If there is anything in this world that cannot go wrong when it comes to desserts, that must certainly be chocolate cake! No matter the shape, the size or the decor, chocolate cake is a fan favorite. But it can also be boring, therefore my proposal for today is this chocolate speculoos cake with a devil’s food chocolate sponge cake and a chocolate speculoos whipped ganache as a filling. The decor is even more chocolate and it also has a chocolate syrup, therefore we can even say the cake has a quadruple dose of chocolate. Well hello, chocoholics! This is certainly for you. In fact, if you count the cocoa powder layer – which you should because, even though it is quite thin, it has a huge impact on the final taste of the cake – we can say quintuple dose of chocolate! Whoa, that is amazing! Such an intense chocolate taste in each bite – that it is impossible to resist! The only thing taming down the final taste is the addition of speculoos paste into the cream which warms it up slightly, it gives it a je ne sais quoi.

The cake is quite simple in its layers, the secret being the use of a good chocolate so the flavor stands out as much as possible. Plus, being all about chocolate, it is really important to make sure your chocolate has a certain depth, a taste of its own. And store-bought regular chocolates tend to be the opposite – sweeter and having a milder taste so you get hooked up and keep buying. Whilst chocolate for pastry is more balanced, less sweet and more like a good base to build your flavor profile upon.

Apart from chocolate, this cake also has a touch of speculoos because, let’s face it, December is upon us in no time! The spices found in speculoos complement the strong chocolate well, taming it slightly and warming up this rather cold ensemble of chocolate on chocolate.

{Chocolate Speculoos Cake}

 

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Author: Olguta - Pastry Workshop

Serves:: 1 18cm cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate sponge cake:

• 150g butter, softened
• 300g white sugar
• 150g eggs
• 5g vanilla extract
• 50g cocoa powder
• 170g hot water
• 70g milk
• 210g all-purpose flour
• 4g baking soda
• 2g baking powder
• 2g salt

Chocolate syrup:

• 60g water
• 25g white sugar
• 10g cocoa powder
• 10g Cointreau

Speculoos whipped ganache:

• 110g dark chocolate 58%
• 110g milk
• 2g gelatin + 12g water
• 110g speculoos paste (such as Lotus)
• 300g heavy cream, cold

Decor

• Chocolate shards

Directions:

Chocolate sponge cake:

1. Start by whipping the butter with the sugar until creamy and light.
2. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract as well.
3. Mix the hot water with the cocoa powder well, then add the milk.
4. Sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients and the wet ones to the butter base, alternating them. Start with the dry and end with the dry.
6. Split the batter in half and transfer each half into a 18cm baking pan lined with baking paper on the bottom.
7. Bake in the preheated oven at 170C for around 25 minutes.
8. Allow to cool down then level both sponges.
9. Keep wrapped in plastic wrap until needed.

Chocolate syrup:

1. Combine the sugar, cocoa powder and water in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Remove and cool down then add the Cointreau.
3. Brush both sponges with the chocolate syrup and keep aside.

Speculoos whipped ganache:

1. It is best to make this cream a day in advance as it needs cooling down in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
2. Bloom the gelatin.
3. Melt the chocolate.
4. Warm up the milk. Add the gelatin then pour it over the chocolate and mix with a blender.
5. Add the speculoos paste and blend.
6. Pour in the cream (unwhipped) and blend well.
7. Cover with foil and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
8. Whip until stiff peaks form.
9. Fill the cake with half of the cream. Smoothen the edges and freeze for 10 minutes then cover the cake evenly with the speculoos cream and keep in the fridge.
10. Decorate with chocolate shards and cocoa powder.

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ROMANIAN

Nu cred ca poti da gres cu un tort de ciocolata niciodata, indiferent de ocazie! Nu conteaza nici forma, nici cate straturi are, conteaza doar ca are ciocolata in cantitate mare si adesea e important sa contina numai si numai ciocolata. Insa poate fi si plictisitoare o astfel de varianta, motiv pentru care astazi va propun un tort de ciocolata cu pasta de speculoos.

Speculoos sunt biscuiti asemanatori cu turta dulce, aromatizati cu scortisoara si alte condimente specifice iernii, care se combina bine cu ciocolata, reusind sa scoata un ingredient de altfel destul de rece, spre o zona mai calda a aromelor. E bine stiu de altfel ca ciocolata se combina bine cu multe ingrediente, asa incat speculoos nu reprezinta nici noutate nici inedit.

Tortul in sine e relativ simplu, continand un blat usor pensulat cu sirop de ciocolata, un ganache spumat de ciocolata si speculoos si decor de ciocolata, plus un strat subtire de cacao. Rezulta o portie cvadupla de ciocolata, perfecta pentru inraitii acestui ingredient minune al cofetariei!

Ajutorul meu pentru realizarea acestui tort a fost minunatul robot Kenwood Titanium Chef pe care l-am primit in teste in cadrul unei campanii Buzz Store si pe care l-am indragit imediat datorita designului atent, accesoriilor cu adevarat utile si puterii instalate, astfel incat framantarea sau mixarea este usoara. Cu atat mai mult la acest mixer unde avem nevoie de o spumare perfecta pentru blat si capacitatea de a controla puterea pentru crema.

Tort cu ciocolata si speculoos

 

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Author: Olguta - Pastry Workshop

Serves:: 1 tort de 18cm diametru

Ingredients:

Blat cu ciocolata:

• 150g unt
• 300g zahar alb
• 150g oua
• 5g extract de vanilie
• 50g cacao
• 180g apa fierbinte
• 70g lapte
• 210g faina alba
• 4g bicarbonat
• 2g praf de copt
• 2g sare

Sirop de ciocolata:

• 60g apa
• 25g zahar alb
• 10g cacao
• 10g Cointreau

Ganache spumat cu speculoos:

• 110g ciocolata neagra 58%
• 110g lapte
• 2g gelatina + 12g apa
• 110g pasta de speculoos
• 300g smantana pentru frisca, rece, nespumata

Decor:

• Aschii de ciocolata si cacao

Directions:

Chocolate sponge cake:

1. Incepeti prin a mixa untul cu zaharul pana se deschide la culoare.
2. Adaugati ouale, putin cate putin, mixand bine dupa fiecare. Incorporati si vanilia.
3. Amestecati cacaoa cu apa fierbinte, apoi adaugati laptele.
4. Cerneti faina cu bicarbonatul, praful de copt si sarea.
5. Incorporati ingredientele umede si cele uscate in baza de unt cu ou, alternandu-le. Incepeti cu uscatele si terminati cu uscatele.
6. Impartiti aluatul in 2 si transferati in 2 inele sau tavi de 18cm diametru, tapetate cu hartie de copt doar pe fundul tavii.
7. Coaceti la 170C pentru 25 minute sau pana trece testul scobitorii (retineti ca fiecare cuptor e diferit).
8. Raciti apoi nivelati. Pastrati in folie alimentara pana la nevoie.

Sirop:

1. Dati in clocot apa, zaharul si cacaoa.
2. Raciti apoi adaugati Cointreau.
3. Pensulati cele doua blaturi cu acest sirop de ciocolata.

Ganache spumat de speculoos:

1. Este indicat ca aceasta crema sa o faceti cu cel putin 6 ore inainte de a o folosi.
2. Hidratati gelatina in apa.
3. Topiti ciocolata.
4. Incalziti laptele si adaugati gelatina, apoi turnati peste ciocolata. Omogenizati cu un blender.
5. Adaugati pasta de speculoos si omogenizati, iar la final incorporati smantana rece.
6. Acoperiti cu folie si dati la frigider minim 6 ore.
7. Spumati inainte de folosire.
8. Umpleti tortul cu jumatate din crema, nivelati si congelati 10 minute, apoi folositi restul de crema pentru a-l imbraca uniform.
9. Pastrati la frigider si decorati cu aschii de ciocolata si cacao pudra.

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