Turbulent & Spicy Bittersweet
BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND FRESH CHILLY PEPPERS
Ingredients for a 3-layered cake of 16 cm base diameter
DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
460 g all purpose flour
45 g cocoa powder
25 g carob powder
26 g baking powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon sea-salt
380 ml oat milk
120 ml sunflower oil
170 g brown sugar
95 g dark chocolate, melted
DARK CHOCOLATE CHILLY MOUSSE (for the layers)
400 g dark chocolate
400 ml plant-based heavy cream (rice or oat)
2 fresh chilly peppers, or more if you like it more spicy
a pinch of salt
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE (to cover the cake)
500 g dark chocolate
500 ml plant-based heavy cream (rice or oat)
PREPARATION
Start with the chocolate mousse as it has to rest for at least 4 hours before use. Blend the chilly peppers and sieve to retreat the juice. In ‘bain-marie’ and on low fire, melt the chocolate and gradually add the heavy cream. Make sure that the heavy cream is at room temperature. Blend gently until you get an homogenous mix. Add the chilly pepper juice and mix well. Let it sit for 4 hours at room temperature. After this time, beat the chocolate/heavy cream mix with a handmixer for at least 5-10 minutes until it turns slightly fluffy and transfer it in an icing bag with a round tip of approximately 1 cm diameter. Set aside for later use.
Use the same ‘bain-marie’ method for the dark chocolate ganache. Melt the dark chocolate with the plant-based heavy cream and set aside.
Preheat the oven at 170°C.
In a mixing bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa, carob powder & baking powder. Add the smoked paprika, sea-salt and mix well. In a second bowl, combine the brown sugar with the plant-based milk, sunflower oil, and stir well – using a whisk. Gradually add the mix of dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt) to the wet ingredients and mix well – using a spatula – until all ingredients are well combined. Add the melted chocolate. Equally divide the dough in 3 spring forms of 16 cm diameter - that you have previously greased with some baking spray or plant-based fat. Bake in preheated oven at 170°C for 25-30 minutes until the cakes are properly baked. You can use the toothpick-test to check if your cakes are ready. If you dip a toothpick in the centre of the cake and the toothpick comes out clean then the cake is done. If it comes out with pieces of wet unbaked dough, then you need to bake the cake for a couple more minutes. When ready remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
When the cake layers are completely cool, cut their tops if necessary to make them even and start building the final cake. Select a surface/cake stand of your preference, place the first cake layer and add - with circular movements - some of the dark chocolate chilly mousse you have prepared in the icing bag. Continue with the next cake layer and add on top of it another layer of chocolate chilly mousse. Finish with the last cake layer, placing it bottom-up so that your final cake has an even top. Refrigerate for at least an hour until the layers are set.
Slightly beat the dark chocolate ganache for a 2-3 minutes until it gets a little bit more soft and easier to work with it. Cover the cake - using a spatula - and create a wavy pattern - using a spoon. Finish it by slightly burning the chocolate ganache - using a kitchen torch - for a glossy effect.
Enjoy x AM
