Triple Chocolate Proposal Cake (1981)

• 
  3 oz bar Tobler extra-bittersweet chocolate
• 1 oz square unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup water
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 3/4 cup unsifted cake flour
• 1/8 tspn salt
• Light Ganache frosting and filling (see below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of a 3-x-9-inch cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan, and line it with wax or parchment paper. 

Place the chocolate and water in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to melt the chocolate. Simmer for 3 or 4 minutes; the mixture will thicken slightly and resemble unwhipped heavy cream. Cool to lukewarm or cool. (It will measure about 1 1/3 cups.)

Place the eggs and sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer, and beat on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. The mixture will be thick, pale yellow, and greatly increase in volume. 

While the eggs are beating, sift together the flour and salt onto a piece of wax paper. Sift again into the egg mixture using a whisk to fold in, just until all the flour disappears and is incorporated.

Drizzle the cooled chocolate onto the batter in 2 stages, folding it in until the batter is uniform in color. Pour the batter into the pan (which should be 2/3s full) and tap it on the counter once or twice to free any large air bubbles. Bakes 70 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Cracks will appear on the surface, and the cake will shrink from the sides of the pan. Run a small, sharp knife between the sides of the cake and pan to be sure all the sides are free, and invert the cake onto a lightly greased rack. Remove the bottom of the pan, if springform, and the parchment.

Allow the cake to cool completely, at least 1 hour. The cake will fall slightly in the center. The overall height will be about 1 1/2 inches. If the cake falls more, it was underbaked, but it will still taste delicious. Slice into 2 layers.

Light Ganache is used for both filling and frosting this cake.

Light Ganache

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 oz Tobler extra-bittersweet chocolate (or 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate and 1 oz unsweetened chocolate)
• 1 tbspn vanilla-flavored Cognac (optional)

The easiest way to make Ganache filling is with the food processor. (No need to chop the chocolate first.) Process the chocolate until it is in very fine particles. Heat the cream to the boiling point and, with the motor running, pour through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process until smooth. Yield: 2 1/2 cups

More "Lost" Irena Chalmers Recipes

Baked Alaska (1969)

Crepes Suzette (1969)

(Origin - "Romantic and Classic Cakes" by Rose Levy Beranbaum, published by Irena Chalmers Cookbooks, Inc, 1981.)