Jacques Easy Chocolate Cake Recipes

EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE - JACQUES TORRES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Tightly wrap outside of 10-inch diameter springform pan with 3 sheets of heavy-duty foil. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Spray inside of pan with nonstick spray.
• Combine both chocolates in double boiler over simmering water. Stir until just melted. Remove from over water.
• Bring 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup plus 2 T water to boil in saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. Gradually whisk hot syrup into into melted chocolate (mixture may look curdled). Add butter; whisk to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl to blend well, about 2 minutes. Using rubber spatula, gently fold egg mixture into warm chocolate mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan (batter will come halfway up sides).
• Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of cake pan.
• Bake cake until wooden skewer inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Remove cake pan from water. Remove foil; cool completely on rack.
• Cut around cake sides to loosen. Remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Dust with cocoa powder and serve.

CHOCOLATE BLACK-OUT CAKE WITH GANACHE DRIZZLE -JACQUES TORRES

Steps:

• I made this cake in a set of metal dry measure cups. You can use a traditional 9-inch baking pan, if you prefer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the cake: Melt the butter into the coffee. When the butter has melted, whisk in the buttermilk.
• Placed the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and place on low speed. Add the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda 1 at a time and mix just until combined. Add the vanilla and the coffee buttermilk mixture. Mix just until combined.
• If you are using dry measure cups, place the batter in a container with a spout to make it easier to pour the batter into the dry measure cups. Place the measuring cup molds onto a cookie sheet. Spray each cup with vegetable cooking spray. Fill each cup half full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• To make the ganache drizzle: Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl. Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Then, slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous. Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once. The shock of the temperature extremes will cause the fat in the chocolate to separate. If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid. I use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate. Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous.
• Unmold the cakes and let cool on a wire rack placed over a parchment paper lined baking sheet. When cool, stack the cakes on top of each other with the largest cake on the bottom layer. Placing the cakes on a wire rack placed over a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to spread the ganache over the cakes letting the excess drizzle over the sides. Use an offset spatula to move the cakes to the presentation plate.
• Make the chocolate curls: Use a block of white chocolate. Pull a vegetable peeler over the edge to create chocolate curls. Use the curls to decorate the cakes.

JULIA AND JACQUES'S CHOCOLATE ROULADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Butter an 11-by-17-inch jelly-roll pan or a 12-by-17 1/2-inch sheet pan, and line with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup cream to a simmer. Add chocolate, reduce heat, and whisk until chocolate is melted. As soon as mixture is a uniform dark color, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
• In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, whip egg whites and 2 tablespoons sugar to stiff, glossy peaks, about 1 1/2 minutes. Whisk one-quarter of the egg-white mixture into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold chocolate mixture back into the original egg-white mixture, and mix until smooth and well combined.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan, and spread it in an even layer with a rubber spatula. Bake until cake is set and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool to room temperature. Lift parchment paper to remove cake from pan, and set it on work surface with long side facing edge of table. Using a fine-mesh sieve, lightly dust cake with cocoa powder.
• Make the creme chantilly: Whip the remaining 1 cup cream with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, the vanilla, and cognac. Spread evenly over entire surface of cake.
• Roll the cake lengthwise, starting at a point 2 to 3 inches over the creme chantilly. Roll cake another few inches, pressing against parchment paper to make a tight spiral. Gently peel parchment paper off as cake layer rolls away. Complete the roll, stopping at the far edge of the parchment paper. Tuck the loose parchment paper around and underneath the cylinder so it is well wrapped and can be moved easily. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, transfer roulade to serving platter. Remove parchment paper, gently rolling cake into center of platter, with seam on bottom. (If roll has slumped or twisted, lay a piece of plastic over top and sides, and reshape with hands.) With a sharp knife, trim both ends of roll crosswise or on a diagonal. Dust top with confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder, and garnish with seasonal fruit. To serve, cut the roll into 1-inch-thick slices, and lay flat on dessert plates; top with additional creme chantilly if desired.

JACQUES TORRES'S SHINY CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, sugar, heavy cream and cocoa powder. Simmer for about 20 minutes until mixture slightly thickens.
• Place 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over top and let soften 5 minutes. Remove chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in gelatin mixture until thoroughly combined.
• Set over an ice bath and whisk until the glaze thickens and reaches about 80 degrees, about 1 minute.