Red velvet pastry The Ashok, New Delhi

Chef Nitu at Novotel Bengaluru Outer Ring Road, shares the recipe for a decadent chocolate truffle cake

Chocolate Truffle Cake

Ingredients

Truffle filling

• 300 gm semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 90 ml Godiva chocolate liqueur
• 75 ml heavy whipping cream

Chocolate cake

• 230 gm all-purpose flour
• 85 gm natural unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 180 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
• 300 gm sugar
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 300 ml milk
• 1/3 cup Godiva chocolate liqueur

Frosting

• 280 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
• 300 gm semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 35 gm Hershey’s dark cocoa powder
• 650 gm powdered sugar

Ganache topping

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 tbsp Godiva chocolate liqueur
• 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 120 ml Godiva chocolate liqueur

Method

To make the truffle filling:

1. Add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl.
2. Combine the chocolate liqueur and heavy cream in a microwave safe measuring cup and microwave just until it begins to boil.
3. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips, allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Cover and put the chocolate mixture in the fridge until cooled.

To make the cake layers:

1. Preheat oven to 176°C and prepare three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper at the bottom of the pans.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add butter, sugar, oil and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat for about 3-4 minutes until its fluffy. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add eggs one at a time until each of them is mixed well.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix. Pour milk and mix until it’s well blended. Then add remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
6. Divide the batter evenly in the cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes. Remove the cakes and allow them to cool down.

To make the chocolate frosting:

1. Add butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Add melted chocolate to the butter and mix until well combined.
3. Add cocoa powder and mix it well.
4. Add about half of the powdered sugar, salt and liqueur. Mix until it’s blended properly.
5. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
6. Add the remaining liqueur to get the right consistency of frosting. Set frosting aside.

To build and finish the cake:

1. To layer the cake, first use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes to make them flat. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or on a circular cardboard.
2. Add the chocolate liqueur that was kept for the chocolate cake to a small bowl and use a pastry brush to brush the cake with about 1/2 of the liqueur.
3. Pipe a dam around the edge of the cake with some of the chocolate frosting.
4. Spread about 1/2 of the chocolate truffle filling in the centre of the dam on top of the cake. Add the second layer of cake and repeat the above steps.
5. Add the third and final layer of cake on top.
6. Frost the top and outside of the cake with the remaining chocolate frosting.
7. To make the ganache topping, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl.
8. Combine the heavy whipping cream and chocolate liqueur in a microwave-safe measuring cup and microwave until it just begins to boil.
9. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips and then whisk until smooth.
10. Drizzle the chocolate ganache around the edges of the cake.
11. Serve the cake at room temperature.

Chef Prajit, Bakery chef, at The Ashok , New Delhi shares an indulgent recipe for Red Velvet Pastry.

Red Velvet Pastry

Ingredients

• Plain cake flour - 400 gm
• Cocoa powder unsweetened - 10 gm
• Baking soda - 05 gm
• Pinch of salt
• Unsalted butter softened - 115 gm
• Caster sugar - 330 gm
• Eggs - 02 Nos
• Vegetable oil - 250 ml
• White vinegar - 1 tsp
• Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
• Buttermilk - 250 ml
• Red liquid food colouring - 2 tbsp

Frosting

• Philadelphia Cream Cheese - 400 gm
• Unsalted butter - 115 gm
• Vanilla extract - 1 ½ tsp
• Icing sugar - 450 gm

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C/350F. Butter a baking tray (sides and base) and dust with cocoa powder.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and pinch of salt and whisk to combine in a bowl.
3. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric beater until smooth and well combined.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating in between to combine. At first it will look curdled keep beating until it's smooth.
5. Add vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk and red food colouring. Beat until combined and smooth
6. Add flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and pinch of salt. Beat until just combined - some small lumps are ok, that's better than over mixing.
7. Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes on the same shelf, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Rest for 10 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.