CHOCYWOKY EASTER CAKE

CHOCYWOKY EASTER CAKE

This year don't buy those cheap horrid "so called" chocolate easter eggs! Treat your family and friends with this rich decadent chocolate cake that I promise won't fail to impress. Follow my instructions carefully, if you get stuck.. leave a comment below and I will message you right back :) Good luck and Happy Easter! x

INGREDIENTS:

  Double Chocolate Cake.

- 250g Light Muscovado Sugar

- 250g Plain Flour

- 250g Unsalted Butter (Room Temp)

- 3 Large Eggs (Room Temp)

- 250ml Milk

- 100g Cocoa Powder

- 2 tsp Baking Powder

- 1 tsp Cornish Sea Salt 

- 50g Melted Dark Chocolate (Anything above 50% cocoa solids)

- 50g Milk Chocolate Chips

- 4 Cadbury's Cream Eggs (I'd buy more just incase they F*^K up when you cut into them)

  Chocolate Ganache.

- 400ml Fresh Double Cream

- 400g Dark Chocolate 

- 2 tsp instant coffee granules 

  Chocolate Mirrored Glaze.

- 300g Caster Sugar

- 200g Fresh Double Cream

- 250g Liquid Glucose (I use SliverSpoon Liquid Glucose)

- 20g Gelatine Powder (Bloomed in 90g Cold Water)

- 90g additional Water

- 100g Cocoa Powder

YOU WILL NEED:

- 20cm Cake Board

- 2 x 20cm Cake tins

- Parchment Paper

- Scraper (or credit card 'cleaned & sterilised')

- Weighing Scales

- Measuring Jug

- Pallet Knife

- Cling Film

- Thermometer

- Metal Sieve

HOW TO:

    Double Chocolate Cake.

1. Preheat oven to 180c/160c Fan/Gas4. Cut 2 circles out of parchment paper (approx 18cm each) and grease two 20cm cake tins with oil, place the parchment circles at the bottom of the tins. This will prevent the rich chocolate cake from sticking and should be super easy to remove.

2. Either in a free stand mixer, hand mixer or good old wooden spoon, Cream together the butter and sugar with 1tsp of Salt (I prefer using Cornish Sea Salt, its not as harsh tasting as normal table salt and it's actually good for you!) until light and fluffy.

3. Sift together the cocoa, flour and baking powder and set aside. Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, after each egg add 1-2 tsp of the flour & cocoa mixture and beat till combined.  (Using room temperature eggs stop the butter from going hard which will cause the mixture to curdle).

4. Melt 50g of Dark chocolate on a bowl over simmering water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water as this will burn the chocolate and turn it grainy). Let the melted chocolate cool a little.

5. Fold in the melted chocolate and half the dry ingrediants, mix till well combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients followed by the milk, add enough to give a soft dropping consistency, then add 50g Chocolate Chips.

6. Divide evenly between two cake tins and bake for about 25 - 30 minuets, until firm in the centre. Let cakes cool completely, then pop into the freezer for an hour.

    Chocolate Ganache.

1. Break up 400g of Dark chocolate into a large bowl.

2. Measure 400ml of Fresh Double Cream & 2 tsp of Instant coffee granules and add to a heavy bottomed sauce or milk pan. Gently heat till it reaches a boil and pour over the dark chocolate. Leave for 4-5 minuets to melt before stirring with a spoon. Let the ganache set a little in the fridge (approx an hour) before applying to the cake. If its too stiff pop it into the microwave and blast it 20 seconds a time till it becomes soft but not runny. 

    Chocolate Mirrored Glaze.

1. Mix 20g Gelatine with 90g cold water and set aside.

2. Heat 300g Sugar, 200g Fresh Double Cream and 90g of water until it reaches a boil.

3. Remove from the heat, add 250g Liquid Glucose and sift in 100g of Cocoa Powder.

4. Carefully stir in the gelatine, try not to mix quickly as this will cause bubbles to form. 

5. Strain through a metal sieve into a easy pour jug, place cling film directly on top of the glaze to stop it forming a skin. side aside to cool a little. The perfect temp for pouring should be 24c - 26c.

DECORATION:

1. Take the cake from out of the freezer. Using a serrated bread knife, Level the tops of the cakes and then place them on top of each other and cut around the edges (keeping the knife straight). This should help achieve super straight top and sides when applying the chocolate ganache.

2. Using a hot sharp knife, cut the cream eggs in half (Easier said then done believe me! but its worth it) then scoop out the inners into a bowl. Place the egg halves onto parchment paper and place in the fridge.

3. Apply a tbsp of Ganache onto a 20cm cake board and place one half of the cake onto the board. Apply a generous amount of chocolate gauche and also the cream egg icing. Place the other half of the cake on top, making sure its upside down so it has a nice flat top, gently press down.

4. Apply the rest of the Ganache on top of the cake, using a Pallet knife smooth the ganache, letting it fall down the sides of the cake and gradually start rotating the cake with one hand while spreading the ganache around the side. 

5. Using the scraper tool or credit card (cleaned & sterilised). Hold it up to the side of the cake, rotating the cake board as you go and even out the sides and top. I'm a little OCD about getting my lines perfectly straight and smooth, so it takes me a good 20-30 mins. 

6. Place the Cream Egg halves on top then place the cake into the freezer for 30-45 minuets to set. 

7. Take the Glaze out of the fridge, remove cling film. Place into the microwave and give it a quick 30 second blast, then stir. Do this a few times, checking the temperature each time, when it researches 24c to 26c its ready to use. Take the cake from out of the freezer, place it on top of a cooling rack or something similar with something under to catch the excesses glaze.

Pour directly in the middle, then over the eggs, then finally around the edge. Making sure all of the cake has been covered, if not you can use a warm pallet knife to help direct the glaze before it sets. Let it stand at room temperature for an hour before taking it off the rack and then place into the fridge to set. The glaze should be tacky and not runny when set.