ČOKOLADNA ROĐENDANSKA TORTA

Kraljica svake svetkovine

Sastojci:

Tijesto:

2 šalice glatkog brašna

1 ¾ šalica šećera

Prstohvat soli

100 g naribane tamne čokolade

2 žličice praška za pecivo

½ žličice sode bikarbone

2 žličice vanilije ( ili 1 vanilin šećer)

¾ šalice ulja

4 jaja

¼ šalice gorke crne kave

1 ¼ šalice mlake vode

Krema:

200 ml slatkog vrhnja

350 g tamne čokolade, nasjeckane

Glazura:

100 g tamne čokolade, nasjeckane

50 g maslaca

3 žl mlijeka

1 žl šećera

50 g bijele čokolade

1 žličica ulja

Priprema:

Pećnicu zagrijte na 160 stupnjeva C.

Dva jednaka kalupa za torte promjera 24 cm namastite i prekrijte papirom za pečenje.

U velikoj posudi pomiješajte sve suhe sastojke (brašno, šećer, sol, čokoladu, prašak, sodu) pa im postepeno dodajte jaja, ulje, vaniliju, kavu i na kraju vodu. Miješajte da se smjesa ujednači. Ravnomjerno je rasporedite po pripremljenim kalupima i pecite 35-38 min. Ohladite, izvadite iz kalupa i prerežite jednom vodoravno (tako ćete dobiti 4 kore).

Dok se torta peče, napravite kremu. Zavrijte slatko vrhnje. Kad počne kipiti, maknite s vatre i dodajte nasjeckanu čokoladu. Ostavite 2 min pa dobro promiješajte. Ohladite prvo na sobnu temperaturu, a zatim u hladnjaku.

Hladnu kremu miksajte mikserom na najbržoj brzini 2-3 min.

Trećinom kreme premažite prvu koru. Prekrijte drugom, pa premažite polovicom preostale kreme. Stavite i treću koru, premažite ostatkom kreme i pokrijte posljednjom korom. Stavite u hladnjak dok radite glazuru.

Sve sastojke za glazuru  u manjoj vatrostalnoj posudi stavite na laganu vatru. Miješajte dok se ne otope i ne sjedine. Maknite s vatre, ostavite 1-2 min pa prelijte po torti. Tortu vratite u hladnjak.

Bijelu čokoladu otopite u mikrovalnoj pećnici. Prvo 30 sek, promiješajte, a zatim vratite na  još 15-20 sek. Pazite da ne pregrijete čokoladu – postat će neupotrebljiva. U meku čokoladu umiješajte žličicu ulja. Čokoladu stavite u malenu vrećicu, odrežite joj vrh pa njome išarajte tortu.

CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 cups plain flour

1 ¾ cup sugar
a pinch of salt
100 g dark chocolate, grated
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla (or 1 pouch vanilla sugar)
¾ cup oil
4 eggs
¼ cup bitter black coffee
1 ¼ cup lukewarm water

For the crème:
200 ml sweet cream
350 g dark chocolate, chopped

For the glaze:
100 g dark chocolate, chopped
50 g butter
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp sugar

For the decoration:
50 g white chocolate
1 teaspoon oil

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
Grease two 24-cm cake tins and line them with sheets of parchment paper.
Combine all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, chocolate, powder, soda) in a large bowl. Add the eggs, oil, vanilla, coffee and water gradually. Stir until combined.
Spread evenly in the tins and bake for 35-38 minutes. Leave to cool, remove from the tins and halve each one horizontally to get a total of 4 cake layers.
Meanwhile prepare the crème. Bring the sweet cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Leave for two minutes and then stir well. Leave to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.
When cool, beat with a mixer at the highest speed for 2-3 minutes.
Spread 1/3 of the crème over each cake layer, placing one on top of the other. Refrigerate while preparing the glaze.
Combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small heatproof dish. Stir over low heat until well combined. Leave to cool for 1-2 minutes. Pour over the cake and refrigerate.
Melt the white chocolate in a microwave oven for 30 seconds. Stir and return for another 15 – 20 seconds. Do not overheat as it will become unusable. Add a tablespoon of oil into the melted chocolate, transfer into a plastic sac, cut a hole and decorate the cake.