Onda Chocolate Cake

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Bolo Onda de Chocolate”

Cake:

450ml/2 cups water

100g/1 cup cocoa powder

225g butter

560g/2 ½ cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

360g/2 ¾ cups flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

Frosting:

350g/2 ¼ cups chopped chocolate

3 cups icing sugar

¼ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder

160g butter at room temperature

200g cream cheese at room temperature

250ml/1 ⅓ cups heavy cream at room temperature

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

Prepare the cake:

Heat water until it begins to boil and remove from heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until dissolved. Leave to cool at room temperature.

Grease and flour two round pans.

Pre-heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

Mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla for 8 to 10 minutes until creamy and fluffy. In another bowl mix flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Gradually add flour mixture and cocoa liquid to the egg mixture alternating between the dry and liquid and mixing only as needed to incorporate all the ingredients. Divide batter evenly between both pans. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan and place on a rack and leave to cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the frosting:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring occasionly. When completely melted remove from heat and leave to cool a bit. In a small bowl mix the heavy cream with the lemon juice and leave to rest for 10 minutes. It will thicken and curdle. In a small bowl mix sugar and cocoa powder and set aside. In a bigger bowl (so many bowls!) beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar with cocoa and mix well. Add melted chocolate, heavy cream with lemon juice and vanilla and mix only as much as necessary to blend all the ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

To assemble the cake:

Cut each cake in half so you have 4 layers. Place one of the layers on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup of frosting over the layer and top with another layer. Spread another cup of frosting over the second layer and repeat until all 4 layers are assembled. Frost the top and sides of the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: "Cobertura de Queijo Creme com Manteiga"

This frosting has the perfect consistency for cake decorating. The vanilla flavour allows it to pair beautifully with carrot cake and "Red Velvet Cake". The desired thickness is achieved by adding more or less icing sugar. For cake decorations add more icing sugar to get a thicker cream. If there is any leftover it can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

1 cup/190g butter

1 cup/200g cream cheese

2 ½ tsp vanilla

500-600g icing sugar

Cream butter. Add cheese and vanilla and beat until well combined and fluffy. Gradually add 500g icing sugar and mix well until fully incorporated. Check the texture and if necessary add more sugar for a thicker frosting.

Tangerine Curd

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: "Curd (creme) de Tangerina"

80g sugar

30g tangerine peels
55g butter

1 cup tangerine juice
2 eggs

3 tsp cornstarch

Place sugar and peels into the thermomix bowl and pulverize 15sec/speed 3-5. Add butter, tangerine juice and set 1min/speed 2. Add eggs and cornstarch and mix 10sec/speed 4. Then program 7min/80º/speed 2. Remove, strain through a sieve and save in sterilized jars.

Lemon Curd

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: "Curd (creme) de Limão"

This recipe is from the Thermomix portuguese recipe book “Bimby – As Receitas Essenciais”, slightly changed.

150g sugar

Freshly squeezed juice and peels from 2 lemons

55g butter

2 eggs

Place the sugar and lemon peels in the mixing bowl and pulverize 25sec/speed 9. Scrape the sides of the bowl and pulverize another 10sec/speed 9. Add butter, lemon juice and mix 1min/speed 2. Add the eggs and mix 10sec/speed 4. Cook 7min/80º/speed 2. Pour into sterilized jars and once cooled keep refrigerated until needed.

Caramel Spread

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Caramelo para Barrar”

This caramel spread is thick and goes very well over cookies or waffles.

It also makes a very good cake filling.  

1 can/400g sweetened condensed milk

125g/ ½ cup butter 

125g/ ¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup milk

In a saucepan over medium heat melt butter and add sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved. When it begins to bubble add condensed milk and as soon as it begins to boil reduce heat and let boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly.