Ganache

This is based on a cake my mom ofien made. It came from Maida Heatter s Book of Great Chocolate Desserts, except that Mom could never stick to the recipe. The sour cream tempers the cake s sweetness, and the cake itself is so moist that it almost resembles a pound cake in texture. I fill it with Vanilla Whipped Cream tinted in a bright color or Red Currant Curd, and cover it with Sweet Chocolate Ganache. It s the perfect cake for beginners—my husband found my recipe journal and baked this cake for my birthday ... 

Repeat by filling and building the remaining layers. Chill before frosting with the ganache. 

The first step in frosting is to create a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting that traps the crumbs before the final coat of frosting is done. Because the cake is chilled, the ganache will harden quickly, so you ll need to be efficient. 

When the ganache is warm but not extremely hot, place l/z cup on top of the cake, working quickly with a medium spatula and using a circular motion to spread a thin layer over the top. Place a few tablespoons ganache on a medium offset spatula and frost the sides with a thin layer as well, holding the spatula vertically. 

To finish frosting, place another, thicker layer of ganache on top of the crumb coat. If the ganache has hardened slightly, you can always place it on low heat, stirring frequently until it warms up a bit. 

Combine all the ingredients in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the chips and chocolate are just melted. The ganache will thicken as it cools, so... 

Diablo Cake always tastes great with Mocha Buttercream (page l) or Sweet Chocolate Ganache (page 33 -... 

Goldies, my organic twist on a Twinkie, have become one of my most notorious treats. I like to bake these with the Easiest Chocolate Cake (page 42) a base, as it s the perfect partner to the sweet, creamy filling and dark, almost bittersweet ganache. For a chic finish, I brush them with gold metallic dust. 

Melted Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows) Gold metallic powder (see page 238), for dusting... 

While the Goldies are chilling, prepare the Melted Chocolate Ganache. As it cools, set up a work area by covering a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Spread the ganache with a small offset spatula. Once chilled, dust with gold metallic powder. 

Let the ganache cool to lukewarm beforejyou use it. If it s too hot, it will simply absorb into the cake and disappear. 

Besides dusting the ganache with metallic powder, you can simply drizzle melted white chocolate on top of the dark ganache for contrast or after coating the Goldies with the ganache, freeze them for IO minutes and then dip them halfway in warm melted white chocolate—a twist on the black and white cookie. 

Prepare the Melted Chocolate Ganache and allow it to cool. 

Using a small spatula, frost the cupcakes with the ganache. Chill for about 15 minutes to set the ganache. 

Luster dust is a shimmery powder that has subtle sparkle. It is not as concentrated as the metallic dust, and comes in a wide range of iridescents as well as colors. It can be dusted lightly on a flower or chilled ganache to give it a shimmer. 

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