recipes_Australia_September_2017

SEPTEMBER 2017 recipes+ 65

here to help cook like a star

Caramel Mud Cake

SERVES 40 PREP 45 minutes + cooling

COOK 1 hour 35 minutes COST 75¢ a serve

500g chopped butter, at room temperature

500g white eating chocolate, chopped,

plus 200g extra, melted

2½ cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 cups hot water

¼ cup golden syrup

6 eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

2½ cups plain flour, sifted

2½ cups self-raising flour, sifted

2 thick wooden skewers

1 quantity Whipped Ganache (recipe, below)

Fresh flowers, to decorate (see tips, opposite)

1 Preheat oven to 150ºC/130ºC fan-forced.

Grease and line base and side of a 23cm

(base measurement) round cake pan and

a 20cm (base measurement) round cake pan.

2 Place butter, chopped chocolate, sugar, the

hot water and syrup in a large saucepan over low

heat; cook and stir for 5 minutes or until smooth

(Don’t boil). Transfer to a large heatproof bowl;

set aside to cool.

3 Add eggs, essence and flours to cooled chocolate

mixture, then, using an electric mixer, beat until

combined. Scoop 4 cups of mixture into the 20cm

pan; add remaining mixture into the 23cm pan.

Level surfaces. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until

a skewer inserted at centre of smaller cake comes

out clean. Cook larger cake for a further 15 minutes

or until a skewer inserted at centre comes out

clean. Remove from oven. Cool completely in pan.

4 Using a large serrated knife, level tops of cakes

to sit flat. Place the larger cake, trimmed-side down,

on a cake board (see tips, opposite). Insert a skewer

into the centre to measure depth; mark off depth

onto skewers and cut into six lengths. Insert into

cake, 5cm from edge, spacing evenly apart.

5 Spread Whipped Ganache over top and side

of larger cake. Place small cake board on top;

spread a little ganache over board then top with

smaller cake. Spread remaining ganache over

side and top of smaller cake.

6 Cut 2 x 8cm-wide strips of baking paper, 32cm

and 65cm in length. Place on a flat, clean surface.

Pour extra melted chocolate along the centre of

each paper strip, using a palette knife to spread

evenly. Stand for 5 minutes to partly set. Carefully

lift corners of shorter strip and wrap around the

base of larger cake. Repeat with longer collar;

allow chocolate to set. Once chocolate is set,

carefully peel off paper. Decorate with flowers.

Whipped Ganache

MAKES 1 quantity

PREP 5 minutes + 30 minutes to chill

600g white chocolate melts

300ml cream

Place chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl

over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let

base of bowl touch water). Cook and stir for

5 minutes or until melted and smooth. Chill,

stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until thick.

Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy.

PHOTOGRAPHY

PHILIP CASTLETON

A treat for the eye as well as the tastebuds, this rich layer

cake will give you and your friends plenty to celebrate

Cake of the

month