CHOCORANGO CAKE - video recipe

(This post was originally posted in the Portuguese version on the blog's aniversary, July 22nd, I apologize for the delay, but this recipe is worth trying! And if you do try it, please let us know!!)

The blog was created in 2008, it was presented in a very simple way: strawberries and chocolate. On the first aniversary,we dressed them up in party clothes, with a brownie base, tuile crust and a delicious white chocolate and lime cream.

 

For this year's aniversary we created this recipe that looks like is dificult to make but in reality is super simple. Chocolics will love, and the rest of us won't be able to resist.

We couldn't decide wheter to make a white or chocolate cake, so we made both. We wanted a light cake that would just melt in your mouth, we chose a sponge cake with whisky. Three kinds of chocolate for the filling: semi-sweet, milk and white with a layer of strawberries, just strawberries!

We wanted a good finished look to the cake but at the same time we wanted it to be delicious and flavorful and our answer was shaved chocolate.

But of course! It would be perfect! So we covered the sides of the cake with shaved chocolate. For the frosting, nothing more classical than the good old cool whip. We hope you like the recipe's combination and presentation!

Thank you all for always visiting us!

White Sponge Cake

2 Large eggs (or 3 small)
1/4 tsp salt
1oz powdered sugar
1.7oz all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Chocolate Sponge Cake

3 large eggs (or 4 small)
1/2 tsp salt
1.7oz powdered sugar
2.5oz all-purpose flour
3 tbsp powder cocoa
1 tsp baking powder

To moisten the cake:
10oz whisky
0.6oz water

Semi-sweet Chocolate Ganache
6oz semi-sweet chocolate
4oz heavy cream (18% fat)

Milk Chocolate Ganache
6oz milk chocolate
4oz cream (18% fat)

White Chocolate Ganache
6oz milk chocolate

4oz heavy cream (18% fat)

Strawberry Filling
10.5oz strawberies

Frosting
4.6oz semi-sweet chocolate
3oz heavy cream (18% fat)
7oz shaved chocolate
2oz Chantilly Cream (Cool Whip)
Strawberries to decorate

PREPARATION
 
White Sponge Cake
1. Pre heat the oven to 355°F. Cover the botton of a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Sift sugar, flour and baking powder and mix well.
 
2. In a mixer, beat the eggs (room temperature) and salt in high speed for 10 minutes or until it doubles in bulk and it looks fluffy and light. Lower the speed to a minimum and beat for 1 more minute.
 
3. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, folding carefully with a spatula so you don't lose the volume obtained.
 
4. Pour the dough in the pan and bake it for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the cake. Don't let the cake bake to a golden brown color so it doesn't dry out.
 
5. Remove from the oven and run a knife on the sides to free the cake from the pan and remove the cake out of the pan while hot. Remove the parchment paper and let it cool over a wire wrack.
 
Chocolate Sponge Cake
6. Follow the same instructions on the White Sponge Cake, sifting the cocoa with the flour.
 
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Ganache
7. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, make sure you don't let it come in contact with water. Add the heavy cream (room temperature) and mix well. Refrigerate for 10 minutes so it is a little more firm.
 
Use the same steps to make all the other Ganaches.
 
Strawbery Filling
9. Clean the strawberries and slice them. Reserve.
 
Frosting
10. Make a Ganache using the steps on number 7, and cover the sides of the cake with it.
 
11. Dip some strawberries in chocolate or ganache.
 
Buiding the Cake
12. Slice the white cake in 2 layers.
 
13. Slice the chocolate cake in 3 layers.
 
14. Place one layer of chocolate cake on cake plate, drizzle with whisky mixed with water and spread the semi-sweet chocolate ganache.
 
15. Place one layer of white cake, drizzle with whisky and water and palce the milk choco;ate ganache on it.
 
16. Place another chocolate cake layer, drizzle the whisky and spread the white chocolate ganache.
 
17. Place the other white cake layer and arrange the sliced strawberries. If the cake is a little uneven, add some extra strawberris to the lower spots.
 
18. Cover with the last layer of chocolate cake and drizzle some whisky.

19. Cover the sides of the cake with the frosting ganache and using your hands aplly the shaved chocolate.

20. Spread the Cool whip on top, you don't need to use all of it. Decorate with the chocolate covered strawberris and sprinkle a little shaved chocolate. Refrigerate until is time to serve.

Tips: Make sure the powdered sugar have corn starch in it.
The flour is sifted with the sugar so is easier to mix with the eggs.
If desired substitute whisky for Rum or Brandy.
Use a good quality chocolate for better results.
You can use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate, and semi-sweet instead of milk chocolate.
Be careful when melting chocolate in a microwave. Start with 40 seconds and lower the time from there until it is smooth and shiny. The chocolate and heavy cream mixture don't go in the microwave so there is no risk of damaging the texture or burning it. If heating it up is necessary do it in low heat with a double broiler.

Makes 14 Servings.

And now a video on how to build the cake: