chocolate valentine sweetheart cake
Unlike all the other recipes in this book, this ethereal cake contains no flour, which means it lacks the structure to stand as tall as a triple-layered cake usually does. In fact, the entire dessert is less than 3 inches high. What it lacks in height, however, it more than makes up for in richness and flavor.
A seductively spiced ganache, flavored with saffron and cinnamon and subtly spiked with chile, offers a pleasing contrast to the all-chocolate layers. The effect is hard to imagine until you taste it. Let’s just say, it could be considered a love potion. The cake layers can be made a day in advance. The frosted cake must be chilled until set, but the dessert should be served at room temperature to fully appreciate both the texture and flavor.
As always, but especially in this intense recipe, you must use absolutely the best bittersweet chocolate you can find. A cocoa content of 65 percent is ideal. With a total of 2 pounds of chocolate in the cake and ganache frosting, this dessert should definitely be offered to those you love, especially those who love chocolate as much as you do.
MAKES A HEART-SHAPED TRIPLE-LAYER CAKE; SERVES 12 TO 16
- 1 pound bittersweet chocolate
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
- 6 whole eggs
- 6 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- Spiced Chocolate Ganache with Coconut Milk and Rosewater (page 177)
- 1 small rose or a small spray of rosebuds, for decoration
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter 3 heart-shaped 7 ½-inch pans, about 1 ½ inches high. Line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
- With a large sharp chef’s knife, coarsely chop the chocolate. Divide the butter into tablespoons. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and set over barely simmering water. Cook, stirring, until melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, and coconut milk, taking care not to whip in an excess amount of air. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the layers are set only around the edges and still retain an area about 3 inches in diameter in the center that remains shimmery, loose, and shiny; this part will set up when the cake cools. Do not let the layers bake so long that the batter rises over the tops of the pans; over baking will cause the cake to rise up and then sink back down like a soufflé, and the texture will suffer for it. Let the layers cool to room temperature. Cover the cakes in the pans and refrigerate for at least several hours, or overnight, until firmly set.
- To remove the cakes from the pans, carefully and gently warm the bottom of one layer on the stove top over low heat for just a few moments. Invert onto a cake plate or platter and tap out the layer. Peel off the paper. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- To assemble the cake, spread about ¼ cup of the Spiced Chocolate Ganache over the first layer. Place the next layer on top and repeat. Place the third layer on top and pour ¾ cup ganache onto the cake, spreading to coat the top and sides. Decorate with a small rose or a spray of rosebuds.
