Chocolate Cake With Ganache
Lemon Cup Cakes with Lemon Curd Filling Topped with Italian Meringue
I promised several people I would post the recipes for Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Lemon Cup Cakes Filled with Lemon Curd and Topped with Italian Meringue.
Before I do that I have some news I want to share with you about the book. I was practically on my way to sending the finished book when I thought I would talk to the publisher about some loose ends. Before I had a chance to do that I received a call from the publisher, Author House, telling me I had been outsourced to Manila. I was not too happy about that since one of the items in my contract states I would not be outsourced. Once I got that straightened out I started chatting with my new “IN THE STATES” co-ordinator about some of those loose ends I wanted to tie up.
In discussing the layout I was planning for the book, my new co-ordinator told me based on my input concerning the content of the book it would have to retail for $90.00 WHAT? $90.00? My original contact knew what my plans were for the book; she knew that I was going to have a large book and knew how many pictures where going to be in the book (I paid extra for an additional 50 pictures to be in the book). She suggested I pay extra (a lot extra) to have price flexibility, meaning I would have say in what I wanted my book to be priced at and the $40.00 I wanted to charge would be fine. Not so, said new co-ordinator. The best price I could get would be $82.00. Imagine my shock.
It seems the only way I could have my book priced at $40.00 would be to have a book with no pictures and only about 75 recipes. In other words, it’s not going to happen: At least not with this publisher.
After much research (AGAIN) I am finding out that all of the Self Publishing, Print on Demand companies are pretty much the same.
So – – – – – I am now once again looking for a publisher. I don’t want to sound like a defeatist but the chances of me getting a regular publisher are pretty small. I am going to submit sections of the book to several publishers and see what kind of response I get. I am being realistic and not expecting much. But, hey, I have nothing to lose.
Until I find someone to publish the book, I will be blogging a lot more often and I will be putting the recipes from the book on my blog. I am certainly not happy about all of this but I am much more accepting of the situation than I was two weeks ago when I found out.
So there you have it. I am no longer upset: I am relieved to have found this out before I submitted my work. Once submitted I would have been bound to the contract and I would have either had to print the book with the huge selling price or cancel the contact and lose all of my money. If anyone out there knows of a publisher that would like to print my book — the book I want to print with a reasonable selling price — don’t hesitate to let me know.
Here are those recipes I promised.
Dark Chocolate Cake With Ganache
Makes Two 9” Layers
½ Cup Cocoa Powder
½ Cup Cold Water
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2/3 Cup Margarine
1 2/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 Cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Several Drops Red Food Coloring (Optional)
Preheat oven to 375°.
Spray two 9” round cake pans with non-stick baking spray such as Pam and line each pan with a parchment paper round. Spray the parchment paper as well with the Pam.
In a small bowl mix the cocoa, cold water, salt and baking soda until smooth. Set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer beat margarine to soften. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and, when completely incorporated, add the cocoa mixture. Beat until blended. Add the flour and buttermilk alternately in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the vanilla and the optional food coloring.
Divide evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 – 40 minutes. Test for doneness with a wooden skewer. When the skewer is inserted into the middle of the cake and comes out clean the cake is done.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire cooling rack for 20 minutes. Remove the layers from the pans by inverting onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely before icing.
Chocolate Ganache
Makes Enough for Two 9” Layers
3 Cups Heavy Cream
¼ Cup Light Corn Syrup
2 Pounds Good Quality Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped Fine or Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips
2 Cups Toasted Slivered Almonds, Slightly Crushed with a Rolling Pin
To crush the almonds, place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll over with a rolling pin to slightly crush.
Place the chocolate in a medium large bowl.
In a medium size sauce pan, heat the heavy cream and the corn syrup until just boiling. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Let rest for 5 minutes and then whisk until completely smooth and blended.
Pour half of the Ganache into another bowl and place bowl over ice bath.
Set the other half of the Ganache to the side. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes, until the Ganache is slightly thickened, not hot, but still pourable.
Stir the chocolate that is sitting in the ice bath until cooled to room temperature. Once cooled, beat in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
Set the first layer of the cake on a cake board the exact size of the cake (9”) and place on a rack set over a half sheet pan that is lined with a sheet of parchment paper.
Spread some of the whipped Ganache onto the first layer of cake. Top with second layer and frost the cake with the whipped Ganache using all of it on the top and sides. Smooth top and sides with an off-set spatula. (This is called the crumb coat.) Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or until the Ganache is set.
Once the crumb coat is set, remove from refrigerator and pour the cooled Ganache over the center of the cake top. The Ganache will gently fall down the sides of the cake. Pour the Ganache slowly without stopping until all of the Ganache is used. You will have a completely smooth frosted cake. Let the Ganache set for about 10 minutes. Gently press the crushed almonds onto the sides of the cake.
Remove the cake from the rack and place onto a serving dish. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. Before serving, remove from the refrigerator two hours to let the cake come to room temperature.
Hints and Tips: Using the cake board the exact size of the cake makes it easy to move the cake from the rack to the serving dish.
Resist the urge to spread the pourable Ganache with a spatula. The wonderful thing about this is the way it goes down the sides without any help. Help will leave marks and make the Ganache dull and not glossy as it should be.
If you think the Ganache has set too much and will not pour, microwave for 20 seconds and stir.
All of the Ganache that is left on the parchment paper is easy to scrape off and put into a container. The left over Ganache will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can use the left over Ganache to make Chocolate Truffles. To do this roll the Cold Ganache into balls and then in cocoa powder, powdered sugar or finely chopped nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Lemon Cup Cakes with Lemon Curd Filling Topped with Italian Meringue
You can make the lemon curd to fill the cup cakes a day or two in advance. It is best to have the curd chilled before filling the cup cakes.
Makes 24 Standard Size Cup Cakes
4 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
½ Cup Whole Milk, Room Temperature
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
Zest from One Lemon
2 Teaspoons Pure Lemon Extract
2¼ Plain Cake Flour
1½ Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
8 Ounces Unsalted Butter, Softened, Cut into 16 Pieces
2 Cups Lemon Curd (Recipe Follows), Chilled
Italian Meringue (Recipe Follows)
Preheat oven to 350° with oven rack in middle of oven. Line two standard size cup cakes pans with cup cake liners.
Beat eggs, milk, lemon juice, lemon extract and lemon zest with a fork in a small bowl. Measure out 1 cup of this mixture and set aside (you will have a total of 1½ cups to be used separately). Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed to blend the dry ingredients for 30 seconds. With mixer still running at lowest speed, add butter one piece at a time, mix until butter and flour begin to clump together and look sandy and pebbly, with pieces about the size of peas Once all of the butter is incorporated beat on low for an additional minute. Add reserved 1 cup of egg mixture in a slow and steady stream and mix at lowest speed until incorporated, 5 to 10 seconds. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add remaining egg mixture (about ½ cup) in a slow steady stream. Stop mixture and thoroughly scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium high until thoroughly combined and batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds longer.
Using an ice cream scoop divide batter equally into the prepared cup cake pans. Bake 15 – 17 minutes, until top is light brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely before icing.
Lemon Curd
This will be the best lemon curd you have ever eaten or made. I promise.
Makes 2 Cups
10 Large Egg Yolks
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Zest of 3 Lemons
4 Ounces (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
In a medium size heat proof bowl whisk together the yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water being sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the mixture with a wire whisk continually until the mixture becomes thickened to the consistency of pudding, about 8 to 10 minutes. (You must whisk continually to prevent the eggs from scrambling.)
Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk in the butter by bits until completely incorporated. Transfer to a clean bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
To fill the cup cakes, use an apple corer to cut out the center of the cup cakes. Be sure to go down as far as possible without cutting through the bottom of the cup cake. Us a pastry bag to fill the cup cakes with the chilled lemon curd.
Italian Meringue
It is extremely important to have the egg whites at room temperature whenever making a meringue. If the whites are cold when you add the hot syrup they will clump up and make the mixture not usable.
Makes Enough To Top 24 Cup Cakes
3 Large Egg Whites, Room Temperature
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
1 1/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Water
You have to do the two steps to this recipe simultaneously. Have a standing mixer ready to go along side your stove. You will also need a candy thermometer. (It is imperative for you to have these two items.)
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the wire whisk beat the egg whites on medium speed to break up the whites. Add the cream of tartar and the salt and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form, not dry peaks.
At the same time bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat, swirling the pan in the beginning to help dissolve the sugar. Do not stir with a spoon. Once it begins to boil, cover the pan with a lid for a minute or two to help dissolve the sugar crystals that form on the side of the pan. Do this instead of washing the crystals down with a brush. Remove the lid and boil the sugar/water mixture until it reaches 238° on the candy thermometer. As soon as it reaches 238° quickly pour the mixture into a 4 cup measuring cup (don’t burn yourself).
With the mixer on low, slowly add the syrup in a slow and steady stream to the egg whites. When all of the syrup is in, turn the mixer on high and beat until the meringue is cool. This will take about 10 minutes.
Place some of the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a French tip or star tip and decoratively pipe the meringue onto the cup cakes. After the meringue is piped onto the cup cakes, torch it with your blow torch to give it a little brown color. This also sets the meringue. If you don’t have a blow torch (mine is industrial size) place the cup cakes under the broiler about 6 inches below the heat source. Stand there and watch the meringue turn a light brown color. Don’t take your eyes off of it for it will surely burn. It will take only a minute or two to brown under the broiler.
If using either the torch or the broiler be careful to not let the heat start the cup cake liners on fire.
Once the cup cakes are filled and topped they will need to be refrigerated if not serving within an hour. If you refrigerate the cup cakes, remove from the refrigerator about an hour before serving.
If you have any questions please contact me either by leaving a comment on this site or by emailing me at