (about 35 g)
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (about 15 g)
- 2 tsp baking powder (for cakes) (about 8 g)
- 3/4 cup whole milk (about 200 g / ml)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (about 50 g)
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (maize starch) (about 22 g)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream (for filling) (about 100 g)
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar (about 20 g)
- 7 oz dark chocolate (60-69%) (about 200 g)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (about 180 g)
- coffee (half a moka pot (about 1/2 cup strong coffee))
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
FOR THE CIOCCOLATTE CAKE YOU’LL NEED
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- 1 Pan 7 in
- Electric beaters
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pot
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Saucepan
PREPARATION OF CIOCCOLATTE CAKE
Heat the cream over low heat until it is just about to boil. Remove from the heat and add the dark chocolate, broken into pieces, stirring until completely melted and smooth to avoid lumps. Let it cool for 15 minutes at room temperature and then place it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. After the resting time and once well chilled, whip it with electric beaters until light and airy.
Place the whole eggs in a bowl with the sugar and a pinch of salt and beat well with electric beaters until frothy; this will take about 10 minutes.
Add the sifted flour, potato starch, baking powder and cocoa and gently fold them in with a spatula.
Butter and flour a pan, preferably a springform pan 7–8 in, pour in the batter and bake in a preheated, conventional oven at 356°F for 30 minutes.
To check for doneness, use the classic toothpick test: if the toothpick comes out dry, the sponge is done. If it is still moist, continue baking for a few more minutes.
Once baked, turn off the oven and let the cake cool with the oven door slightly ajar.
Make sure to cut it only when it is completely cold.
To prepare the milk cream, split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife and put both the seeds and the pod in a saucepan with part of the milk (about 1 cup / 250 ml) and the sugar.
Place everything over low heat and, stirring continuously, allow it to thicken. Meanwhile, in another bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining cold milk. Work it with a whisk to obtain a smooth, lump-free mixture.
When the milk on the heat begins to simmer, add the milk with the dissolved starch and, stirring constantly, let it thicken.
Once it is thick and homogeneous, remove from the heat and pour the cream into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. This prevents the unsightly skin from forming.
Let the cream cool completely and transfer it to the fridge for at least 1 hour. In the meantime, whip the cold cream from the fridge with 3 tbsp of powdered sugar.
Now take the milk mixture and, using the beaters, loosen it until soft and workable. At this point gently fold the whipped cream into the milk cream from the bottom up until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous cream.
Cut the sponge cake into two layers, soak them with cold coffee and fill with the milk cream. Place the cake on a rack and completely cover it with the chocolate ganache. Decorate as you like and place your cake in the refrigerator for a few hours.
My advice is to prepare the Cioccolatte cake the day before; it will be even better and will have time to set properly.
