Chocolate Almond Cake Baking Partners

As a part of the Baking Partners we were to make a Christmas cake and when I saw the recipes my heart sank.

Don’t get me wrong there was nothing wrong with the recipes it’s my ability to make them that I questioned. I questioned myself how did I think I am capable of making anything here.

Somehow the cake senses that I am comfortable baking and it gives me trouble. Either it sinks or it burns or spills.

So when I saw the cakes here I was tense and I questioned my sanity. Well let me tell you that the family does not know about all the stress I go through when I am baking. Then it will be a full stop for my baking with an exclamation mark. For then I get one of my anxiety attacks and start coughing and get breathless etc. in short everything an asthmatic patient goes through.

I choose what I thought was easier of the two.

Also I have never tried writing with icing. In fact I realize now that the syringe kind of icing tube is of no use. So please ignore the mess that I have made with the writing part. As you can see the kid had no problems in fact she was pleased as punch. O I did complain that she did not eat the cake apparently she did and she likes it. In fact I am happy she has asked me make it again.

 Chocolate –Brazil nut cake and Neapolitan Christmas cake Suggested by Suja of Kitchen corner try it.

Faye Levy Chocolate Sensations, HP Books Inc., USA, 1986, p.22-23

Chocolate –Brazil Nut Cake

Now since I have never seen Brazil Nuts I used almonds

Ingredients

·    1-1/2 cups Almonds (about 7 oz)

·     6 OZ semisweet chocolate, chopped

·    ¾ cup Sugar

·    ¼ cup all purpose flour

·    ½ tsp baking powder

·    ¾ cup (6 oz) unsalted butter slightly softened

·    6 eggs separated, room temperature

·    ¼ tsp cream of tartar

Chocolate Honey Frosting

·   ½ cup whipping cream

·    6 oz. semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped

·    6 tbsp (3 oz.) unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cool

·    3 tbsp+ 1 tsp-honey

Garnish

Whipped cream

Method:

Cake

1.   Preheat oven to 350F (175C). (I have 160ᵒC setting so I use that).

2.  Toast nuts in a shallow baking pan in the oven for 10 minutes.

3.   Melt chocolate in heat proof medium bowl in the microwave in spurts of 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.

4.   Butter 9”x3” spring form pan, line base with parchment paper and grease and flour the sides of the pan.

5.   Grind the nuts with 2 tblsp sugar into a fine powder.

6.  Transfer into a bowl and shift flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly.

7.   Cream butter and 6 tblsp of sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy.

8.  Add one egg yolk at a time and beat till all 6 are blended and pale.

9.   Stir in the melted chocolate.

10.     In another bowl beat egg white and cream of tartar in medium speed until it forms soft peaks.

11.    Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tblsp of sugar and beat till white are stiff and shiny but not dry.

12.     Gently fold in 1/3 of the white into the chocolate flour mixture, repeat folding in batches until batter is blended.

13.     Transfer batter into prepared pans and bake for 40 minutes or till the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

14.     Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Using a knife go around the cake gently and invert onto a cake rack and allow cooling completely.

Frosting

1.   Bring cream to a full boil in a small saucepan remove from heat and immediately add the chopped chocolate.

2.  Stir quickly till the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature. Whip this at high speed till it thickens and becomes pale.

3.  Cream butter in a medium bowl until it is soft and smooth, gradually add the chocolate mixture and honey and beat well.

4.   Using a long spatula spread frosting evenly on the side and top of the cake.

5.  Top with whipped cream.

The leftover or made extra chocolate was used here.

Linking to

http://foodomania.com/christmas-cook-off-contest/

Hits , http://arusuvai-kurippu.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/event-announcement-show-me-your-hits.html

"60 Days To Christmas"  

http://cookcookandcook.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/merry-christmas-celebrations-event-announcement/

  Lemon kurry - innvotive recipes 2012 season 1

  

let's Celebrate -  Christmas, Jagruthi's page

  Know your Flour, Jagruti's page

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