Recipe
24-LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE
Courtesy of Chef John Schenk, Strip House, Palm Beach Gardens
(Serves 10)
Ingredients
1½ cups cake flour
½ cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
6 eggs
1½ cups milk, divided
¼ cup cold brewed coffee
3 tsp. vanilla divided
12 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar, divided
1¾ cup heavy cream
6 egg yolks at room temperature
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
12 squares (1 oz. each) semisweet chocolate, divided
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Sift together first five ingredients.
In a separate bowl combine eggs, ½ cup milk, coffee and 2 tsp. vanilla. In a third bowl beat butter and 1½ cups sugar until fluffy. Beat one third of dry ingredients into butter mixture, then beat in one-third of the egg mixture; repeat twice. Divide between pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool. Heat remaining milk and 1 cup cream until boiling. In bowl whisk together remaining sugar and the egg yolks. Stir in flour; whisk one-third of the boiled cream into egg mixture. Pour into saucepan; whisk constantly until cream boils. Remove from heat; whisk in remaining vanilla and five chocolate squares, until chocolate melts. Cool; cover with plastic. Refrigerate.
To assemble:
Cut cakes in half horizontally. Spread one-third of cream over one layer with second layer; repeat, ending with cake layer. Refrigerate 1 hour. Boil remaining cream. Remove from heat; stir in remaining chocolate until melted. Let mixture cool slightly; pour glaze on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
