This delicious treat was made last night; we had some leftover cupcake batter that we needed to use, and I figured a dessert Neapolitan was the way to go. So I created this decadent delight of deliciousness, how’s that for alliteration?!
The Cake
This cake recipe I found on Canadian Livings website and it is a simple cake recipe. If you have a favourite stand-by already, go ahead and use it instead, but this one will work for my grand design. Also, I added more vanilla because I enjoy vanilla flavour throughout a cake. If you don’t, the recipe calls for 1 tsp.
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix in butter, milk, eggs and vanilla; beat on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F. Using a baking sheet, and if you have one available, a Silpat mat, pour the batter into small rounds or one large sheet (depending on preference/ease) no more than 0.5 cm thick. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
The Chocolate Sauce
Super simple to make your own & it only takes about 10 minutes.
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or 3oz semi-sweet chocolate work well but so does any dark chocolate.
1/2 cup milk or cream, divided
2 tsp cornstarch
Melt the chocolate in the milk over low heat, stirring constantly to blend completely. In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbsp of milk and the cornstarch, until cornstarch is dissolved. Add to the chocolate sauce. Turn up the heat to medium, and whisk the mixture together until it thickens. Allow to cool a little bit, but not too much because warm chocolate sauce on warm cake is delicious.
The Caramel Sauce
I found this recipe here: simply Recipes. It is a delicious, quick and easy way to make a great sauce using ingredients that are easy to find. You definitely need a candy thermometer to make your own caramel so make sure you have one. It doesn’t have to be the fanciest one out there, any candy thermometer will do. Also, depending on where you live in the world, candy temperatures are different; I.e. at sea level the soft ball point for sugar is 240F. In Calgary, which is 3500 ft above sea level the soft ball point is 233F. The basic formula is subtract 1F for every 500ft above sea level. This is very important as you will burn your sugar much quicker at higher altitudes.
1 cup white sugar
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
First, before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go – the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. Heat sugar on moderately high heat, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. As the sugar begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as the sugar comes to a boil, which will be 240F at sea level on your candy thermometer, stop stirring. Once all of the sugar crystals have melted (the liquid sugar should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan, and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note than when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up a lot. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool. Store in the refrigerator. Warm before serving.
The recipe and instructions are the same as simply recipe’s so thanks to them for the info.
The Almonds
Simplest step of all: take 1/2 cup of almonds and bake on a flat baking sheet at 350F for 5-7 minutes, be careful to not burn them.
Bringing it all together!
The method at this point is ridiculously easy. Cut your shapes out of the cake, use your imagination; hearts, moons, stars, clovers, rainbows, oh wait that’s lucky charms! Either way whatever shape you like. On your plate pour a little chocolate sauce and a little caramel sauce and some toasted almonds. Place your cut out cake on top of the sauce and almonds. Layer another bit of almonds, chocolate, and caramel. Repeat, repeat and repeat again until you have what you think is enough. Serve with ice cream, vanilla bean infused whipped cream, or all by itself.
Enjoy the decadence with someone you like, love or just plain care about. That could simply be you, yourself & you…it’s that good!
It's not Burnt - It's Caramelized! 