know how
January/February 2017taste magazine 91
rich chocolate mud cake
makesone 23cm round cake or 28 cupcakes
250g salted butter
180ml water
8tspinstantcoffee
250g dark or milk chocolate,
chopped or broken
150g plain flour, sifted
150g self-raising flour, sifted
500g caster sugar
60g unsweetened cocoa powder(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
(room temperature is best)
125ml buttermilk
31 ⁄ 2 tbs vegetable oil
1 Preheattheovento180°C/160°Cfanforced.Greaseandflour
around23x7.5cmcakepan.Linethebasewithbakingpaper.
(Or,tomakecupcakes,line28muffinpanholeswithpapercases.)
2 Combinethebutter,waterandcoffeeinasaucepanovermedium
heatuntilthemixturecomestoaslowboil.Removefromtheheat
and add the chocolate, stirring until it’s completely melted.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3 In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, cocoa and
bicarbandmakeawellinthecentre.
4 Pour in the eggs, buttermilk, oil and cooled chocolate mixture.
Stirvigorouslywithawoodenspoonuntiltherearenolumps.
5 Pourthebatterintothepreparedpan(ormuffinholes,filling
eachabouttwo-thirdsfull).Bakethecakeuntilaskewerinserted
intothecentrecomesoutclean,about50-60minutes,and
completelycoolinthetinbeforeremoving.Bakethecupcakes
for20-24minutes,untilthecentreofacupcakespringsbackwhen
touched. Check cupcakes first at 18 minutes and then each minute
thereafter. Transfer the cupcakes to wire racks to cool.
Themudcakeforthemosaicheartcakecanalsobemadeintoonelarge
cake or cupcakes. Chocolate ganache is used to hold the M&M’s in place.
workin with anache
Forpouring and dipping, use the ganache
whileit’sstillwarm.Don’tbeafraidtodip
marshmallows and strawberries into freshly
warmed ganache – it’s delicious.
For a whipped, fluffy frosting (when a piping
consistency is needed), wait until the ganache
reachesroomtemperatureandthenbeatonhigh
speedusinganelectricmixeruntiltheganache
lightens in colour and becomes a thick and
spoonable consistency.
Foraspreadableconsistency(idealfor
layering large cakes, covering cakes and for
use under fondant), allow the ganache to cool at
room temperature for 6-8 hours before use. (Try to
at least frost your cake before you commence
eating ganache straight from the bowl.)
To store, cover the ganache with plastic wrap
and make sure that the wrap touches the
surface of the chocolate.
If the ganache starts to set too quickly, you
canuseahairdryeronlowtogentlywarm
it up again. This will return the ganache to a
workable consistency.
Oneheapedtablespoonofroom-temperature
ganache folded into 1 cup of whipped cream
makes an amazing chocolate mousse.
dark chocolate ganache
makes750g
300ml pouring cream
600g dark chocolate, chopped
1 Microwave method: Place the cream and chocolate in
amicrowave-safebowlandmicrowaveonHighin1-minute
intervals, stirring for 2 minutes in between, until there are
no lumps. This should take 2-3 minutes maximum.
2 Stovetopmethod:Bringthecreamtoarollingboilinasmall
saucepan(thismeansaboilwithbubblesalloverthesurface,
notjustaroundtheedges).Removefromtheheat and add the
chocolate, stirring until there are no lumps.
Sweet! Celebrations
byElise Strachan
is published by
Murdoch Books, $39.99.
Available in good
bookstores and online.