Heat oven to 350°F. Arrange two racks in center
of oven. Line bottoms of three 9-by-2-inch buttered cake pans with parchment;
butter again. Dust bottoms and sides with cocoa; tap out excess. Sift cocoa into
a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water until smooth;
gradually whisk in milk. Set aside to cool.
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
Set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter
on low until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, scraping down sides twice. Beat in
vanilla.
Add eggs, a third at a time, beating after each
addition. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and reserved
cocoa mixture a little at a time, starting and ending with flour mixture. Divide
batter evenly among prepared pans; spread with an offset spatula until level.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans if
necessary, until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out
clean. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Remove the cakes
from the pans, and return to rack to cool, tops up.
Trim cake layers until level. Place one layer of
cake on a cardboard cake round. Spread about 1 1/4 cups whipped ganache on cake;
top with a second cake. Repeat. Spread remaining whipped ganache evenly over top
and sides of cake to seal in crumbs and form a smooth surface. Chill until crumb
coat is firm, about 30 minutes.
Place cake (still on the cardboard cake round) on
a wire rack set in baking pan. Pour enough ganache glaze over cake to fully
coat, shaking pan gently to help spread ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to
20 minutes. The ganache in the baking pan may be strained through a fine sieve
and added back into glaze. Pour remaining glaze over cake; allow excess to drip
off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan, or run an off-set spatula
quickly over surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.
Makes 1 nine-inch layer cake.
[ WHIPPED GANACHE ]
Ganache must be cold to whip properly.
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
Chop chocolate finely using a serrated knife, and
place in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour
directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 10 minutes; use a rubber
spatula or a small whisk to gently stir chocolate and cream until totally
combined.
Chill ganache; stir every 5 minutes until mixture
is cool to the touch. Remove bowl from refrigerator; whip ganache with a wire
whisk until it just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in
color. Do not overwhip, or mixture will become grainy. Ganache will keep
thickening after you stop whisking. Use immediately.
Makes about 4 cups.
[ POURED GANACHE GLAZE ]
The ganache gets thicker as it sits. You want
it pourable but thick enough to fully coat the cake.
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
Chop chocolate finely using a serrated knife, and
place in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour
directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes; use a rubber spatula
to gently stir chocolate and cream until combined. Allow to sit at room
temperature until just thickened, about 15 minutes.
Makes about 4 cups.
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