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Firefighters’ Thanksgiving: German Chocolate Cake
From Denise Gamino’s story in Monday’s Food & Life section on how the firefighters of Austin Fire Station 18 celebrate Thanksgiving, here’s the full recipe for Melissa Eads’ German Chocolate Cake, including the Pecan Praline filling. Enjoy.
German Chocolate Cake From Cakeism’s Melissa Eads, wife of firefighter Tyler Eads.
Cake:
4 large eggs (divided)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup boiling water
4 oz. German’s sweet baking chocolate (finely chopped)
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch-by-2-inch round pans.
Separate eggs; set aside. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
Combine boiling water and chocolate, stir until chocolate is melted; set aside.
Combine sour cream and vanilla; set aside.
Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture. Beat in egg yolks one at a time.
Add melted chocolate mixture and beat just until incorporated.
Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with sour cream mixture in 2 parts (beginning and ending with flour mixture). In separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until the peaks are stiff but not dry.
Carefully fold egg whites into batter.
Divide batter among pans and bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean (25 to 30 minutes).
Pecan Praline Filling:
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3 large egg yolks
8 Tbsp. (one stick) unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
1 1/2 cups flaked, sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Combine sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks and butter in saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thick and bubbling. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 more minutes.
Remove from heat and add coconut and pecans. Let cool until spreadable.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting:
12 oz. semisweet chocolate (chopped)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Place chocolate in metal or ovenproof glass bowl; set aside.
Heat cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it just starts to boil. Remove cream immediately from heat and pour it over the chocolate.
Let mixture stand for 2 to 3 minutes.
Gently stir the mixture with a wire whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and there are no noticeable traces of cream. Allow ganache to sit at room temp to cool and thicken.
Once it has cooled you may refrigerate it for a short time if needed in order to thicken it to spreading/frosting consistency.
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