Chocolate Meringue Cake With Coffee Buttercream Recipes

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line each of them with parchment, grease the parchment and dust the pans and parchment with cocoa powder. Set them aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cocoa powder, sour cream and hot water. Set aside for later.
• In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
• Add the sugars to the bowl of the mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the vanilla, and beat well.
• With the mixer on low, add the whisked dry ingredients alternately with the cocoa mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Give the mixture a last stir by hand before dividing among the three prepared pans.
• Bake the cake layers for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will pull away from the sides of the pan when the cake is done.
• Let the cake cool in the pans for 30 minutes before flipping them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap them in plastic wrap to store them.
• Place the wrapped cake layers in the freezer while you prepare the buttercream.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and flour. Whisk in the milk and cream, and cook over medium heat, whisking often until the mixture boils and thickens. This takes a good 15 minutes.
• Transfer the thickened mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until the mixture is completely cooled, about 10 minutes (don't just feel the bowl, check the mixture itself to be sure it has cooled!).
• Reduce the speed to low and add the butter, mixing until it is thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high to make the frosting light and fluffy.
• Add the vanilla and the espresso (or coffee extract) to taste.
• Trim the cake layers so that they are flat and levelled.
• Place one cake layer in the center of a serving plate. Place parchment strips to cover the exposed plate and catch any buttercream/ganache drips.
• Top the first layer with 1 1/4 cups buttercream. Place the second layer over the buttercream, and repeat with another 1 1/4 cup of buttercream and the third layer.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with what's left of buttercream. Place the cake in the fridge while you make the chocolate glaze.
• Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler.
• Stir the mixture with a small spatula until the ingredients have melted and the glaze is smooth.
• Take the pan off the heat, and stir for a few minutes to allow the glaze to cool and thicken a little.
• Slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake, pushing tiny droplets down the sides.
• Let the glaze set for a few minutes before decorating the cake with a few chocolate pearls.
• Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes to set the glaze. The cake should be served at room temperature.

COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve espresso powder in hot water; set aside. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, and salt. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and whites are hot to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes.
• With machine running on low speed, add butter to the egg whites, beating until smooth. Add the espresso mixture and continue beating until incorporated.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE FOR CHOCOLATE MERINGUE CAKE WITH COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a marker, trace 10-inch circles on each sheet of parchment; turn paper marked-side down. In a large bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form. With mixer running, gradually add the granulated sugar, whisking until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Sift in the confectioners' sugar and cocoa mixture in three additions, folding after each addition, until mostly incorporated.
• Transfer meringue to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Starting just within the marked circles, pipe meringue, working inward in a spiral pattern. Bake for 2 hours. Turn off oven, allowing meringues to dry out until oven is completely cool, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

CHOCOLATE-COFFEE DACQUOISE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Mark out a 13x10-inch rectangle on parchment paper; place it on a baking sheet.
• Combine ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, 1/2 cup of caster sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl.
• Whip egg whites and cream of tartar together in another bowl until foamy, then mix in the remaining 1/2 cup caster sugar until glossy and stiff. Fold in the nut-sugar mixture in two batches. Spread the meringue onto the parchment paper and mist the surface with water.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside for another 90 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
• Whisk egg yolks, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt for buttercream together in a bowl.
• Heat milk to a simmer. Pour milk into the yolk mixture, whisking until smooth. Return mixture to the heat and continue whisking until thickened and stiff. Transfer custard to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Before using, bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Dissolve instant coffee in hot water.
• Whip butter in a bowl until light. Beat in the custard in 3 batches until just combined. Add coffee mixture and beat until light and fluffy.
• Place chocolate for ganache in a heat-proof bowl. Heat cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan; then pour over the chocolate to soften. Stir until smooth and cool for 5 minutes.
• Peel off paper from meringue and transfer to a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to trim the edges and cut into 4 equal rectangles. Spread 3 rectangles each with about 1/4 cup ganache. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Spread remaining rectangle with about 1/2 cup buttercream; place on a wire rack. Place one ganache-coated meringue, chocolate-side down on top and press gently. Spread on 1/2 cup buttercream and repeat with the remaining meringue. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour more.
• Microwave remaining ganache in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, until warm and runny. Pour over cake and garnish with whole hazelnuts.