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.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Hitchki
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.