Dense Bittersweet Chocolate Cake

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound high quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup coffee, brewed strong
8 extra-large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extractPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and set aside.

In the top of a double boiler, combine the butter, chocolate and coffee and melt slowly, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until frothy. Whisk the eggs into the melted chocolate until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.

Remove the sides of the pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, before serving.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa
1 1/2 sticks soft unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons good-quality vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream

Special equipment: 2 (each 8-inch diameter) layer tins with removable bases, buttered

Frosting:
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
3/4 stick unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon good-quality vanilla extract
Sugar flowers, to decorate, optional

Take everything out of the refrigerator so that all ingredients can come room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put all the cake ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, cocoa, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream into a food processor and process until you have a smooth, thick batter. If you want to go the long way around, just mix the flour, sugar and leavening agents in a large bowl and beat in the soft butter until you have a combined and creamy mixture. Now whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs and beat this into your bowl of mixture.

Divide this batter, using a rubber spatula to help you scrape and spread, into the prepared tins and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, which should be about 35 minutes, but it is wise to start checking at 25 minutes. Also, it might make sense to switch the 2 cakes around in the oven halfway through cooking time. Remove the cakes, in their tins, to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before turning out of their tins. Don't worry about any cracks as they will easily be covered by the frosting later.

To make this icing, melt the chocolate and butter in a good-sized bowl either in the microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Go slowly either way: you don't want any burning or seizing.

While the chocolate and butter is cooling a little, sieve the confectioners' sugar into another bowl. Or, easier still, put the icing sugar into the food processor and blitz to remove lumps.

Add the corn syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla and then when all this is combined whisk in the sieved confectioners' sugar. Or just pour this mixture down the funnel of the food processor onto the powdered sugar, with the motor running.

You may need to add a little boiling water, say a teaspoon or so, or indeed some more confectioners' sugar, depending on whether you need the frosting to be thiner or thicker. It should be liquid enough to coat easily, but thick enough not to drip off.

Choose your cake stand or plate and cut 4 strips of baking parchment to form a square and sit 1 of the cakes, uppermost (i.e. slightly domed) side down.

Spoon about 1/3 of the frosting onto the center of the cake-half and spread with a knife or spatula until you cover the top of it evenly. Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich the 2 together.

Spoon another 1/3 of the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread it in a swirly, textured way (though you can go for a smooth finish if you prefer, and have the patience). Spread the sides of the cake with icing and leave a few minutes until set, then carefully pull away the paper strips.

I love to dot the top of this with sugar pansies, and you must admit, they do look enchanting, but there really is no need to make a shopping expedition out of it. Anything, or indeed nothing, will do.

Paula's Double Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Ice Cream

Chocolate ice cream
1 recipe Double Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, recipe follows

Additional Add-ins:
Cookie crumbs, your choice
Handful of nuts, preferably pecans
Hot fudge

Cut Ooey Gooey Butter Cake into bite-sized pieces, adding it to chocolate ice cream.
Crumble your choice of cookies and add to the ice cream while adding your choice of nuts. Add hot fudge to your desire and mix together.
Double Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake:
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Butter, for greasing pan, plus 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, melted, divided
1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
3 eggs, divided
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

Jacques' Easy Chocolate Cake

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup plus 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar (6 ounces)
2/3 cup water (5 ounces)
6 ounces softened butter
6 eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar (3 ounces)
16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted, optional
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, optionalPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a 10-inch cake pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a 10-inch parchment paper circle. Coat the top of the parchment paper circle with vegetable cooking spray.

Place both chopped chocolates in a bowl and melt over a double boiler. Combine the sugar and water in a 1-quart saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil until all of the sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot syrup into the bowl of melted chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is homogenous. Add the butter and whisk until well mixed.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until well blended. Using a rubber spatula, fold this mixture into the chocolate mixture. Be careful to mix gently.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Place a baking sheet with 1-inch sides in the oven. Place the filled cake pan on the baking sheet. Fill the baking sheet with water so the water covers the bottom inch of the cake pan. Bake until the cake surface appears dull and taut when pressed in the middle, about 40 minutes.

Remove the cake pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Turn off the oven and let the baking sheet and water cool before you attempt to remove them.

Decoration: If you would like to decorate this cake, you can make chocolate fans or shave a block of chocolate with an apple peeler. To make chocolate fans, stir the vegetable oil into the melted chocolate. Spread a thick layer of the chocolate mixture onto a marble or granite surface (or use the back of a cold baking sheet). Using a triangle, push across the chocolate surface in a curving motion. Place your thumb on one corner of the triangle as you push to catch the chocolate. The result should resemble a chocolate fan. This takes a little practice and not every fan you make will be usable. Have fun with it!

Molten Chocolate Cake

Unsalted butter, for cake molds
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 ounces extra-bitter chocolate, finely chopped
3 ounces unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3 ounces sugar
1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
Serving suggestion: Espresso Creme Anglaise, recipe follows

Special equipment: 5 (2 by 2 1/4-inch) round molds and an electric mixer

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter the round molds with the unsalted butter and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess cocoa.

Melt the extra bitter chocolate and the unsalted butter in a double boiler. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate/butter mixture. Add all the flour and mix until just incorporated.

Pipe or carefully spoon the batter into the prepared molds, filling no more than 1/2 full.
Place the filled molds on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for a minimum of 20 minutes. The batter will hold overnight in the refrigerator after it's been put into the molds. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes.

The tops will have cracks, the sides will be set, but the centers will be very soft.
Serve immediately and drizzle with Espresso Creme Anglaise.

Espresso Creme Anglaise:
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups light cream
3 tablespoons brewed espressoWhisk the yolks and the sugar together until thickened and pale yellow.

In a small pot warm the cream just to the boiling point over medium heat.

While whisking, add some of the hot cream into the egg mixture. Pour into the pot with the rest of the cream and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Add the espresso. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Yield: 2 cups
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes