Lisbon Chocolate Cake

This intriguing recipe for a two-layer chocolate cake is wedged firmly in my to-be-tried folder. On one hand, the lengthy process disheartens me.  But on the other, the promise of chocolate cake and ganache, topped with a blanket of cocoa is just too tempting!

Dorie Greenspan was inspired to make this cake when she sampled a version in Lisbon, hence the name. She is a venerable baker, an artisan in the kitchen, a fount of culinary wisdom. I loosely follow her instructions in this recipe.  Use good quality chocolate, as this is a chocolate paroxysm. This intense cake is topped with a mousse -like ganache layer, which in turn is liberally dusted with unsweetened cocoa powder. Chocolate lovers beware, this cake is addictive, mesmerising and sinfully good.

LISBON CHOCOLATE CAKE

Loosely adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Serves 8-10

Cake

1/2 cup Butter

1/3 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I used Ghiradellis) 

1 1/2 tablespoons Cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

5 oz semisweet Chocolate, chopped into small chunks  (I used Trader Joe's chocolate chips for convenience)

1/2 cup Sugar

3 Eggs, chilled

Ganache

1 1/4 + 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

6 oz semisweet Chocolate, chopped into small chunks  (I used Trader Joe's chocolate chips)

Topping 

3-4 tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa powder

Start with the cake. The recipe is best made a day prior to serving as the ganache sets up better with an overnight rest in the fridge. Or start early in the day, allowing the ganache to set at least for 6 hours. So do plan accordingly.

Butter a springform pan well. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Whisk cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Heat oven to 325F/162C.

Melt butter and chocolate in  heavy bottomed saucepan over low heat. Stir often to mix. till smooth and glossy.

Remove saucepan off the heat and add eggs, one at a time. Beat well between additions. The batter will have thickened. 

Add the dry mix into the batter, folding in well till no powder is visible.

Scrape batter into prepared pan. Thump the pan a couple of times on the counter to remove air bubbles. 

Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Test cake with a skewer. It should come out clean. 

Take cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. 

Run the blunt end of a knife or a spatula along the edges of the cake. This will help when unmolding the cake later.

While cake bakes , make the ganache. 

Heat 1  1/4 cups cream till numerous bubbles appear on the edges of the pan. 

Place chocolate in a bowl. 

Pour hot cream over chocolate. Whisk till chocolate has melted. 

Refrigerate the ganache for 15 minutes. 

Whisk well and return to the fridge for another 15 minutes. 

Repeat the whisking till ganache has thickened enough. The whisk should make deep tracks. It should take about 1 hour.

Beat 1/2 cup cream till stiff peaks form. Fold the cream to the ganache.

Pour the ganache over the cake.

Cover and cool cake for 4-12 hours. Letting the cake sit overnight will assure you of a set ganache. 

Run a knife along the edges of the spring form pan. Make sure the edges have separated from the pan. Smooth any surface lumps gently with a spatula.

Slide cake onto a plate, using a spatula. 

Dust the top liberally with cocoa powder.

Use a  knife that has been dipped in hot water to cut slices. Repeat process for each slice.

Take a spoonful and be prepared for a slice of heaven.

The cake is rich with being too overpowering. The topping is soft and melty. Together they are a perfect marriage...

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