Pasta Sokolatina: Moist Chocolate Cream Cake

Get the exact recipe here: https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/pasta-sokolatina-moist-chocolate-cream-cake/

Ingredients
For the Cake:

2 and 1/2 cups (370g) all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups (160g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons (12g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 ounces (90g) semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 and 1/2 cups prepared hot coffee
3/4 cup light olive oil
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
For the Pastry Cream:

2 cups (475ml) whole milk
4 tablespoons (40g) corn starch
3/4 cup (187g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache:

12 oz (340g) semi-sweet chocolate
1 and 1/2 cups (375ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream:

2 cups (500ml) heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
For the Syrup:

1/2 cup (125ml) water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee
Instructions
Make the Pastry Cream:

Combine the milk, half of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat until steaming hot. Combine the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cream, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the hot milk to the egg mixture and whisk together. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat while whisking it comstantly until thickened. Pass the cream through a strainer that has been set over a large bowl. Cover the cream with plastic to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool.

The pastry cream can be chilled in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Whisk it together until smooth before spreading it on top of the cake.

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 F, 170 C.

In a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and whisk together.

In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and oil. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot coffee over it and whisk together until it melts.

Add the yogurt, milk, vanilla and coffee mixture to the large bowl and whisk together until smooth.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in a few batches until incorporated.

Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan and a 9-inch round by 3-inch deep pan or 2 9 by 13-inch pans.

Distribute the cake batter between the 2 baking pans. Fill the 9 by-13-inch cake pan a little bit less than halfway.

Bake the cakes on the center rack for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester that has been inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Note: The cake that is baked in the round pan will take an extra 10 minutes to bake.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke it all around with a toothpicka nd brush the cooled syrup over top. Allow to cool completely.

Once the round cake has cooled, release it from the pan and wrap it in 2 layers of plastic wrap. The cake can be frozen for up to a month.

Make the Syrup:

Combine all of the syrup ingredients (except the vanilla) in a small saucepan and whisk them together. Place the pot over high heat and as soon as it comes to a boil and the sugar melts remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Make the Ganache:

Add teh chocolate and coffee to a bowl and heat the heavy cream until scalding hot. Pour the cream over the chocolate and add the vanilla. Whisk together until smooth and shiny.

Make the Whipped Cream:

Add all of the whipped cream ingredients to a large bowl and whip until thick and creamy.

Assemble the Pastry:

Add about a quarter cup of the ganache to the pastry cream and whisk together until smooth.

Add 3-4 tablespoons of the ganache to the whipped cream and whisk together until smooth.

To make the Bavarian cream: add about 2 cups of the chocolate whipped cream to the pastry cream and fold together. Spread this topping over the chocolate cake. Chill the cake in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

Warm the ganache in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Pour the ganache over the chocolate Bavarian cream and spread it evenly across the top using an offset spatula.

Chill the cake in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Transfer the remaining chocolate whipped cream into a piping bag that has been fitted with a large star tip.

Cut the cake into 12 large portions or into smaller portions. The better chilled the cake is the easier it will be to slice neat portions.

Pipe rosettes or stars on top of each slice.

Serve with Greek coffee. Kali Orexi!

Notes
Make-Ahead Freezer Instructions:

The chocolate cake can be baked weeks ahead of time and wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and then frozen.

The entire pastry can be assembled and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and serve.Music Used:
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