A single layer chocolate butter cake, frosted with Rose's special dark chocolate ganache and dedicated to the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti! I never heard him sing live, unfortunately, but his Ave Maria by Schubert was breathtaking.
The reason she's so beautiful is because her inner goodness shines through!
Happy Birthday, beloved one, and God bless you!
Happy Birthday, beloved one, and God bless you!
This is our goddaughter, Natalie Adelle. She turned 17th on February 14--perfect timing for the Chocolate Pavarotti with Wicked Good Ganache.
Smitty has been under the weather, so I only have a couple of photos this week. I kept forgetting to stop and take pictures in the middle of baking!
The first order of business was making the ganache, because it has to cool for several hours. This particular recipe features both unsweetened and semisweet chocolate, combined with heavy cream and a little cornstarch.
But what really knocks it out of the park is the addition of cayenne pepper. I used a half teaspoon, aiming for the middle of the range recommended in the recipe.
My fellow Alpha Baker, Raymond, who blogs at Your Just Desserts, hates to wash the food processor, and doesn't use it when making ganache. (visit Raymong at https://yjdesserts.wordpress.com/) However, I am hopelessly dependent on my kitchen appliances and wouldn't know how to do it any other way, although I do see his point. Fortunately, I have that other essential kitchen appliance, a dishwasher.
Smitty has been under the weather, so I only have a couple of photos this week. I kept forgetting to stop and take pictures in the middle of baking!
The first order of business was making the ganache, because it has to cool for several hours. This particular recipe features both unsweetened and semisweet chocolate, combined with heavy cream and a little cornstarch.
But what really knocks it out of the park is the addition of cayenne pepper. I used a half teaspoon, aiming for the middle of the range recommended in the recipe.
My fellow Alpha Baker, Raymond, who blogs at Your Just Desserts, hates to wash the food processor, and doesn't use it when making ganache. (visit Raymong at https://yjdesserts.wordpress.com/) However, I am hopelessly dependent on my kitchen appliances and wouldn't know how to do it any other way, although I do see his point. Fortunately, I have that other essential kitchen appliance, a dishwasher.
This is the rubble from one batch of ganache! (except for the peeler!) I definitely see Raymond's point! If I had to wash these by hand I would go crazy.
This is a surprisingly easy and fast recipe to put together. The cake includes melted white chocolate, which doesn't translate to flavor, but adds richness.
Let me chime in here in favor of Rose's silicone Cake Strips or Wilton's Bake Even Strips. You only have to purchase them one time, and they ensure flat cakes and even baking.
Let me chime in here in favor of Rose's silicone Cake Strips or Wilton's Bake Even Strips. You only have to purchase them one time, and they ensure flat cakes and even baking.
Rose's Cake Strip is clipped around my pan with a binder clip to cool the sides of the pan and promote even baking.
The ganache spreads like a dream, but I never remember that ganache firms up so quickly that there's no time to go back and smooth it out once it's spread on the cake!
A couple of flourishes before I delivered it to Natalie. She loved it, and so did her family.
It's been a while since I've baked a chocolate butter cake, so I'm having trouble comparing this one to Rose's others. I found it to be lovely, although perhaps a little bit on the dry side.
The ganache, on the other hand is wicked GREAT! I am not the biggest dark chocolate fan, but this one is fantastic.
The ganache, on the other hand is wicked GREAT! I am not the biggest dark chocolate fan, but this one is fantastic.
NEXT WEEK: LEMON POSSET SHORTCAKES
Thanks, everyone, for visiting and commenting!
Thanks, everyone, for visiting and commenting!
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