Jans Chocolate Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 10 1/2 X 15 1/2-inch jellyroll pan with parchment and spray with nonstick vegetable spray. In a dry bowl, melt chocolate over barely simmering water. Whisk the eggs and sugar until they hold a ribbon shape for 2 seconds. Whisk in the coffee mixture. Sift, then fold in the cocoa. Fold in the melted chocolate. Spread in the prepared pan and bake for 9 minutes until set. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Sift the cocoa and confectioners' sugar into the cream and whip to the consistency of shaving cream. Divide the sheet cake in half. Lightly spread one layer with apricot preserves. Spread on the whipped cream. Lightly spread the other half with raspberry preserves and flip on top of the whipped cream. Refrigerate.
• Make the Ganache: Put the chocolate in a small bowl. Over medium heat, bring the cream to a scald. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Working from the center out, gently stir with a whisk to melt and blend. Continue stirring until smooth. Stir in the feuilletine and nibs. Pour over the cake. Allow cake to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, until chocolate is set.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). If using layers, grease and line the pans with parchment paper. If using a 9 X 13 pan, grease and dust with cocoa powder. Sift together the cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Alternately beat in the flour mixture and the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Add the boiling water and beat for one full minute.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Steps:

• In medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth.
• Cool completely.
• Sift flour with soda, salt and baking powder.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease well and lightly flour three 9 by 1 1/2 inch layer-cake pans.
• In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally until light-about 5 minutes.
• At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not overbeat.
• Divide evenly into pans;smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
• Cool in pans 10 minutes.
• Carefully loosen sides with spatula; 4. Remove from pans; cool on racks.
• Frosting: In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces,cream, butter;stir over medium heat until smooth.
• Remove from heat.
• With whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar.
• In bowl set over ice(I use ice cubes) beat until it holds shape.
• 18. Filling: whip cream with sugar and vanilla;refrigerate.
• To assemble cake: On plate place a layer, top side down;spread with half of cream.
• Place second layer, top side down;spread with rest of cream.
• Place third layer, top side up. To frost: With spatula, frost sides first,covering whipped cream;use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
• To cut, use a thin-edged sharp knife;slice with a sawing motion.
• And forget the swirls.
• I think it looks gourmet just to spread the frosting.
• It dries really dark and looks cool.
• Somethimes I just drag a sharp knife across the top in lines and sometimes I leave it as it is. From McCall's Cooking School.