SWEET & SALTY MILLIONAIRE’S LAYER CAKE

Hello, hello! After many, many months of devoted book creating, I’m excited to be back here with you, blogging on a regular basis! I’m also incredibly eager to share my book with you all, once it’s printed and released–it has been, wow, an incredible learning experience. It’s still kind of surreal to me that a book with my name on it will actually exist. A dream come true, for certain. Ingredients For the Chocolate Cake:

• 2 1/4 cups 285 g all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups 450 g superfine sugar
• 3/4 cup 90 g dark Dutch-process cocoa powder (I use Cacao Barry Extra Brute)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons 10 g baking soda
• 2 1/4 teaspoons 10 g baking powder
• 1 teaspoon 8 g salt
• 1 cup 240 mL buttermilk
• 3/4 cup 180 mL brewed coffee or espresso, hot
• 1/3 cup 80 ml vegetable oil
• 3 eggs room temperature
• 1 tablespoons 15 mL pure vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

• 6 egg whites
• 1 3/4 cups 350 g sugar
• 2 cups 454 g unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
• 2 teaspoons 10 ml vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, seeded and scraped
• Pinch of salt

For the Salted Caramel:

• 2 cups 400 g sugar
• 1/2 cup 120 ml water
• 1 cup 240 ml heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 2 tablespoons 30 g unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Generous pinch of sea salt I used Fleur de Sel

For the Shortbread Crumbs:

• 1 cup 125 g all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup 50 g sugar
• 1/2 cup 115 g unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes

For the Ganache Frosting:

• 1 pound plus 6 ounces 700 g best-quality dark chocolate (at least 53% cocoa solids), chopped or callets
• 2 cups 480 ml heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 1/3 cup 110 g corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 8 tablespoons 120 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon 15 ml pure vanilla extract

Instructions For the Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.
2. Into the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large measuring cup with a spout, combine the buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla.
4. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide batter among the 3 cake pans (weigh batter for even layers at about 520 grams per cake pan).
5. Bake 2 of the layers until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, about 20-25 minutes. Try not to over-bake. Repeat with the final layer. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack until completely cool.

For the Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

1. Wipe the bowl and whisk of an electric mixer with paper towel and lemon juice, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 130°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Place bowl back on mixer and fit with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes, or longer). Switch over to paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). Increase speed to medium and beat until the mixture becomes thick and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add vanilla bean paste and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.
4. You can also add a wide variety of flavourings, extracts, and more, but always add the vanilla first, as it brings out the true taste of the other flavours. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, refrigerated for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. Bring chilled buttercream back to smooth consistency by bringing to room temperature and then beating on low speed with an electric mixer for a few minutes.

For the Salted Caramel:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the sugar and water until combined. Brush down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush and increase the heat to medium-high.
2. Stop stirring, and let the mixture bubble until it reaches an amber colour (about 350°F). Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the heavy cream (be careful, as this will bubble and steam aggressively for a moment) until smooth, followed by the butter.
3. Clip a candy thermometer onto the saucepan and return the mixture to medium-high heat until it reaches 248°F). Transfer the caramel to the heatproof bowl and stir in the vanilla and sea salt. As the caramel reaches room temperature it will become thick and spreadable. Store in a sealed jar in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For the Shortbread Crumbs:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers, until you have distributed the butter and achieved pea-size bits. Turn the mixture in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and, using a heatproof spatula, gently break up the mixture and return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Let tray cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
3. For the Ganache Frosting:
4. Place chopped chocolate (or callets) in a large heatproof mixing bowl (I find a stainless 5QT mixer bowl works well).
5. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, corn syrup and salt and bring just to a boil. Pour hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for about 1 minute. Using an immersion blender (or whisk, if necessary) combine the chocolate mixture until smooth. Add butter and vanilla and mix again until smooth. Mixture with thicken to spreadable frosting consistency, and eventually become solid at room temperature. To soften, simply warm and bring to desired consistency.
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