Chocolate Cake with Walnut Brittle

In my previous post, I mentioned my grandma’s epic Chocolate Cake with Walnut Brittle that trumped the wide array of sweet treats on my birthday.  I also promised you the recipe for this intricately sensational chocolate concoction and told you that you will not want to miss it.  I was not kidding!  

I know, you may ask yourselves “why would you need another fancy chocolate cake recipe when you already have this great one?”  The truth is that regardless how dazzling and indulgent that cake is, sometimes only your grandma’s-mastered-and-made-with-lots-of-love-and-patience cake will do; and we realize that the traditional is special and extraordinarily good.  And besides, you can never have too many chocolate cake recipes in your repertoire.

This Chocolate Cake with Walnut Brittle is the classic, staple chocolate dessert, the ace up her sleeve that grandma Vicki pulls out on celebratory occasions.  From birthdays to dinner parties, and from Christmas to Easter, this torte is front and center.  On top of that, this is a recipe that my grandma made, fiddled with, and perfected over time, which makes it that much more exceptional.  And to watch her making it twice for me while at home was a real treat!   

This chocolate cake is so rich, sweetly moist and drenched in rum, slathered with a smooth and velvety egg-enriched chocolate frosting, and dressed up with the crunchy, toasty and caramelly walnut brittle on top, which transforms the special into spectacular.  Although, my grandma’s cake is ideal for significant occasions, you don’t have to wait for that specific moment to give your taste buds some noteworthy chocolate therapy; the weekend would be a good excuse.

Now, I’ll admit that this cake requires a few steps and almost a dozen eggs to reach a sinful awesomeness and seductive deliciousness hard to achieve otherwise.  But don’t panic; the steps are super-easy and the result will not disappoint.  I would recommend, if you have the time, to make the rum syrup and the walnut brittle, and to bake the cake layers the day before.  It will simplify the entire process.  And sometimes, it’s worth to slow down and smell the roses; or, in this case, the chocolate!         

       

Chocolate Cake with Walnut Brittle

By Simply Romanesco inspired by my Grandma Vicki

Makes: 12+ servings

Ingredients for the cake:

Butter for the pans

110 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans

1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

35 grams (4 slightly heaping Tablespoons) cocoa powder

8 large eggs, at room temperature

240 grams (1cup) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for the Rum Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

¼ cup rum

Ingredients for the Walnut Brittle:

50 grams (1/2 cup) toasted walnuts

60 grams (1/4 cup) sugar

Ingredients for the Frosting:

3 large eggs, at room temperature

250 grams (1 cup and 1 ½ Tablespoon) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ Tablespoon cocoa powder

100 grams (3.5 oz.) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

125 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream

230 grams (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

Instructions for the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Butter two 8 or 9-inch x 2-inch round cake pans.  Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa.  Mix until combined.  Set aside.

Separate the egg yolks and egg whites into two large bowls.  Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla.  In batches, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Set aside.

In the other large bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold medium-firm peaks.  In batches, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.  Once the cakes have cooled completely, pierce the top all over with a fork.            

Instructions for the Rum Syrup:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water and whisk until the sugar dissolves.  Off heat, add the rum, whisk well and set aside to cool completely.  Using a spoon, drizzle the syrup all over the top of the cakes.  You will use about 1 ¼ cup (250-300 ml) of the syrup.  Just discard the remaining of the syrup.  Allow the cakes to sit and absorb the syrup.  

Instructions for the Walnut Brittle:

Butter a small plate and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the sugar until it dissolves and turns into caramel.  Off heat, add the walnuts and mix well until all the walnut pieces get coated with caramel.  Pour the walnut and caramel mixture onto the buttered plate.  When the brittle has cooled completely, crush the brittle into small pieces.  The best way to do this is with a mortar and pestle.  Set aside.  

Instructions for the Chocolate Frosting:

Place the chocolate in a small bowl.  Heat up the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Cook until small bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate.  Using a spoon, gently stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture (the ganache) is smooth.  Set aside.

In a medium heat-proof bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla for 2-3 minutes.  Put the bowl on top of a pan of simmering water, making sure that the base of the bowl doesn’t come in contact with the water.  Gently beat the eggs and sugar mixture with a whisk until it thickens and looks like a thick cream, about 25-30 minutes.  Add the cocoa and the chocolate and cream mixture (the ganache) and mix well.  Set aside to cool completely, stirring occasionally.  

In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Slowly and in batches, add the chocolate and egg mixture and beat on medium-low speed, scrapping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.  Don’t whip!

Place 1 layer of the cake, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal.  With a knife or offset spatula, evenly spread the top with one-third of the frosting.  Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. 

Sprinkle the walnut brittle over the top and sides of the cake.  

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Romania at a glance!

A month ago, I left a cold Pittsburgh, went to a spring-like Romania and came back to an even colder Steel City.  But the time in Romania was worthwhile as it was filled with birthday parties, barbecues, frequent trips to the open market, and home-cooked meals with my grandmother.  Nothing short of perfection!   

It was a whole year ago that I went to see my family in Transylvania and the trip coincided again with my birthday, which is always celebratory and exciting!  If last year, I specifically insisted that my Grandma Vicki included these spectacular Nutella filled Cookies on my birthday dessert menu, this year, her epic Chocolate Cake with Walnut Brittle took center stage.  And Adrian’s cousin Alex called it “the Bomb”!  Stay tuned for this recipe, you will not want to miss it!  

Of course, in my grandma’s kitchen one dessert is never enough, so the Chocolate Cake was nicely accompanied by a Coffee Cream Cake and a Chestnut Cake.  All gorgeous and mouthwatering! 

After an outrageously mild winter, spring came early in Romania.  The moment the sun was out and the temperatures started to climb, Romanians had two things on their mind: picnics and grilling.  As always, the mititei, those small sausage shaped patties, were extremely popular; and so were the pork steaks, chicken drumsticks, fish and these amazing Chicken Burgers, which got me a standing ovation!

As you can see, people love to crowd around the grill, literally, and get lost in a cloud of smoke!  

When spring fever hits, Romanians start vegging out in parks, soaking up the sun and relishing some crunchy pretzels.

I prefer a trip to the open markets that are overflowing with fresh produce the moment spring rolls around.    

And I can never turn down a visit to a traditional restaurant!

Apple crusted pork chops with mashed potatoes and caramelized plums.

Spicy pork shoulder with rice, runny egg and homemade pickles.

Gulyas – Traditional Hungarian Beef Stew.

But more often than not, home-cooked meals are the best and even more gratifying when you introduce your hero, in this case my grandma Vicki, to new recipes such as the juicy Chicken Burgers, this elegant Maple Sweet Potato Cake or this one of a kind Pudding Cake of Honey, Cinnamon and Plums!   

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise

Who says that grilling is just a summer staple activity?  In my book, it’s done in cold weather, too.  All you need is a grilling pan.  Or, in our case, all we have is a grilling pan since we live in an apartment and that is the closest thing to a grilling mechanism that we can get our hands on.  Besides, I love to put my always reliable grilling pan to work when arctic temperatures are still looming just to get a slim whiff of what warm weather would be like, or better yet to trick myself into a summer state of mind!

These homemade Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise are a year-round mouthwatering indulgence!  They were without a doubt the best part of this year’s Super Bowl.  And the fact that I cooked them on an outside grill, in freezing temperatures and a menacing snow storm made them that much more delicious and the experience way more exciting than the actual game.  Bottom line – my burgers were unbeatable, just like the Seattle Seahawks! 

These burgers will rock your house!  They are simply lip-smacking, piney and fresh, their pleasant lightness countered by the garlicky richness of the mayonnaise.  You may think that adding a disturbing amount of garlic-rosemary mayonnaise mixture to burgers is a despicable crime, but it works like a charm.  The burgers are so juicy, dressed with big flavors and nestled in between toasty challah buns smeared with more hefty dollops of the sinful mayonnaise sauce and topped with crisp mixed greens.  One word: phenomenal!     

These chicken burgers were my dinner of choice for the Super Bowl and, wait for it, Valentine’s Day.  I know, I know… a very unconventional dinner option for such a holiday but it worked beautifully and paired with this cake for dessert, it was truly unforgettable! 

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients for Mayonnaise:

·         1 cup mayonnaise

·         Scant ¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves

·         1 clove garlic, minced

Ingredients for Burgers:

·         1 pound ground chicken

·         Heaped ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

·         4 sandwich rolls or burger buns (I found that challah buns work particularly well)

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         1 cup mixed greens, divided

Instructions for the Mayonnaise:

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary.  Set aside.

Instructions for the Burgers:

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. 

In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, salt, pepper and half of the mayonnaise mixture.  Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties.  Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes on each side.  Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes. 

Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and about 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture.  Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.  

Instructions to assemble the Burgers:

Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns.  Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns.  Top each with ¼ cup of the mixed greens and finish with the top half of the bun.  

P.S.: I’ll be back on March 25!  It’s time for our annual trip to Romania, so Adrian and I are off to see our families for the next couple of weeks.  I won’t be able to post while away but I’ll return with stories and new recipes from good ol’ Transylvania!  Until then…

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Viennese Iced Coffee

I started 2013 with a restaurant review.  And I almost went the same route this year but eventually decided against it and instead opted for a cold, frothy drink.  Oddly enough, I keep craving icy treats in cold weather when that should normally happen in scorching temperatures.  But what could be better than coffee and ice cream paired together in one wicked frozen drink?  

 

On a cold, snowy afternoon, we were watching this brilliant yet deeply sad French drama ("Three Colors: Blue" – a must-see especially if you’re a fan of French cinema or foreign films in general) with our friends Gretchen and Joel.  At one point in the movie, the main character goes into a coffee shop and orders “her usual” – coffee and ice cream.  In a nutshell, it was a small cup of coffee that the woman ever so slowly pours over the side of ice cream; but that was all I needed – I was instantly thirsty for Viennese Iced Coffee!  The very next day, in arctic temperatures, I went and bought a huge container of ice cream (yes, I’m one of those peculiar people who don’t have any ice cream in the freezer because I could devour it by the ladle) and whipped up Viennese Iced Coffee, a really tasty frozen coffee beverage very popular in Viennese coffee shops that I haven’t sipped in an extremely long time!

I may or may not have mentioned that I’m a voracious coffee drinker!  In the morning, I usually go for a double espresso if I’m in the vicinity of a Starbucks or the dark and intensely smoky French Roast coffee when I’m at home.  Needless to say, I love coffee in desserts.  This particular Viennese Iced Coffee recipe has the best of both worlds.  It’s a dessert type of drink with very strong coffee and ice cream, which adds a delightful sweetness and vanilla-infused creaminess.  Not to mention that this cold drink is the perfect afternoon sweet treat that will give you the right amount of caffeine to power through the rest of your day.  And if you’re in the mood for happy hour, adding a splash of Amaretto or Irish Cream would work wonders.  Cheers!   

Viennese Iced Coffee

Adapted slightly from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten 

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

·         6 (1-ounce) shots of espresso or 6 ounces strong coffee, regular or decaf

·         3 Tablespoons sugar

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         ¼ cup hot water

·         2 cups ice

·         4 scoops vanilla or coffee ice cream

·         Unsweetened cocoa powder or bittersweet chocolate shavings

·         Straws, for serving

Instructions:

Combine the coffee, sugar, vanilla extract, and hot water in a blender and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Put the ice in the blender and process on high until the mixture is almost completely smooth.  Divide the mixture between 4 glasses.  

Scoop one ball of ice cream into each glass.  Using a small sifter, sprinkle each drink lightly with cocoa powder or decorate with a few chocolate shavings.  Serve with a straw and a teaspoon.   

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)