Amandine de post, Romanian chocolate cakes

Name: Amandine de post, Romanian chocolate cakes
Ingredients: 3 cups white flour; 1 and a half cups sugar; 3 tablespoons carob powder; 1 packet baking powder; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 cups water; 1/2 cup oil; 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar; 150 g granulated sugar; 250 ml water; 1 small bottle rum essence; 500 g Unirea margarine; 300 g powdered sugar; 4 tablespoons cocoa; 1 ampoule rum essence; 200 g dark chocolate; 7-8 tablespoons cold water

Dessert - Amandine de post, Romanian chocolate cakes by Minodora N. - Recipia

Amandine de post, Romanian fasting-period chocolate cakes with carob sponge, rum syrup and cocoa cream, finished with a chocolate glaze. The sponge stays dense and well soaked, and each little square gets a swirl of cream on top. I cut them small and let the glaze fall in thin lines. Preparation: 45 minutes. Cooking: 50 minutes. Resting: 160 minutes. Total time: 255 minutes. Servings: 24. Approximately 440 kcal and 3 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the sponge

3 cups white flour
1 and a half cups sugar
3 tablespoons carob powder
1 packet baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

For the syrup

150 g granulated sugar
250 ml water
1 small bottle rum essence

For the cream

500 g Unirea margarine
300 g powdered sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 ampoule rum essence

For the glaze

200 g dark chocolate
7-8 tablespoons cold water

Preparation

1. Mix the flour, sugar, carob powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the water, oil and vinegar. Pour the liquids into the bowl with the flour, one ladleful at a time, mixing until you have a batter with the consistency of cake batter. 2. Grease the pan with a little of the measured oil and dust it with flour from the measured amount. Pour in the batter and bake for 35 minutes at 165°C. Check the sponge with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, take it out of the oven and then out of the pan. Leave it to cool on a wooden board. 3. Caramelize the granulated sugar in a small saucepan for about 5 minutes, until it turns golden. Carefully pour in the water, as the steam rises suddenly, then simmer the syrup over low heat for 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the rum essence. 4. Leave the sponge and syrup to cool for 60 minutes. Pour the cold syrup into the pan you baked the sponge in and put the cooled sponge back in the pan. 5. Take the margarine out of the fridge at least 4 hours ahead. Beat it with the powdered sugar, cocoa and rum essence until you have a fluffy cream. 6. Spread three quarters of the cream over the sponge and put the pan in the fridge for 1 hour. Cut the cake with a narrow-bladed knife and move the pieces into cupcake cases. 7. Melt the chocolate with the cold water in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes, until fluid. Leave it to cool for 10 minutes, put it in a sturdy bag and snip a very small corner off. Drizzle the glaze over the pieces, then add a swirl of the remaining cream to each one. Chill the cakes for another 30 minutes.

Notes

Use the same cup for the flour and sugar, and don't pack the flour into it, so the batter doesn't turn out too dense. If your pan is smaller and the sponge comes out taller, keep an eye on it towards the end of baking. I like to cut them into small squares, so there's room for the swirl of cream too. I put them together a few hours before the meal, as they need time to chill. The flour contains gluten. You can serve them with plain black tea. Keep them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; take out each serving a little ahead of time so the cream softens.