- TO MAKE THE CAKE: In
the top of a double boiler, over hot water, melt
6 ounces of the butter with the 6 ounces of
unsweetened chocolate. When this is melted,
remove it from the heat and transfer the mixture
to a mixing bowl to cool to room temperature.
While the chocolate and butter are cooling,
lightly butter the bottoms of two 9-inch round
cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment
baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to
350º F. When the chocolate is cool, add the
eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla and whisk together
until well combined. Stir in the flour and pour
the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake
for 35 minutes or until a toothpick, when
inserted in the middle, comes out clean. Remove
the cakes from the oven and cool them in the pans
for 30 minutes. With a knife, loosen the edges of
each of the cakes from the pans and turn them out
onto a cake rack to cool completely.
- TO MAKE THE ICING:
While the cakes are baking, prepare the icing. In
a small saucepan combine the sugar, instant
coffee and heavy cream. Bring this to a boil, and
boil gently for 6 minutes. Remove from the heat
and add the unsweetened chocolate. After the
chocolate has melted, add the butter and vanilla
and cool to room temperature.
- TO PUT THE CAKE
TOGETHER: Set one of the cakes top side up on a
plate and cover with a bit of icing. Set the
second layer upside down so the bottom is facing
up and ice the top and sides. Pat the chopped
nuts onto the sides of the cake and center some
in the middle of the top layer. Refrigerate the
remaining icing until firm. Transfer the icing to
a piping bag fitted with a rosette tip and pipe
rosettes around the edges. Store the cake in the
refrigerator, but bring it back to room
temperature before serving.
|
