Another birthday.

(Not mine! I’m not ageing that quickly. I hope.)

This one celebrates another year with a salted caramel chocolate cake. Based on Pierre Herme’s Faubourg Pave, with extra caramel shards flecked with cocoa nibs and vanilla salt, and truffles.

(Because life should get sweeter and richer, as you get older. 🙂 )

Cocoa Cake :
(enough for two Faubourg Paves; recipe for ganache here; from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme)

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (40g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 cup (35g) cake flour
3 1/2 tablespoons potato starch
5 1/2 tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter
9 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (150g) sugar
5 large egg whites, at room temperature

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 180’C. Butter two 18 x 9cm loaf pans,m then line the pans with baking paper.

Sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, and potato starch and keep close at hand. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool until it is barely warm to the touch.

Working in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (75g) of the sugar on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture is thick and pale, about 5 minutes. If you do not have a second mixer bowl, scrape the thickened egg yolks into a large bowl and wash and dry your mixer bowl; wash and dry the whisk attachment in any case.

Fit the mixer with the clean, dry bowl and whisk and whip the egg whites at medium speed just until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until the peaks are firm and shiny.

Working with a large rubber spatula and a light hand, fold the sifted dry ingredients and one-quarter of the beaten whites into the yolk mixture. Stir a few tablespoons of this mixture into the cooled melted butter, stirring to incorporate the butter as much as possible, then add the butter and the remaining whites to the yolk. Working quickly and gently, fold everything together.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans – it should come three-quarters of the way up the sides – then slide the pans into the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. A slender knife inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.

To cool the loaves, allow them to rest for 3 minutes in their pans, then gently unmold them onto cooling racks, delicately lift off the baking paper, and turn the cakes right side up to cool at room temperature.

(Welsh vanilla salt, pure vanilla extract, Lindt chocolate buttons)

I have seen a grown man lick a slice of cake so that no one else will be tempted to steal it. “Don’t let anyone touch my cake while I’m out,” he says. “Tell them I’ve licked it. See?” He presses his tongue against the creamy topping, like an octopus’ tentacle claiming it’s prize, then out the door he dashes. I work with crazy people.

But the lure of cake does that to most of us. Especially chocolate cake.. which I’ve just realised that I haven’t made in awhile. One of the most comforting chocolate treats is a chocolate-loaded flourless cake by Jill Dupleix, who in turn had enhanced an Elizabeth David recipe. The chocolate I usually use is Callebaut, occasionally Valrhona (when I feel like splashing out), but sometimes also Lindt 70%, which is readily available at the local supermarket and is my great standby when I’ve run out of the other stuff. So usually any of my recipes should read : First, grab your handbag and dash to the shops for some Lindt because you’ve forgotten that there aren’t any more Callebaut buttons in the house.

Today I thought I would try something different. This cake is a combination of old and new : an old favourite chocolate cake recipe by Rose Levy Beranbaum, filled with a salted caramel recipe from a newly acquired book that my brother gave me for Christmas.

Rose’s cake is called Chocolate Domingo, named after Placido Domingo. It is an incredibly moist, chocolatey and fudgey cake, that really is very satisfying eaten unadorned. But in the spirit of trying something different, I decided to cut it into individual portions, slather the innards with salty caramel, and top the cakes with a shiny glaze.

To paraphrase Adam Ford, I kiss this cake and make it mine.

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Chocolate Domingo Cake :

42g Dutch cocoa powder
160g sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
156g sifted cake flour
200g castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
200g unsalted butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 180’C.

In a medium bowl whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and half the cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the remaining cocoa mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tin (23cm diameter greased and lined springform tin) and smooth the surface with a spatula. The tin will be about half full. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a tester inserted near the centre comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the centre.

Let the cake cool in the tin on a rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and invert onto a greased wire rack. Reinvert so that the top is up and cool completely before wrapping airtight.

(More chocolate treats over at SHF #27, hosted by David Lebovitz.)