HCB: Chocolate Bull's Eye Cake
Monday, January 3, 2011
This is one of those recipes that just throw you. First, it’s in the “baby cake” section of the book, so you think – oh, easy. Then you start to read it and realized that with 4 pages of instructions and 5 different components there was no way this could fall under the easy category.
So, I put it off.
And off… I was busy: watching TV, lounging, reading, playing with presents, reading tons of blogs, getting over a MAJOR New Year’s hangover (hello 2011!), as you can see – doing anything BUT these easy cakes.
Until…yesterday.
I just could not bring myself to miss another cake, I have been so lazy lately with the HCB commitments, I’m afraid that Marie is ready to send me a stern email, telling me to get off my lazy butt, get it together and get in the kitchen and bake!
So, I put all of my ingredients out the night before, to get them to room temperature, and decided, first thing in the morning I was going to tackle this and get it over with.
I woke up to a raining day.
Which meant one thing: “STAY IN BED! STAY IN BED!”
…so I stayed in bed, until noon well past noon
When I finally did enter my kitchen, I decided to start on my other baking club choice (can you see the pattern of evasion going on?) because, my reasoning at the time, was that since it involved yeast, it was going to take longer (can you see the pattern of stupid going on?) so, here I am in my PJ’s (because who does not like to bake on their PJ’s?) measuring, calculating and dumping everything in my Kitchen Aid, and when I was all set, turned the thing on and got cracking.
Except!?! Nothing happened - As in the mixer did.not.turn.on.
The hell?
Counted to ten, checked that it was plugged in correctly, checked that we had power, checked again that it was plugged into the outlet and turned it back on.
And…
NOTHING HAPPENED!
Called Tom, he checked and re-checked and nada, zip, null, NOTHING!!
EMERGENCY MODE in 3,2,1!
Called Kitchen Aid - nothing! Used facebook, twitter and support email to send SOS, nothing! – Maybe because it was Sunday?!?
Finally, spent 1 hour looking for the mixer paperwork and found that I had bought it in Bed, Bath and Beyond. Called them up, spoke to a Monica (things were looking up) who told me – and folks I quote “Sure, no problem, bring it in and we can exchange it”. (You could hear the scream of happiness across the US – Jenn, did you hear me?)
Took me less than 5 minutes to dress and be out the door with the heavy thing in the back seat of my car. The exchange was just like that. They told me they no longer carried the old model, but that she would give me a store credit and I could choose another one. And I did. Meet the new addition to my kitchen folks:
It’s a dream! And so, so prettyyyyy. Now I just need to get a kitchen that matches it, I make sure Tom gets on that pronto.
So, of course, once I got back and finished my other baking club choice. I started on the baby cakes – ASAP, nothing like a shiny new piece of equipment to get you cracking, regardless of the fact that it was 5pm.
The cake is your basic genoise type cake. Where you warm up the eggs, then beat them into this fluffyness cloud and then to make it even better you fold in brown butter, and by now we all know how most of us feel about “brown butter”. Since, I did not have the mary-ann cake pan (ENVY ALERT!) I decided to use my 6x3 spring form pan and then cut out the necessary indentation needed to hold the chocolate filling. No issues, it was done in 30 minutes. Took it out of the pan right away and left it to cool, while I continue on to the next steps.
Next up was the sugar syrup. Sugar and water in a saucepan and unto the stove to boil a bit, and then mix in with your favorite liquor. Rose suggested Nava or brandy. And would you believe that I had Peach Brandy, Orange Brandy, Raspberry Brandy, but NO APRICOT! I used rum instead. Then you make an apricot glaze, I used my apricot curd from the Chocolate Apricot Roll (yes, we still have some) and mixed in a bit of rum in there too – just to keep the whole thing really good and booze up – we don’t want to let that New Years hangover leave our body just yet – right?
Forth step was the chocolate filling cream. Marie called this grown up pudding. I call it “a succulent pool of goodness” (I could take a bath in this stuff!). I actually use less than I had to, just so I could hide and lick the bowl. I’m thinking it would make an excellent filling for cream puff.
The fifth and last component was the chocolate glaze. And I have to say the IKEA dark chocolate is rocking my world – no only for the price, but, baby Jesus is it good!
And there you have it after 3 hours of baking and cleaning dishes tada!
Verdicts:
Tom: “This is from the heavenly book right? It’s good, and not so sweet, even drenched in sugar and apricot glaze, I bet it’s even better tomorrow”.
I have to agree, we had a piece last night at 11pm. It was cold, but not enough for the flavors to really mix in there. But, oh wow, was it good. I’m betting that today it will be even better. I’m at work dreaming of a piece.
In fact, let me call Tom and make sure his hands are off the cake until tonight.
As always no recipe is posted for my HCB post due to book’s publisher’s rules, but you can check out the other bakers results or run and buy the book so I can afford more of that Ikea chocolate.
Reader Comments (9)
I cannot express my equipment jealousy. Look at that sexy bowl lifter...
My husband surprised me on my birthday a couple years ago with one of those! Couldn't be happier. I use that one for BIG jobs and my old one for smaller jobs (or both at the same time if I have lots of baking going on). Congratulations!!!
Your baby cakes look amazing. Very elegant. The piped drizzle looks perfect. A job well done!!!
HELLO SEXY MIXER! How are YOU doin'? (in a tone imitating Joey's famous line from Friends).
I'm sorry your mixer broke... hang on.. what am I saying? I mean, CONGRATS on the mixer!
I LOVE that you make this cake in a 6 inch pan. The 1st picture is awesome. Those glaze look so luscious!
And yes, I did hear some strange noise yesterday that I couldn't decipher (between watching the recorded episodes of CSI). Now I understood ^_^.
We have twins! My mixer's the same model, same colour, and same store, even!
Glad you like the Ikea chocolate too! So cheap, yet so tasty!
@ Katya: I know I love that it has the padded portion
@ Hanaa: I wish that it would have been an addition and not a replacement, but my other one was the heavy duty one as well (old model) so I have to continue to use my handheld for the “small” jobs. But, I did make the Challah choice on it and it worked like a dream!
@ Jenn: I knew you would hear me!
@ Anitsik: I was between that color and the black, they had another grey (lighter) but I just could not get onboard with it. I do wish they would have more color choices on that model, but being that it was FREE and a more powerful motor than the one I had before, I’m not complaining. But, now I have to match my kitchen to it. I see steel appliances in my future! IKEA chocolate, best keep secret EVER!
Congrats on the new mixer! I'm having mixer envy right now. I still have the smaller KA mixer. I had the mixer on my Christmas list, but I decided I would rather have a new camera instead of the mixer.
I think this recipe is intimidating me a little because I haven't started it yet, but I've also made two fondant covered birthday cakes with fondant bows so I'm not being completely lazy.
As usual your cake looks beautiful!
great post! okay now i have mixer envy...i have the smaller KA but look how pretty and shiny and heavy duty yours is! sigh.
i'm glad you made one big cake and that pool of chocolate looks so good!
congrats on your new KA! I am eyeing for that mixer too the heavy duty professional series! BUT over here, the KA dont have the large mixing bowl..it's the same as my red KA..so really what's the point i figured..i have to pay like S$200+ more for it! Ok..back to your cake..sorry i was distracted! ;P Your cake looks wonderful!! I too after reading Anitsik's post bought 12 Ikea chocolate bars..hahaha.. but i have yet to try it, now that you mention it is good too, i have to go stock up the entire carton..LOL!
Congratulations on your new mixer.. I just got mine a while ago, and I can understand the love :)
The cake looks gorgeous, that chocolate cream sounds delicious. Off to google the recipe!