Super Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

This post is dedicated to my friend Liz,who is leaving Bangalore today.Liz has been a huge inspiration in my life.In the short time i have been around her i have learnt so much.This post is dedicated to her because its sweet and somehow makes you happy and warm and good about yourself,which i have always felt when she was around.Liz also taught me about the power of happiness,how we somehow undermine something as simple as making someone happy,when it actually it something powerful.She always brought a smile on everyones face,and that was incredible.I bake to see others smile,but Liz just spread happiness everywhere she went.Definitely going to miss you Liz,until our paths cross again,Stay Sweet.

Behold just came across a treasure,the El Dorado of Chocolate cake.Now this search started awhile back,after trying numerous recipes which say moist chocolate cake in their recipe,but is basically just brown cake.I know who you are and i don't like you(just kidding,i love you-but still work on that cake).You can't mess with chocolate cake,it's cruel.But all apart finally i found her,the ultimate chocolate cake that screams yum in every bite.

You know when you eat a realllyyy good piece of apple pie and you just need to close your eyes,because you want to go into your happy place where you and that biteful of apple pie and scrumptious crust are alone and can just be together.Yea you know what i'm talking about.

But if you have not experienced the magic of that eye closing,"I THINK I WANT TO MARRY THIS CAKE" moment,then look no further for we have found it.

I usually edit recipes from other bloggers or websites,but honestly i could'nt find much to complain from this one.I stumbled upon a youtube video from this page called "Woodland Bakery".Watched the video,tested it out and BOOOMM (no the cake did not explode) i finally found it.Now you will definitely hear me talking about woodland bakery from now so might want to keep that in mind.It is the blog of Gretchen Price the owner of Woodland bakery,who is absolutely incredible and leaves no room for questions because she covers everything in her videos.So i would advice you to check out her blog: www.woodlandbakeryblog.com,for the most incredible cake.

Before you start reading the recipe,these are the steps i followed while i made the above cake,and i've done it a bunch of times.If you follow the steps there really isn't much room for mistakes.Also the measurements are more accurate if you use a scale (best investment ever).Watch the video before you begin baking to understand what the ribbon stage is and other details.

http://www.woodlandbakeryblog.com/chocolate-cake-2-new-improved/ (recipe and video)

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate (113g (3/4 cup) 4 ounces (recipe calls for semi sweet if you use that reduce sugar to 200g)

Cocoa Powder 24g (4 Tablespoons)

HOT water 4 fl oz (1/2 cup)

SOFT Unsalted Butter 169g (12 Tablespoons)

Whole Eggs room temperature 200g (4 Large)

Yolks room temperature 36g (2 large)

 Confectioners Sugar 230g (1 1/4 cup)

Vanilla Extract  1/2 fl oz(1 Tablespoon)

Yogurt 123g (1/2 cup)

Milk 4 fl oz (1/2 cup)

All Purpose Flour 225g (1 3/4 cup)

Baking Soda 7 g (1 1/2 teaspoons)

Salt 3g (1/2 teaspoons)

1. Get all your ingredients out-This recipe can be done really fast if you have everything out and ready.
2. I used two 9" pans but you can use two 8" pans if you wish only the thickness of the cake will differ.Butter the pans or you can coat it with foil and leave some extra to hang over the edge,spray it with cooking spray,this is easier because you can just pull the cake out of the pan.Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Beat the Whole eggs and Egg yolks together until they begin to get foamy,at this point add the sugar gradually,continue to beat it on high until it reaches the ribbon stage(watch video)
4. While the eggs are being whipped mix the milk and yogurt in a bowl and keep aside.
5. Sift the dry ingredients together flour,baking soda and salt
6. Add the cocoa powder to the warm water and whisk until it is fully combined (this will look really yummy,but do not i repeat do not taste it.Cocoa powder has no sugar and will just make you feel sick,you reallly want to make this cake,Eyes on the prize).Melt the Dark/Semi sweet chocolate in the microwave in 10 second intervals,keep stirring between intervals it helps prevent the chocoalte from burning.Add the melted chocolate to the cocoa mixture and whisk it together until it is combined.To this add the soft butter,which will dissolve into the mixture and add in the vanilla extract at this time.
7. When the eggs have reached the ribbon stage,add the cocoa mixture and whisk it until everything is combined.
8. Now you begin the alternating method of dry ingredients and wet ingredients.Begin with dry and end with dry,so you will add the dry ingredients in 3 batches and wet ingredients in 2-(DRY-WET-DRY-WET-DRY).Begin with dry add a little combine,then half of wet ingredients,mix until well combined,then continue untill all ingredients are added. 
9. The batter may seem a little runny,not a problem thats exactly how you want it.Divide it between the pans and bake at 350 degrees F for approx 25-40 minutes or until a tooth pick placed through the centre comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

INGREDIENTS

6 oz Dark chocolate

6 oz Heavy cream

1. Heat the heavy cream until it starts bubbling and there is steam coming off of it
2. Cut the chocolate into small pieces.Remove cream from stove and add chocolate pieces and begin to stir until combined and all chocolate pieces are melted
3. Taste it,if you wish for more sugar add icing sugar approx 2 tbsp based on your preference.
4. Pour over cooled cake

STAY SWEET!!

Nutella Chocolate Sea Salt Fudge

Hey all you amazing people,super sorry about the reallly really late post,it has been crazy busy this year but i will try my best to post alot more regular post.I can't say that i have shown up empty handed,got plenty recipes that ive tested over my break and you are going to loveeeeeeee it.Lots of adventures coming up (hopefully no cakes exploding or sinking like the titanic)

I am here to tell you about this ah-may-zing recipe i found for..wait for it....Nutella...Chocolate...Sea Salt....FUDGE.. *faint*.Yea that exactly how i felt when i read it,and it is an incredibly simple recipe no ingrdients that are hard to find so i got you covered.Now I noticed that my last post on this page was fudge,so it only felt right to open up with fudge,cuz well who can get enough fudge.I personally am not a fan of fudge that is hard and kinda make ur teeth scream for help cuz its too sweet.So this helps.Another thing alot of you may be curious whyyyy in the world am i putting sea salt on fudge,nope i did not mix the sugar and salt jars (or maybe i did..pshk)But i promise the salt is the one thing that drives this recipe to cloud 100 :).But experiment all you wish,add some cinamon if you want,you can put some vanilla sugar on top,sprinkles anything really its your own masterpiece.

Warning:this recipe may seem really heavy but trust me its outta the door before you can even think about which container to put it in.My sisters have been eating it like its gonna grow legs and run away (promise it wont).Special Shoutout to Tasty Kitchen Blog from whom i tried this recipe
http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/12/chocolate-nutella-sea-salt-fudge/ definitely check her page out

So presentinggg the magical recipe for the re-opening of Simmerz Kitchen blogspot

INGREDIENTS

-Cooking spray OR BUTTER to grease pan

-1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

-1tsp Vanilla Extract

-8 oz Chocolate chips (The original recipe calls for 60% High Quality chocolate chips)But i wasn’t particular-any bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chips can work

-1 cup Nutella (HEAVENLY SUNSHINE) Room Temperature

-3tbsp Unsalted Butter,room temperature

-1/2 tsp sea salt (OR WHATEVER TOPPING YOU WANT TO PUT)

Instructions

1.Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x8 (thick layer) or a 9x9 (thickness of the fudge above) pan.Usually people use parchment paper but if like me you are all out,foil works just as good just make sure its flat and moulded well to the pan,ensure there is some extra over the pan so that you can hold it and lift the fudge out of the pan.

2.In a heat proof bowl,or a stainless steel bowl put the condensed milk,vanilla.chocolate chips,nutella and unsalted butter and mix them till its uniform.This step just makes it easier for when it actually goes on the double boiler.

3.Place the bowl on a double boiler,basically just put one put on the fire fill it half way with water and let it boil,on top of that place a bowl which of course contains the ingredients.The reason you do this is so that the ingredients don't burn easily.Make sure that the bowl fits on top properly and the water in the pot below isnt touching the base of the above bowl.You can use this to melt chocolate for chocolate covered strawberries (next post ;) keep an eye out)

4.Keep stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon untill all the chocolate chips are melted and all the ingredients are combined (dont dip your fingers in it-fight temptation)

5.Finally when everything is combined,take it off the double boiler and pour it into the prepared pan.Now you can either flatten the top with a knife or leave it uneven like i did (i thought the marks on the fudge looked cool).

6.Leave it out for about 5 minutes then sprinkle with sea salt(if you are using table salt then you might wanna put it in the fridge for about 10 minutes till its a little firm then sprinkle with salt)Then put it in the fridge for 2 hours minimum.

7.Remove from parchment paper or foil.Cut into squares (this is the step where you hide some pieces for yourself cuz they probably wont be any left in 5...4...3).If you have trouble cutting the fudge,dip the knife into some warm water it'll allow the knife to glide through the fudge easily.

Storage:Store the fudge in airtight containers

STAY SWEET!!