Atk Chocolate Shadow Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter sides of 9-inch spring-form pan; flour sides and tap out excess. Line bottom of pan with parchment or waxed paper round. Wrap bottom and sides of pan with large sheet of foil.
• Melt 12 tablespoons butter and chocolates in large bowl over large saucepan containing about 2 quarts barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until chocolate mixture is smooth. Cool mixture slightly, then whisk in vanilla and egg yolks. Set chocolate mixture aside, reserving hot water, covered, in saucepan.
• In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds; add half of crumbled brown sugar, beat at high speed until combined, about 30 seconds, then add remaining brown sugar and continue to beat at high speed until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 2 minutes longer. Using whisk, stir about one-third of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions using whisk. Gently scrape batter into prepared springform pan, set springform pan in large roasting pan, then pour hot water from saucepan to depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide roasting pan into oven; bake until cake has risen, is firm around edges, center has just set, and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers about 170 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Remove spring-form pan from water bath, discard foil, and cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Run thin-bladed paring knife between sides of pan and cake to loosen; cool cake in springform pan on wire rack until barely warm, about 3 hours, then wrap pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 8 hours. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.).
• To unmold cake, remove sides of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between cake and pan bottom to loosen, then invert cake onto large plate, peel off parchment, and re-invert onto serving platter. To serve, use sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping knife in pitcher of hot water and wiping blade before each cut.

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Heat oven to 350* F.
• Grease and flour two 9 inch round or 3- 8 inch round baking pans.
• Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla: beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans.
• Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minute remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Frost with icing below.
• For the icing:
• Whisk egg whites, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a large heat- resistant bowl set over medium sauce pan filled with 1/2 inch of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water).
• With hand-held mixer on medium-high speed, carefully beat egg white mixture to stiff peaks, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove bowl from heat, add vanilla, and continue to beat until icing is very thick and stiff and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.
• To Assemble:
• Spread 1 cup icing on bottom cake layer.
• Repeat with second cake layer and additional 1 cup icing.
• Top with final cake layer and spread top and sides with remaining icing.
• To Decorate:
• Place chocolate, butter and corn syrup in large heat-resistant bowl set over medium saucepan filled with 1/2 inch of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water) Stir until melted and smooth, then remove bowl from heat and let cool 5 minutes.
• Spoon 1/4 cup chocolate mixture over top of cake and then drizzle remaining glaze along top edge of cake, allowing it ti drip about half-way down the sides.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350*. Grease and flour 2 round cake pans. Combine chocolate, cocoa, & water in medium heatproof bowl; set bowl over saucepan with 1 inch simmering water and stir with spatula until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Add ½ c. sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until thick and glossy, 1-2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool. Whisk flour, baking soda, & salt in medium bowl. Combine buttermilk & vanilla in small bowl. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk eggs & yolks on medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 1 ¼ c. sugar, increase speed to high, and whisk until fluffy & lightened in color, 2-3 minutes. Replace whisk with paddle attachment. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, 30-45 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with spatula as needed. Add softened butter 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition. Add about 1/3 of flour mixture followed by 1/2 of buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds). Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture & all of remaining buttermilk mixture (batter may appear separated). Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer & fold batter once or twice with spatula to incorporate any remaining flour. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; smooth batter to edges of pan with spatula. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool cakes to room temperature before frosting, 45-60 minutes. FROSTING: Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over saucepan containing 1 inch barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat & set aside. Meanwhile, heat butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Increase heat to medium; add sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, & salt and stir with heatproof spatula until sugar is dissolved, 4-5 minutes. Add melted chocolate, butter mixture, & cream to clean bowl of standing mixer and stir to thoroughly combine. Place mixer bowl over ice bath & stir mixture constantly with spatula until frosting is thick & just beginning to harden against sides of bowl, 1-2 minutes (frosting should be 70*). Place bowl on standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is light & fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Stir with spatula until completely smooth.

Steps:

• For the Crust: Beat egg yolk and cream together in small bowl. Process almonds and sugar in food processor until nuts are finely ground, 15 to 20 seconds. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine, about 10 pulses. Scatter butter over flour mixture; pulse to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 pulses. With processor running, add egg yolk mixture and process until dough forms ball, about 10 seconds. Transfer dough to large sheet of plastic wrap and press into 6-inch disk; wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm but malleable, about 30 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, let stand at room temperature until malleable but still cool.).
• Roll out dough between 2 large sheets of plastic into 11-inch round about 3/8 inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft and sticky to work with, slip it onto baking sheet and refrigerate until workable.) Place dough round on baking sheet and refrigerate until firm but pliable, about 15 minutes.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with vegetable oil spray. Keeping dough on sheet, remove top layer of plastic. Invert tart pan (with bottom) on top of dough round. Press on tart pan to cut dough. Using both hands, pick up sheet and tart pan and carefully invert both, setting tart pan right side up. Remove sheet and peel off plastic; reserve plastic. Roll over edges of tart pan with rolling pin to cut dough. Gently ease and press dough into bottom of pan, reserving scraps. Roll dough scraps into ¾-inch rope (various lengths are OK). Line edge of tart pan with rope(s) and gently press into fluted sides. Line tart pan with reserved plastic and, using measuring cup, gently press and smooth dough to even thickness (sides should be about ¼ inch thick). Using paring knife, trim any excess dough above rim of tart; discard scraps. Freeze dough-lined pan until dough is firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Set dough-lined pan on baking sheet. Spray 12-inch square of aluminum foil with oil spray and press foil, sprayed side down, into pan; fill with 2 cups pie weights. Bake until dough is dry and light golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until pastry is rich golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Let cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.
• For the Filling.
• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Bring cream, espresso powder, and salt to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring once or twice to dissolve espresso powder and salt. Meanwhile, place chocolate in large heatproof bowl. Pour simmering cream mixture over chocolate, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes to allow chocolate to soften. Using whisk, stir mixture slowly and gently (so as not to incorporate air) until homogeneous. Add butter and continue to whisk gently until fully incorporated. Pour beaten eggs through fine-mesh strainer into chocolate mixture; whisk slowly until mixture is homogeneous and glossy. Pour filling into tart crust and shake gently from side to side to distribute and smooth surface; pop any large bubbles with toothpick or skewer. Bake tart, on baking sheet, until outer edge of filling is just set and very faint cracks appear on surface, 30 to 35 minutes; filling will still be very wobbly. Let cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, until filling is chilled and set, at least 3 hours or up to 18 hours.
• For the Glaze.
• Thirty minutes before glazing, remove tart from refrigerator. Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; stir once or twice to combine. Remove pan from heat, add chocolate, and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow chocolate to soften. Whisk gently (so as not to incorporate air) until mixture is smooth, then whisk in hot water until glaze is homogeneous, shiny, and pourable. Working quickly, pour glaze onto center of tart. To distribute glaze, tilt tart and allow glaze to run to edge. (Spreading glaze with spatula will leave marks on surface.) Pop any large bubbles with toothpick or skewer. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• To Serve.
• Remove outer ring from tart pan. Insert thin- bladed metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen tart; slide tart onto serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Steps:

• For the icing: Whisk egg whites, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in large heat-resistant bowl set over medium saucepan filled with ½ inch of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water). With hand-held mixer on medium-high speed, carefully beat egg white mixture to stiff peaks, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat, add vanilla, and continue to beat until icing is very thick and stiff and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. To assemble: Spread 1 cup icing on bottom cake layer. Repeat with second cake layer and additional 1 cup icing. Top with final cake layer and spread top and sides with remaining icing. To decorate: Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in large heat-resistant bowl set over medium saucepan filled with ½ inch of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water). Stir until melted and smooth, then remove bowl from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Spoon ¼ cup chocolate mixture over top of cake and then drizzle remaining glaze along top edge of cake, allowing it to drip about halfway down the sides.