Delicious Dessert Recipe - Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup crème fraîche (6 ounces)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

White Chocolate Ganache

• 1 pound white chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Chocolate Frosting

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1 pound unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• Bittersweet and white chocolate shavings, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 15-by-12-inch jelly roll pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, melt 6 ounces of the chopped chocolate with the butter and vanilla over very low heat, stirring gently. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and let cool slightly. 

2. In a small saucepan, combine the cocoa with the water and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Let cool slightly, then whisk the mixture into the melted chocolate. Whisk in the crème fraîche. 

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the whole eggs, egg yolks and both sugars at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the chocolate mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt and transfer to a sifter or a sieve. Sift the dry ingredients and fold into the cake batter with a large spatula until fully incorporated. 

4. Spread the batter evenly between the prepared pans and sprinkle with the remaining 4 ounces of chopped chocolate. Bake the cakes in the lower and middle third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the centers spring back when lightly pressed; shift the pans halfway through baking. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans. 

5. In a medium bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water, melt the white chocolate. Remove from the heat. Pour off the water in the saucepan and wipe it out. Add the heavy cream and butter to the saucepan and heat until the butter is melted and small bubbles appear around the edges. Whisk the hot cream mixture into the white chocolate. Set the bowl in a cool place until the ganache is firm enough to hold its shape, at least 1 hour. 

6. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream until small bubbles appear around the edges. Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream on top. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chocolate has melted, then whisk until smooth. Set the bowl in a cool place until the ganache is firm enough to hold its shape, at least 1 hour. 

7. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate over very low heat, stirring frequently. In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, corn syrup, cocoa and water and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the brandy and melted chocolate. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. 

8. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, beat the butter at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture. At low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar. 

9. Cut out a 5-by-11-inch cardboard rectangle. Place a sheet of parchment or wax paper over each cake and top with a flat cookie sheet or cutting board. Invert the cakes and remove the pans. Keeping the paper attached, trim each cake to an even 15-by-11-inch rectangle, then cut each cake into three 5-by-11-inch rectangles; you will have 6 rectangles. 

10. Spoon a small dollop of the chocolate frosting onto the cardboard rectangle and transfer one cake rectangle to it; peel off the paper. This will be the base. Spread half of the white chocolate ganache on the base and top with another cake rectangle; peel off the paper. Spread half of the dark chocolate ganache on the cake and top with another cake layer, peeling off the parchment. Spread with 1 1/4 cups of the chocolate frosting. Repeat with 2 more layers, peeling the parchment off the cake rectangles and spreading them with the remaining white chocolate ganache and dark chocolate ganache. Keep the sides even as you build the cake by smoothing them out with a metal cake spatula. Top with the final cake rectangle and peel off the parchment. Coat the sides and top of the cake with a smooth layer of chocolate frosting; refrigerate briefly to set the frosting. Spread the remaining frosting over the cake and garnish with the chocolate shavings. Carefully transfer the cake (on its cardboard base) to a platter and refrigerate until firm. Using a hot knife, cut the cake into slices while cold and let come to room temperature before serving. 

Make Ahead The cake can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Delicious Dessert Recipe - Italian Trifle with Marsala Syrup

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

• 1 quart milk
• 1 plump vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 dozen large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Sponge Cake

• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Marsala Syrup

• 1 cup sweet Marsala
• 1/3 cup sugar
• Whipped cream and fresh berries, for garnish 

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the milk with the vanilla bean and seeds and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Discard the vanilla bean. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cornstarch and the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Whisk in 1 cup of the milk mixture. Whisk the egg mixture into the milk in the saucepan and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the custard just begins to thicken, about 4 minutes. Switch back to a whisk and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is very thick and bubbling, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer the custard to a large heatproof bowl. Let cool, then press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight. 

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet and line the sheet with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust it with flour. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the eggs with the sugar at medium-high speed until the mixture is thick and pale, about 7 minutes. Beat in the orange zest. 

4. In a small bowl, whisk the cake flour with the cornstarch and salt. Working in two batches, sift the flour mixture over the beaten eggs and fold it in. Pour the cake batter onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, until the cake is golden and springy. Let cool on a wire rack. 

5. In a small saucepan, combine the Marsala with the sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let cool. 

6. Run the blade of a paring knife along the sides of the cake and invert the cake onto a work surface. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the cake into 3-inch squares. Reserve any scraps to patch holes. In a large glass trifle bowl, arrange a layer of cake squares. Using a pastry brush, soak the cake with some of the marsala syrup. Top with a 1-inch layer of the pastry cream. Repeat with the remaining cake, syrup and pastry cream, ending with a layer of cake and syrup. Cover the trifle loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Top the trifle with the whipped cream and berries and serve. 

Make Ahead The trifle can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Delicious Dessert Recipe - No Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients

Serve: 4 persons

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 200 grams cream cheese, melted
• 2 tablespoons cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1: In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until well incorporated.

2: In another chilled bowl, stir the whipping cream until soft peaks form.

3: Whisk the cream cheese mixture with the whipped cream.

4: In a round pan, pour the mixture evenly over into graham cracker crust.

5: Place into refrigerator and chill for at least 5 hours.

6: After 5 hours, remove it from refrigerator and slice to serve.