Rich Chocolate Cake With Salty Dulce De Leche Hazelnut Brittle Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚. Brush the bottom and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla in a large liquid measuring cup.
• Beat the granulated sugar and eggs in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until very fluffy and light, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl occasionally. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake until the tops of the cakes are firm and spring back when gently pressed and the sides begin to pull away from the pan, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes, then run a thin spatula around the cakes to loosen and invert onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the dulce de leche until well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the confectioners' sugar until combined, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until the frosting is thick and fluffy, about 1 more minute. Refrigerate until the frosting is slightly firm but still spreadable, about 1 hour.
• Trim the domed tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if necessary. Cut each layer in half horizontally to make 4 thin layers. Put 1 layer on a cake plate and spread with a heaping 1/2 cup frosting all the way to the edges. Repeat with 2 more cake layers, then top with the remaining cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting (this is the crumb coat-it doesn't have to be perfect). Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Reserve the remaining frosting.
• Mix the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining frosting and stir well to combine. Refrigerate the chocolate frosting and remaining dulce de leche frosting along with the cake.
• Cover the cake with the remaining dulce de leche frosting. Using a small offset spatula, add swipes of the chocolate frosting in concentric circles over the top of the cake, plus some swipes around the sides of the cake. Use a large offset spatula to smooth the chocolate frosting into the dulce de leche frosting, slightly marbling the two. Run the tines of a fork around the top of the cake in concentric circles. Refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• Meanwhile, make the chocolate curls: Run the palm of your hand on one side of the chocolate block to soften slightly. Working over a piece of parchment paper, scrape along the softened side with a paring knife or a wide vegetable peeler to make about 2 cups large chocolate shavings. Freeze on the parchment until set, 10 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator. If the frosting is too hard, let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Gently press the chocolate shavings into the sides of the cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10-in. springform pan and wrap bottom of pan with heavy-duty foil; set aside., In a large saucepan, combine chips, butter, cream and sugar; cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Pour into a large bowl; cool., In another large bowl, beat eggs on high 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat into chocolate mixture, a third at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla., Pour into prepared pan; place on a baking sheet. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (top will crack). Cool on a wire rack (cake will settle). Cover and chill 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan before removing sides., For glaze, in a large saucepan, combine chips, cream, butter and corn syrup; cook over low heat until chocolate is melted; stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir until smooth., Spread enough of the glaze over top and sides of cake to cover. Chill 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining glaze. Chill overnight. Serve with raspberries and mint if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.,

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut parchment paper circles to fit three 9 inch cake pans, or 2 larger cake pans (depending on the size and style of cake you want to create).
• Alternatively, this recipe will make about 3 1/2 dozen cupcakes, using muffins tins lined with cupcake papers.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Set aside.
• Whisk the cocoa and coffee together until smooth (no lumps).
• Set aside.
• In a large mixer bowl, cream butter (about 1 minute), add oil, beat for one minute.
• Add sugars, beat for 10 minutes.
• Add eggs, beat 5 minutes.
• Add vanilla, beat until blended.
• Alternately add coffee and cocoa mixture and dry ingredients into butter mixture, mixing after each addition, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often.
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• If making cupcakes, bake for about 20 minutes.
• Spread frosting over layers, and frost entire cake.
• Another delicious idea is to melt jam until it's syrup consistency (if using raspberry jam, make sure you strain it!) and brush the tops of the layers with the melted jam before frosting them.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3/fan oven 150C. Grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Dust the sides with a little flour. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until melted, then remove the bowl from the pan and stir until smooth. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds, and the liqueur, if using. Put the egg whites into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form. Continue whisking, sprinkling in the sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stir 2 tablespoons of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remainder until no traces of white are left.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch. Cool in the tin (don't worry if the cake sinks and cracks slightly - it will still be fine). You can make the cake up to this stage up to four days ahead and keep it in an airtight container in a cool place. It also freezes well for up to one month.
• To serve, remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Sift cocoa powder liberally over the top and cut into slices. Serve with crème fraîche.