A Jewish chocolate cake and more

An Israeli chocolate cake

With a beautiful layer of thick ganache.

Anyone wants the recipe for this cake? Here it is, in Hebrew!

I had to remind Eli that Hebrew is not a universal language yet. Ok, he replied resignedly and then went on to translate it for me line by line. Here's the version we all can understand, accuracy dependent on Eli's translation and what I could catch from his accent. 

Ingredients:

45ml water

45ml brandy/cognac

50g sugar

40g cocoa powder

200g soft butter

4 yolks

200g self raising flour, sieved

160g or 5 egg whites

150g sugar

Topping:

300g whipped cream

300g chocolate (66-72% cocoa)

50g butter

Method:

1. Grease a 25-35cm pan and lay with grease paper

2. Mix water, brandy, sugar and cocoa powder under heat

3. Add butter till melted

4. Add yolks and sieved flour. Set aside

5. In the mixer, beat egg whites and sugar slowly then increase to high speed till soft peaks

6. Fold into butter mixture

7. Pour into greased pan and bake at 150C for 30-45 min depending on oven performance or until a stick comes out clean.

8. Cool cake on wire rack.

For topping:

1. Boil cream, remove to cool, add to chocolate. 

2. At 40C, add butter

3. Spread topping on cake when cake is cool.

While we were at it, I asked Eli to show me the bible in Hebrew.  For those who are interested, this is how Genesis 1:1 looks. 

Eli says Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, 2 major Jewish holidays are round the corner. Families ask one another for forgiveness during Yom Kippur, before they go into Rosh Hashana, their new year. I am thinking of organising a Bake-a-Pita session in my house taught by Eli and he can also share with us more on Jewish culture, history and politics. Ok, maybe not politics. Just food and culture. Would anyone be interested to join? Please send me a message if you are keen and I will work out the logistics and send you a private invitation. (Afternote: click here to see what we learned about Middle Eastern cuisine and Jewish traditions.)

Shalom!