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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 12 |
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Gale Gand's recipe from her Chocolate & Vanilla book. Her recipes are great and her instructions are detailed to ensure success. This recipe takes me back to NY and kaffee klatching with the ladies. Ingredients:
for the sponge |
1/2 cup all-purpose flour |
1 1/2 tsp. sugar |
1 + tbsp active dry yeast |
1 cup warm milk (about 95 degrees) |
for the dough |
1 large egg |
5 large egg yolks |
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar |
1/2 tsp salt |
1/8 tsp vanilla extract |
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour |
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted |
for the chocolate filling |
1 7-ounce tube almond paste |
1 large egg white |
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened |
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped |
Directions:
1. Make the sponge by stirring the flour, sugar, yeast, and milk together in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit about one hour, until bubbly.
2. For the dough: In an electric mixer with a paddle stir the egg, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour and the sponge and and blend this with a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3-5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic but not sticky. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in there and cover with plastic wrap. Let this rise at room temperature about 1 1/2 hours.
4. make the filling while the dough rises: In a food processor blend the almond paste, egg white, and butter until smooth. Add the chocolate and blend just until it is incorporated. Set aside. (you can make this up to 2 days ahead and store in the refrigerator and take out to room temp. when needed)
5. Turn the dough back onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down to deflate. Use a rolling pin to create an 8x14 rectangle which is about 1/4 thick. let this rest for about 5 minutes with a tea towel covering it to keep the dough moist.
6. Spread the filling over the dough to within 1/2 of the edges and then roll it up lengthwise, ala a jelly-roll, and pinch the seam along the bottom to seal it. Flatten this log a bit with the rolling pin and then twist the log 6 to 8 times. This gives the beautifully swirled filling.
7. Place one end of the log in the center of a 9 cake pan and then wrap it around itself forming a spiral in the cake pan. (YOu can cover it at this point with plastic and refrigerate overnight and then let it come back to room temp. for about 1/2 hour or until it has doubled in volume before baking. Great for brunch.) Cover the pan lightly with a clean, damp kitchen towel and place out of any drafts, and let this rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes 1 hour.
8. Place in a Preheated 350 oven and bake until the cake is golden, about 45 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.
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