Amandine

This cake is great if is done at home, does not compare to what is found in bakeries. I found a few recipes for the cake and cream, but I chose to make this one, only with 4 eggs, butter cream and a fondant frosting of course, this is a true Amandina (Chocolate cake). I chose to inspire from www.enjoydessert.blogspot.ro because it seemed the most appropriate as for ingredients and quantities! Maybe it is a little bit too sweet for someone else, but you can reduce the amount of syrup and for the glaze you can use a mix of melted chocolate with whipped cream or butter instead of fondant (which is very sweet)

This recipe contains , , eggs, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, oil, , water, sugar, honey, rum, instant coffee, , butter, chocolate (dark), sugar (powdered, confectioners), cocoa (sweet), , sugar, water, honey, cocoa (sweet), water, , chocolate (dark), butter

Serves: 20 servings

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1 hr

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Syrup:
• 500 ml water (I wanted it very juicy)
• 10 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• Cream:
• 270 gr butter
• 200 gr dark chocolate
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• Fondant:
• 250 g sugar
• 125 ml water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 tablespoons water (extra)
• Alternative glaze:
• 150 g dark chocolate
• 50 g butter (or 75 ml whipped cream)

Instructions:

• 1. For the crust, separate the eggs,beat egg whites with a pinch of salt, then add egg yolks one at a time, the oil, and then incorporate (with a whisk, from bottom up) the flour mixed with cocoa and baking powder
• 2. Line a tray with baking paper and bake about 20 minutes until toothpick test passes. If you want, you can use a large pan (the stove one,so you don’t have to cut the dough in two)
• 3. Syrup: we make it while we are baking the cake.
• 4. Put together sugar and water to a boil and let it dissolve well.
• 5. Add honey and let it boil for few more minutes (about 3 minutes).
• 6. Add the instant coffee the rum essence.
• 7. Let it cool thoroughly before you will soak the cake.
• 8. Cream:
• 9. Butter should be at room temperature and the chocolate should be melted on boiling water bath or in the microwave (I kept it about 1 minute 40 seconds, checking it from time to time).
• 10. Mix the butter with an electric mixer, then stir in the melted chocolate (cooled).
• 11. My advice is to taste the cream first and if you think that needs more sugar, add more for your taste. I’ve put 3 tablespoons powdered sugar.
• 12. Add the cocoa and mix well.
• 13. Leave it on the counter top until you will cut the cake ( do not refrigerate ,it will set very hard and you wont be able to spread it on the cake :-) )
• 14. Cut dough in two sheets and soak it with the syrup in abundance.
• 15. First assemble cake, a piece of cake underneath, cream, and then refrigerate it until you make the fondant. (keep 3 tablespoons of cream for garnish)
• 16. Meanwhile prepare the fondant (glaze).
• 17. In a double bottom saucepan, put water and sugar and let it approx. 15 minutes.
• 18. You must have a glass of cold water, beside you. From time to time (after about 10 min.) drip a little bit of syrup into the cold water, if it forms a hard drop like a pearl, then the the fondant is ready, let it simmer more if needed.
• 19. When the pearl test passed, turn off the heat and add honey.
• 20. Fill a saucepan with cold water to cool the fondant, or put cold water in the sink to cool it down.
• 21. Mix with a spoon until the fondant starts to thicken (becomes viscous), and white.
• 22. When becomes like that, add the cocoa and mix well.
• 23. My fondant has hardened a bit too much, so if this thing happens to you, add in 2 tablespoons of water and stir well.
• 24. Cut the cake into squares and pour 1 – 2 teaspoons of fondant over each piece.
• 25. let the fondant to harden (possibly after 10 minutes refrigeration ) then ornate the cake on the top with the remaining cream filling. (each square)
• 26. Keep it in the fridge and when you want to serve, remove the cake from the fridge at least 20 minutes before, to be at room temperature.
• 27. Bon appetite! it is worth trying this awesome chocolate cake, is incredibly good!