Deep Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake with Nib Praline

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup SCHARFFEN BERGER Cacao Nibs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1 pound plus 10 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Semisweet Chocolate, chopped*
  
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 4 large egg yolks

Directions:

Place the nibs on a baking sheet close together in a single layer.

Heat 3/4 cup sugar with the water in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush if you see any sugar crystals. Boil, without stirring, swirling the pan toward the end to even out the color, until the caramel is a dark amber color. Immediately pour the caramel in a circular motion over the nibs to coat evenly. Let set for 15 minutes, or until hardened. Break into small pieces with your hands and process the praline until coarsely ground in a food processor.

Line the bottom and the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with waxed paper, using tape to secure the paper on the sides.
 
Melt 1 pound plus 5 ounces chocolate with 1/2 cup cream and the salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about 1 1/2-inches of barely simmering water, whisking until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl for about 8 minutes, or until very thick and pale and the mixture forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted. Add the melted chocolate mixture, one-third at a time, and beat just until blended. Set aside 1/3 cup of the praline for garnish. With a whisk, fold the remaining praline into the chocolate mixture.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 1/2 cups cream in a large deep bowl until it just begins to thicken. With a whisk, fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the springform pan and level the top with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate, tightly covered, at least 10 hours or overnight.

Place the remaining 5 ounces chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the remaining 1/2 cup cream just to a boil and pour into the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, whisk until smooth, and let cool to room temperature.

Remove the cake from the pan, peel off the wax paper, and transfer to a platter. With a long thin metal spatula cover the top and sides of the cake as smoothly as possible with the chocolate mixture. (If your room temperature is high and the chocolate seems too thin, refrigerate the chocolate for a few minutes, until it reaches spreading consistency.) Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve and the chocolate is set, at least 30 minutes, and up to 12 hours.

Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle the top with the reserved praline, and serve cut into wedges.

Serves 10 to 12

*Note:  If you don’t have the specific chocolate called for, substitute another chocolate with about the same intensity - the higher the percent of cacao solids (labeled as % cacao) in a bar, the more intense the chocolate flavor.  Bars labeled simply as bittersweet, semisweet or dark can be used in any recipe calling for chocolate of less than 70% cacao.