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Preheat oven to 350?F.
Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
Note; the cake pan size is very important. I made a 1/2 batch to test the cake recipe and
made the mistake of using an 8' pan. The batter overflowed the pan and made a mess of
my oven.
Line bottom of each pan with parchment paper. To see how to easily cut a circle the size
of your pan see this post.
Butter paper and dust pan with flour.
Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl.
Add milk, eggs, and melted butter.
Using electric mixer, beat at low speed until blended. Increase speed and beat 2 minutes.
The batter will be very thick at this point.
Stir 1 cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl to dissolve.
Add the dissolved coffee and the vanilla to the batter and beat until blended. The batter
will be much thinner now.
Divide batter between the two pans.
Note; If I'd had 3- 9" pans I might have used them instead. The two cakes are to be cut
into two layers each, and diving the batter between 3 pans would have made it an easier 3
layer cake (instead of 4 layers).
Bake cakes about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans
on racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and then turn the
cakes out onto racks. Remove the parchment paper and allow the cakes to cool
completely.
Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, in deep medium saucepan over low heat until the sugar
dissolves.
Increase heat to medium; cover pan and cook 4 minutes. Uncover; increase heat to high.
Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down pan sides
with wet pastry brush, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add cream (mixture will bubble and may solidify, just keep stirring).
Whisk in butter, then the sour cream, lemon juice, and a pinch of fleur de sel.
Cool completely. Refrigerate if not using right away. Bring to room temperature before
using.
Note; This recipe make about 1.5 cups of caramel. I didn't think it was going to be
enough to fill all the layers, but it was. I really liked the flavor too; the sour cream and the
lemon juice added a nice tangy taste which helps cut the sweetness of the ganache.
Fleur de Sel Praline
1 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoons Fleur de Sel plus an extra pinch for garnish
Equipment:
Heavy Bottom Pot
Baking Sheet, oiled or Silpat Silicone Baking Mat on a baking sheet
Spatula
Measure out the salt in advance into a small bowl so you don't have to do it in the
moment. Time is of the essence.
Put the sugar in the pot over medium heat and in a minute or two it will begin to melt. I
love this part; it's chemistry in action, solid becomes liquid, dry becomes wet.
Watch it carefully, and stir with a spatula until all the sugar dissolves and starts to turn
color. There will be some lumps of sugar, but they will dissolve if you keep stirring and
breaking them up. Pretty quickly, the sugar will start to get darker in color and may begin
to smoke.
Turn off the heat, add in the 1.5 tsp of salt and immediately pour out the mixture onto an
oiled baking sheet or silicone baking pat. I've used both and really like the silicone mat
(more on that below).
Use the spatula or tilt the pan to spread out the caramel and try to get it very thin. It will
harden very quickly as it cools. While it is still hot, sprinkle it with a little extra fleur de
sel for texture and garnish.
Resist the temptation to touch the pot or the caramel while it is still hot and sticky or you
may get badly burned. The praline will cool very quickly. Once cool, you may be able to
remove it in one piece, especially if it's been poured onto a silicone mat. It should just
peel right off.
On a flat surface, gently tap the praline with the back of a knife and it should break into
pieces. Careful not to hit it too hard or you could get hit by flying shards.
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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Serving Size: 1 Serving (191g) | ||
Recipe Makes: 16 Servings | ||
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Calories: 539 | ||
Calories from Fat: 68 (13%) | ||
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Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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Total Fat 7.6g | 10 % | |
Saturated Fat 3.7g | 18 % | |
Monounsaturated Fat 2.4g | ||
Polyunsanturated Fat 0.7g | ||
Cholesterol 146mg | 45 % | |
Sodium 209mg | 7 % | |
Potassium 110.2mg | 3 % | |
Total Carbohydrate 115.7g | 34 % | |
Dietary Fiber 1.1g | 5 % | |
Sugars, other 114.6g | ||
Protein 6.1g | 9 % | |
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
Calories per serving: 539
Get detailed nutrition information, including item-by-item nutrition insights, so you can see where the calories, carbs, fat, sodium and more come from.
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