Chocolate ganache cake with cream cheese

Name: Chocolate ganache cake with cream cheese - Ilinca K.
Ingredients: For the base: 5 eggs; 5 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons cocoa; 4 tablespoons flour; 2 tablespoons cold water; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 2 teaspoons rum essence; a pinch of salt. Cream: 170 g dark chocolate; 200 ml liquid cream; 150 g cream cheese; 2 heaping tablespoons sour cream; 1 tablespoon amaretto; seeds from half a vanilla pod. For soaking: 1/2 cup brewed coffee; 3 tablespoons amaretto.

Desert - Chocolate ganache cake with cream cheese by Ilinca K. - Recipia

The Cake: We start by separating the egg yolks from the egg whites, then we place the yolks in a large bowl and mix them with sugar until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. This step is essential, as the sugar will dissolve better in the yolks, resulting in a fluffier cake. We gradually add warm water, mixing continuously. Next, we incorporate the sifted flour, high-quality cocoa powder, and baking powder. These dry ingredients will give our cake a fine texture and an intense chocolate flavor. We beat the egg whites separately with a pinch of salt until we obtain a firm and glossy foam, which will add air and volume to the mixture. Then, carefully, we add the whipped egg whites over the yolk mixture, gently folding with a spatula so as not to lose the air in the composition. Finally, we add vanilla essence, which will enhance the flavors. We line a large baking tray with parchment paper and carefully pour the mixture, leveling it evenly. We place the cake in a preheated oven at medium temperature for about 12 minutes. When it is ready, we carefully take it out and let it cool completely, after which we cut it in half widthwise, obtaining two equal halves. The Cream: We start preparing the cream by mixing the liquid cream with the chocolate broken into small pieces, which we then place in a double boiler. It is important to stir constantly to avoid burning the chocolate. Once the chocolate has completely melted and integrated with the cream, we let the mixture cool, then transfer it to the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours, until it sets well. After cooling, we take the cream and whip it until it becomes airy foam. In another bowl, we combine the cream cheese with the remaining cream, the seeds from the vanilla pod, and amaretto, mixing them well until smooth. Then, we unify the two creams by gently mixing. We prepare a concentrated coffee and add amaretto to give it a flavor note. We take the first half of the cake and soak it evenly with the coffee mixture. On this base, we spread about half of the cream obtained and level it with a spatula. We carefully place the second half of the cake, soak it again, and on top, we spread the remaining cream, leaving 3-4 tablespoons for decoration. We refrigerate the cake for 2 hours so that the flavors blend perfectly. After the cooling time, we take the cake out, cut it with a sharp knife, and put the reserved cream in a piping bag to decorate each portion. This cake promises not only an attractive appearance but also an explosion of flavors that will delight any taste buds. Enjoy!