10 oz Semisweet chocolate, finely
-chopped
1 1/4 c Butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c Sugar
8 Large eggs, separated, room
-temperature
2 ts Vanilla extract
1 1/4 c Roasted unsalted peanuts,
-coarsely chopped
1 c Cake flour
1 pn Cream of tarter
Buttercream:
5 Egg yolks
1 1/2 c Sugar plus
1 1/2 tb Sugar
10 oz Semisweet chocolate, finely
-chopped
2 1/4 c Unsalted butter, cut into
-tablespoon size pieces
10 oz Snickers bars, chopped into
-small pieces
Cake:
For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8 inch diameter cake
pans with 1 1/2 inch high sides. Line bottoms with waxed paper.
Melt chocolate in top of double boiling over simmering water; stir until
smooth. Remove from over water and cool to barely lukewarm.
Using electric mixer, cream butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in egg yolks 1
at a time. Mix in vanilla. Stir in chocolate, then peanuts. Sift flour over
batter and gentely fold in ( batter will be very thick).
Using clean dry beaters, beat whites with cream of tartar in another large
bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until
stiff but not dry. Fold 1/2 of whites into batter to lighten. Gently fold
in remaining whites. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until tester
inserted in centers comes out clean and tops are crusty, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides
to loosen, if necessary. Turn out onto racks. Peel off paper. Cool to room
temperature.
For Buttercream: Using electric mixer, beat yolks in bowl until pale yellow
and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat
until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until candy
thermometer set in syrup regesters 234 to 240 degrees.
Beat hot syrup into egg yolks in slow steady stream. Continue beating
until thick and cool, about 10 minutes.
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water; stir until
smooth. Remove from over water and let stand until cool but still liquid.
Gradually beat butter into yolk mixture 1 tbsp at a time. Add chocolate,
and stir in combine. Transfer 2 cups buttercream to small bowl; stir in
chopped Snickers bars.
To assemble cake: Place one cake layer on platter top side down. Spread
half of Snickers buttercream over. Top with second cake layer. Spread
remaining Snickers buttercream over. Top with third cake layer. Spoon 1 cup
plain butter into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Frost top and
sides of cake with remaining buttercream. Bring cake to room temperature
before serving.
Serves 12.
Yields
12