ENGLISH!

I admit it! I am a chocoholic, I love chocolate in any way, but mostly I love it in cakes. There is nothing better than a rich, airy chocolate mousse that melts in your mouth and makes you want another spoon.. and another… and yet another one, just so you can experience the same feeling again. (I better stop right here with these pictures, otherwise I’ll have to grab a chocolate bar to satisfy my cravings I guess.
This layered chocolate cake recipe is based on a Adriano Zumbo cake, Tanzanie, but I’ve only kept a few of the original components just because I had some of my older recipes to replace them with and I trust those recipes better for the time being. As for the name, to be honest it was the only name that came through my mind… this cake has so much chocolate that only those who really love chocolate could eat it to be honest. It is definitely not a light cake, nor a cake fitted for summer, but I just fell in love with its perfect layers and just the thought of so much chocolate in one cake intrigued me.

So without much talking, I give you the mighty recipe. (I know it sounds complicated, but once you start making it, things seem so simple. If you organize properly you can make it in one day I think. However, it took me 2 days as I like to bake in my own rythm and never be in a rush.. I wanted this cake to be perfect and hell it was :D)

The layers are (from bottom to top):
1. Flourless chocolate cake
2. Chocolate ganache
3. Flourless chocolate cake
4. Chocolate gelee
5. Cocoa and coconut pate sucree
6. Vanilla creme brulee
7. Chocolate mousse
8. Mirror chocolate glaze

Cocoa and Coconut Pate Sucree

The original recipe called for chocolate meringue, but I thought it might be too sweet for my taste and since I don’t have an oven that can bake perfect meringues, I replaced it with this cocoa and coconut pate sucree, which sort of absorbs moisture from the cake, but still remains crisp. You can make this layer the day before and store it in an dry place over night without problems.

Ingredients:

• 140g butter, softened
• 70g powdered sugar
• 30g desiccated coconut
• 260g plain flour
• 20g good quality cocoa powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch baking powder
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the butter with the powdered sugar until fluffy and creamy. Add the coconut and salt and mix well. Stir in the egg and give it a good mix.
2. In another bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa and baking powder then incorporate it into the butter mixture. Knead a couple of times then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour, flour your working surface well and roll out the dough in a 1/2cm thick sheet. Take a round cake pan, mine was 24cm diameter and cut a circle into dough.
4. Transfer the pate sucree on a baking tray lined with baking paper. A little tip for you: roll the dough on the back of your baking tray, lined with paper. After you cut it, you won’t have to transfer it, process that sometimes damages its perfect round shape.
5. Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 15-20 minutes. Be careful not to burn it nor to over bake it. It has to be crisp, but not rock hard.

Vanilla Creme Brulee

I decided to keep this layer, just because I’ve done cakes like this in the past and I liked the creme brulee sort of awakening your senses with its freshness, especially when there is so much chocolate involved in the other layers. However, I used a different recipe than Zumbo’s which I’ve tried in the past and it worked great. This can also be made 1 day ahead. In fact, I recommend you to as you will have to freeze it for a few hours before transfering into the cake.

Ingredients:

• 115ml heavy cream
• 115ml whole milk
• 30g sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• seeds from 1 vanilla bean
• 1 teapsoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, slightly mix the egg yolks with the sugar. Pour in the milk, heavy cream, vanilla seeds and extract. Line a 24cm dimater round pan with baking paper and pour in the creme brulee mixture. Put the pan in another one, bigger, and pour hot water all the way around.
2. Bake in the oven at 330F for 50-60 minutes. The time, however, depends on your oven. Just check it after 30 minutes. If it looks set, but still a bit wobbly, it is done.
3. Remove from oven and let it cool to room temperature then freeze for a few hours. This step is compulsory as otherwise you won’t be able to transfer it into the cake.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I’ve made this 1 day ahead and I have to tell you this is the best thing in the whole world. It can literally stand out as a chocolate cake for itself as it is so moist and rich, the chocolate is intense, yet not overwhelming. I fell in love with it and I’ll definitely make it again.

Ingredients:

• 180g butter, softened
• 80g powdered sugar
• 15g cocoa powder
• 125g melted chocolate
• 1 whole egg
• 5 egg yolks
• 9 egg whites
• 120g powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of salt

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the butter with the 80g of powdered sugar and cocoa powder until fluffy and light in colour, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the melted chocolate (slightly cooled), then stir in the whole egg and egg yolks.
2. In another bowl, cleaned of any grease, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until fluffy and firm. Gradually add the 120g of powdered sugar, mixing for at least 5 more minutes until the meringue reaches the stiff peaks stage and it’s glossy.
3. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture then pour in two 28Cm dimater round pans. Since I don’t have 2 pans with the same size, I used a larger one then simply cut the edges of the cake to fit into my cake ring.
4. Bake in the preheated oven at 170C for 1 hour, depending on your oven. The cake will rise beautifully, but when you remove it from the oven, it will deflate. Do not worry though. It is supposed to.

Before proceeding to the next layers I have to say that usually I assemble my cakes layer by layer, meaning that, except sponge layers or other individual components as the ones above, the creams and mousses are made in the same day and they go into the cake as I make them, on by one, layer by layer.
So I woke up in the morning and set up my first flourless sponge cake in a round cake mold, about 28cm diameter then I started making the fillings.

Chocolate ganache

Ganache is one of the most basic creams ever made for cakes. It is rich and creamy and it’s heaven for any chocoholic. It is the first creamy layer of this cake and it literally melts in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• 140ml heavy cream
• 20g sugar
• 115g dark chocolate
• 50g butter
• 2g gelatin

Directions:

1. Mix the gelatine with 1 tablespoon cold water and put it aside to bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to the boiling point. Add the sugar, mix well, then stir in the chocolate, chopped. Mix well until melted then incorporate the butter and melted gelatine.
3. Let it cool to room temperature then pour over the first layer of chocolate sponge cake, in the cake ring. Refrigerate for 1 hour, while you make the next layer.

Chocolate gelee

This is one delicious layer. However, it has a strong chocolate/cocoa taste so if you are not comfortable with that, it might be better to skip it. Although the whole cake is loaded with chocolate, a bit more won’t hurt, isn’t it? 😀

Ingredients:

• 15g gelatin
• 300ml water
• 60g cocoa powder, good quality
• 100g chocolate, chopped
• 70g powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix the gelatin with 40ml water and let it bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the water in a small heavy saucepan. Stir in the cocoa, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until it starts to thicken.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Mix well until melted.
4. While still hot, add the gelatin and incorporate well. Put the saucepan aside to cool to room temperature.

Cover the ganache with the 2nd flourless cake layer. Pour in the chocolate gelee. Refrigerate 1 more hour then arrange the coconut pate sucree over the gelee. Top the pate sucree with the creme brulee (remove it from the freezer. Being frozen, you can handle it better. Carefully place it over the pate sucree layer). Refrigerate until next layer.

Chocolate mousse 

Zumbo’s cake called for a mousse made with egg yolks, but since it’s summer here and the weather is hot, I’m trying to avoid eggs in mousses, so I made a simple chocolate mousse to finish the cake.

Ingredients:

• 100g dark chocolate (72% cocoa)
• 200ml heavy cream
• 300ml heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 4g gelatine, bloomed in 20ml cold water

Directions:

1. Pour the heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boiling point. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Let it stand 5 minutes then mix well until the chocolate is melted.
2. Add the melted gelatine and dark rum and put the pan aside to col to room temperature.
3. Whip 300ml heavy cream to the soft peaks stage then gently fold it into the chocolate mixture you just made.
4. Pour the mousse over the creme brulee and put in the freezer for at least 2 hours to set.

Chocolate mirror glaze

I replaced the original glaze with this one, just because I made this recipe countless times and it always turns out great.
So a few hours later, remove the cake from the fridge and remove the cake ring or mold. Slowly pour the glaze over the cake and its sides, making sure to cover it well.

Refrigerate a few more hours before serving. I never eat cakes right away (well, almost never :D). They just taste better after all the flavors have infused with each other.

ROMANIAN!

Pentru ca am avut mai multe cereri de a traduce aceasta reteta, iat-o in toata splendoarea ei!
Tanzanie e un tort renumit apartinand lui Adriano Zumbo – un bine cunoscut pastry chef australian. Reteta e in proportie de 80% originala, am facut mici modificari ici si colo, inlocuind unele retete cu ceea ce eu incercasem inainte si eram sigura de reusita. Tortul final e cum se vede – un “monstru” ciocolatos, absolut delicious, fin, decadent, perfect pentru cei care iubesc ciocolata. In mod cert nu e un desert de vara ori light si nici nu poti servin felii mari caci e foarte consistent. Evident, e un tort complex, atat ca aroma, cat si ca procedeu de realizare, dar merita incercat.

Straturile de jos in sus:
1. Blat de ciocolata fara faina
2. Ganache
3. Blat de ciocolata fara faina
4. Jeleu de ciocolata
5. Blat crocant de ciocolata
6. Creme brulee de vanilie
7. Mousse de ciocolata
8. Glazura oglinda

Va recomand sa incepeti cu straturile care pot fi facute inainte, adica blaturile.

Blat crocant de ciocolata

Reteta originala cerea o bezea de ciocolata, insa m-am gandit ca s-ar putea sa fie prea dulce si oricum cuptorul meu nu face bezele perfecte fiind unul pe caz, am inlocuit bezeaua cu acest blat. E reteta pe care o folosesc mereu cand am nevoie de un blat crocant, dar care se topeste in gura. Daca renuntati la cacao, devine un blat alb excelent ca baza pentru tarte ori biscuiti. De data asta am folosit unt, insa mi s-a intamplat sa pun si untura cand nu am avut unt suficient si chiar si margarina si a iesit mereu foarte bun.

Ingrediente:

• 140g unt moale
• 70g zahar pudra
• 30g nuca de cocos
• 260g faina alba
• 20g cacao
• 1 praf de sare
• 1 praf de praf de copt
• 1 ou

1. Mixati untul cu zaharul pudra pana devine o crema, apoi adaugati oul. Separat, cerneti faina cu cacao, sarea si praful de copt.
2. Adaugati nuca de cocos, apoi incorporati ingredientele uscate in compozitia de unt. Infasurati aluatul in folie si dati la rece 1 ora. Sincera sa fiu nu mereu il dau la rece si diferenta e nesesisabila.
3. Framantati usor si intindeti aluatul de masa de lucru intr-o foaie de aproximativ jumatate de centimetru.
4. Decupati un cerc putin mai mic decat aproximati ca va fi diametrul tortului si coaceti la 180C pentru 15-20 minute. Tortul meu a avut aproximativ 28cm, deci blatul acesta a fost de 24cm.
5. Reteta ca ajunge pentru doua discuri de blat, insa eu mereu fac si ceva biscuiti de rontait pentru cel mic, deci mie mi se potrivesc cantitatile asa cum sunt. Voi puteti injumatati daca doriti.

Creme Brulee de Vanilie

Am decis sa pastrez stratul asta pentru ca am mai facut torturi asemanatoare in trecut (a se vedea Frech Yule Log) si mi-au placut enorm. Stratul asta e oricum aproape obligatoriu as zice pentru ca mai taie putin din gustul intens al ciocolatei. Va recomand sa il faceti cu o zi inainte si sa-l congelati.

Ingrediente:

• 115ml frisca lichida
• 115ml lapte
• 30g zahar
• 4 galbenusuri
• seminte de la o pastaie de vanilie
• 1 lingurita esenta de vanilie

1. Intr-un bol, se mixeaza galbenusurile cu zaharul. Se toarna laptele, frisca si se adauga vanilia (seminte si esenta).
2. Se tapeteaza o forma de tort de 24cm cu hartie de copt si se toarna crema in tava.
3. Se coace la 160C pentru 50 minute. Trebuie sa se inchege bine.
4. Se lasa sa se raceasca si se da la congelator. Doar daca e congelata se poate manevra pentru a o pune in tort.

Blat de ciocolata fara faina

Nu mai intru in detalii aici pentru ca acelasi blat il aveti explicat AICI. Singura diferenta e ca am impartit aluatul in doua si am copt doua foi. Le puteti face fara probleme cu o zi inainte.

Inainte de a continua cu urmatoarele straturi, trebuie sa va spun ca eu obisnuiesc sa fac straturile pe masura ce asamblez tortul, exceptie facand blaturile care pot fi facute cu o zi doua inainte. Asadar, a doua zi dupa ce am facut blaturile si crema brulee, m-am apucat de creme si jeleu. Intai de toate, asezati unul din blaturile de ciocolata fara faina pe un platou, apoi puneti un inel de tort de jur imprejur, de preferabil unul detasabil a carui diametru poate fi ajustat. Blaturile tind sa se micsoreze putin si ar fi de preferat ca inelul de tort sa le stranga bine de jur imprejur.

Ganache de ciocolata neagra

Ganache e crema cremelor, de baza in cofetarie. E primul strat de crema si se topeste pur si simplu in gura.

• 140ml frisca lichida
• 20g zahar
• 115g ciocolata neagra
• 50g unt
• 1 g gelatina (optional)

1. Se hidrateaza gelatina intr-o lingura de apa rece.
2. Frisca se incalzeste intr-o craticioara, insa nu o fierbeti. Se ia de pe foc si se adauga zaharul, apoi ciocolata tocata. Se lasa sa se odihneasca 5 minute apoi se amesteca bine cu un tel.
3. Se incorporeaza untul, spoi gelatina topita. Evident, gelatina nu e obligatorie, insa o recomand daca tortul urmeaza sa fie trasnportat pe distante mai mari ori daca temperaturile sunt mai ridicate.
4. Lasati ganache-ul sa se racoreasca putin apoi turnati-l in forma de tort, peste primul blat fara faina. Acoperiti cu al doilea blat de ciocolata fara faina si dati la rece.

Jeleu de ciocolata

Desi delicious, stratul asta are un gust intens de ciocolata. Daca preferati mai putina ciocolata il puteti inlocui cu o crema de fructe poate, insa cred ca asta e farmecul acestui tort – muuuuuullltaaaaa ciocolata!

• 15g gelatina
• 300ml apa
• 60g cacao neagra
• 100g ciocolata neagra
• 70g zahar pudra
• 1 praf de sare

1. Amestecati gelatina cu 40ml apa rece si lasati-o sa se hidrateze 10 minute.
2. turnati restul de apa intr-o craticioara. Adaugati cacaoa, zaharul si sarea si fierbeti la foc mic 5-10 minute pana incepe sa se ingroase usor. Luati de pe foc si adaugati ciocolata tocata. Mixati bine pana se topeste si compozitia e fina. Adaugati gelatina hidratata in compozitia calda si amestecati bine.
3. Lasati sa se raceasca putin apoi turnati jeleul peste al doile blat de ciocolata fara faina. Dati la rece.
4. Cand jeleul e inchegat, puneti urmatorul strat – blatul crocant si dati la rece din nou.

Mousse de ciocolata

Reteta originala avea un mousse cu ou, insa la momentul la care am facut tortul era vara si cald iar eu prefer sa evit ouale pe timpul verii, asa ca am folosit reteta de mai jos. Insa daca doriti un mousse care pleaca de la o baza cu ou, puteti folosi reteta de  la French Yule Log. Mousse-ul cu pate a bombe e mult mai cremos si mai bogat.

• 100g ciocolata neagra (peste 72% cacao)
• 200ml frisca lichida
• 300ml frisca lichida
• 2 linguri zahar
• 1 lingura rom
• 4g gelatina hidratata in 20ml apa rece
• 1 praf de sare

1. Se toarna 200ml frisca intr-o craticioara si se incalzeste pe foc. Se ia de pe foc inainte de a fierbe si se adauga zaharul apoi ciocolata rupta bucati. Se amesteca pana la omogenizare, apoi se adauga gelatina, sarea si romul. Se lasa sa se racoreasca la temperatura camerei.
2. Se bate frisca bat apoi se incorporeaza usor in crema de ciocolata.
3. se toarna mousse-ul peste blatul crocant si se da la rece cateva ore bune.

Glazura de ciocolata

E fix aceeasi reteta de AICI, o reteta pe care am facut-o de nenumarate ori si care va iese negresit.

Se acopera tortul in glazura si se decoreaza dupa plac.