Chocolate Ganache Cake

Ingredient	7-inch Cake	9-inch Cake	18cm Cake	23cm Cake
Sponge Cake Genoise Chocolat	one 7-inch cake	one 9-inch cake	one 18cm cake	one 23cm cake
Syrup
sugar	2 Tbsp.	2 Tbsp.	2 Tbsp.	2 Tbsp.
water	3 Tbsp.	3 Tbsp.	50cc	50cc
dark rum	1 Tbsp.	1 Tbsp.	1 Tbsp.	1 Tbsp.
Crème Ganache
heavy cream	1 cup	1½ cups	250cc	350cc
semi-sweet chocolate chips	9 oz.	12 oz.	250g	350g
dark rum	1 Tbsp.	1½ Tbsp.	1 Tbsp.	1½ Tbsp.
Finishing
cocoa powder	as necessary	as necessary	as necessary	as necessary

This is a dense, rich chocolate treat that emphasizes the silky texture of the frosting and strong cocoa flavors over sweetness. It is easy to make and keeps well, however, making it a wonderful way to finish an elegant evening that isn’t nearly as involved as it tastes.

Preparation

Prepare an appropriately sized Sponge Cake Genoise Chocolat.
Make the syrup: Mix water and sugar and heat in microwave until sugar blends completely; let cool and stir in rum. Set aside.

Directions

Make ganache cream.
1. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat; remove from heat just before it boils.
2. Add chocolate chips and stir until they have completely melted. Add rum and stir unti blended. Let cool.
Slice cake into three layers.
Cut the cake into three equal-sized layers. To get even pieces, hold the knife steady and rotate the cake while cutting a shallow notch into it; once you have an even mark all the way around, cut through along it.
Assemble cake.
1. Put one third of the syrup into the sliced surface of the bottom layer of the cake with a brush. Soak a good amount of syrup into the brush and dab it on so that it soaks into the sponge, rather than using brushing motions.
2. Coat the syruped surface of the sponge with a layer of ganache cream. Don’t worry if extra ganache is sticking out from the sides.
3. Lay the middle layer onto the first, then dab another third of the syrup onto it. Cover with ganache cream.
4. Place the top layer upside down on the first two. Putting it upside down will compensate for any rounding on the top of your sponge cake and expose the cut surface to put syrup on. Press down lightly to settle the filling, then dab the remaining syrup on top.
5. Use a frosting knife to spread the cream that has squeezed out of the sides flat.
6. Spoon some of the ganache on top of the cake, then spread out to cover the top and sides in a thin layer. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
7. Once the layer of ganache on the cake has set a bit, spoon more on top and spread it over the top and down the sides; you can either put all the remaining ganache on at this point, or chill once more before finishing, depending on how it’s looking. At the end, hold the knife vertically and run it around the outside to smooth. This will leave a small ridge around the top edge; smooth it inward. Put in the refrigerator to chill for an hour.
Finish.
Dust the frosted cake liberally with cocoa powder using a small mesh strainer, tilting and rotating the cake as necessary to cover the sides with a nice even layer.

Notes

If you prefer a sweeter cake, you can replace the semi-sweet chips with milk chocolate, and reduce the amount of cocoa powder.
You can further embellish the decoration if you want. For example, I cut a paper stencil and dust through it with powdered sugar to make a stem and leaf pattern on top, then add a flower made of sliced strawberries. You can also serve along with appropriate fruit — strawberries or raspberries, for example — to add an extra touch.