On the occasion of World Chocolate Day, Chef Ajay Thakur, corporate chef, Hitchki, the resto-bar chain, presents his divine chocolate masterpiece: Baratiyo Ka Swagat.

Baratiyo Ka Swagat

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake

• 250 gm butter + for the paper for the baking pan
• 180 gm sugar
• 250 gm 90 per cent dark chocolate
• 165 gm egg
• 73 gm flour
• 10- or 12-inch (25or 30 cm round cake pan)

For the chocolate ganache

• 100 gm cream
• 120 gm 90 per cent dark chocolate
• 15 gm butter

For the Pan Pasand jelly

• 200 ml milk
• 23 gm sugar
• 20 ml strawberry crush (syrup)
• 3 gm gelatine or a gelatine substitute for vegetarians like agar agar (please see the note below)
• 10 gm Pan Pasand candy

For the assembly

• Spun sugar decorations
• Chopped nuts

Method

For the chocolate cake

• Pre-heat the oven to 170°C.
• In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar. The butter should be softened at room temperature before mixing it.
  Keep aside.
• Using the double boiler method, melt the dark chocolate.
• Add the melted dark chocolate to the butter and sugar mixture and use a spatula to mix the contents till smooth.
  Add the eggs, one by one, and mix.
  Fold in the flour.
• Line the baking pan with greased baking paper and pour the cake mix into it.
• Bake the cake for 8 minutes or until done so that when a toothpick pierced in comes out clean.
  Let it cool on a rack.

For the ganache

• Using the double boiler method, melt the dark chocolate over low heat. Keep aside to cool. 
• Warm the cream carfully over low heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and pour it over the melted chocolate.
  Whisk the mixture well and make sure there are no lumps.
  Strain it over a channi or colander if required. Keep aside.

For the Pan Pasand jelly

• Warm the milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.
  Add the Pan Pasand candy and keep stirring until it dissolves.
  Add the strawberry crush, sugar and mix well using a whisk.
  Dissolve the gelatine in a small bowl of bowl water and add to the ingredients in the saucepan.
  Take off heat and strain.
  Pour into a 25 cm diameter round mould and set in the fridge.

For the assembly

• Using a round cutter, cut the cake into a 25 cm diameter circle.
  Layer it with ganache and add some chopped nuts in the centre.
  Place a layer of the Pan Pasand jelly on top and pipe ganache around the cake using a nozzle.
  Garnish it with spun sugar.
  Please check the pic above for how to assemble.

Note: Each gm of gelatine can be substituted for an equivalent amount of agar agar.

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