Yields:
11 Servings
Difficulty: Difficult
Prep Time: 5 Hr 50 Mins
Cook Time:
2 Hr 15 Mins
Total Time:
8 Hr 5 Mins
Let this cake wow your family and friends for a party! 5 different tastes in one cake keep one’s mouth buds guessing and surprised! Murder with chocolate, caramel, and almond! Milk or coffee will serve perfectly with a slice of delectable chocolate cake!
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
-
Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
- Almond Praline
- Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Chocolate Caramel Ganache
- Chocolate Caramel Mousse
Instructions
-
Caramel Sauce
- Heat cream and butter over medium heat. Bring to a simmer then lower heat to low and keep an eye on it as you make the next step. In a separate saucepan, combine sugar and lemon juice over medium-high heat.
- Use a candy thermometer and stir the sugar as it begins to caramelize. Keep an eye on the heat as this method is quick and can burn your caramel too quickly if left too long in the heat. (I had to attempt this three times until I got the correct batch. Keep trying!) Keep in mind that it can still heat up when off the heat. Stir the sugar until it all evaporates and turns a gorgeous amber color. Remove from heat and set aside for the rest of the project. Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 300F. Set a pan with 4 cups of water on a rack that will be below the cheesecake. (The cheesecake will turn out ok without this if needed. It is used to create more moisture and bake the cheesecake better)
- Mix the blended almonds and butter then push into a thin layer at the bottom of a springform pan. Set aside.
- Using a bain-marie (or double boiler), combine coffee, caramel sauce, and both chocolates over medium heat. Cover with a lid and let heat for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside. Keep the pot of the bain-marie, you are going to still need it.
- Using a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer until pale in color. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each one before adding the next. Scrape down batter when needed. Add extract. Turn the mixer onto medium and add chocolate mix until smooth.
- Pour into the springform pan, on top of the almond crust. Set the pan on the rack above the heated water in the oven and bake for an hour. Internal temp should be 170F. Turn the oven off and let the cake sit inside the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes then refrigerate for an hour/overnight. Don't remove the springform pan! Clean up bain-marie bowl, stand mixer bowl, and paddle as you are going to need it. Almond Praline
- Place whole almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate. You can use a disposable pie tin.
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and lemon juice and carmelize as you did before. Pour this over the whole almonds and place inside the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove and break up like bark. Use a blender or a food processer to crush the praline until fine. Place in a container and set aside. Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a cake pan that is about the same size as the springform pan (9x2 inches) with butter and dusted with flour. You can also use shortening. Sift cake flour and baking soda and set aside.
- Melt chocolate in a bain-marie until smooth. Set aside.
- Mix butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until lighter in color. Add eggs once at a time letting each one incorporate before adding the next. Add chocolate and vanilla and combine until smooth.
- Turn mixer on low and alternate from dry ingredients and sour cream in 1/3rds. Incorporating each 1/3 of the mix before adding the next. Turn mixer on medium and add hot water until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool until cake reaches room temperature then remove from pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Wash your mixer bowl, paddle, and bain-marie once more. Chocolate Caramel Ganache
- Place chocolate and caramel in a separate metal bowl then set aside. In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream over medium heat until it bubbles. Pour cream over the chocolate and let stand for a few minutes, allowing the cream to warm up the chocolate. Add fine almonds and stir. Set aside at room temp. Chocolate Caramel Mousse
- Melt chocolate and caramel in bain-marie allowing chocolate and caramel to mix until smooth. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Pour the whipped cream into a separate bowl and clean the mixer bowl as you going to use it once more.
- Whip egg whites until foamy. Add a hint of cream of tartar and the sugar as it's whipping. Once it reaches stiff peaks, begin to fold 1/3rds of the egg into the chocolate. It's ok if there are some white streaks. Add whipped cream and finish folding until fluffy and light. Set aside. Assembly
- Remove cake from the fridge and cut the top until it's flat. Cut cake into 2 layers and set aside.
- Remove cheesecake from the fridge but do NOT remove the springform pan. We are going to be assembling ontop of the cheesecake. Using your fingers, flatten the cheesecake as best as possible. Pour an almost thin layer of ganache and spread evenly.
- Place one of the two cake layers on top of the ganache. Press cake until it looks even.
- Pour mousse on top of the cake, use as much as you wish, but should be thinner than the cake layers. Place second of the two cake layers on top of the mousse. Press gently to even out. If need be, use foil to cover the sides of the cake if it doesn't fit the springform pan. Place into the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.
- Using a knife, remove the cake carefully, and release it from the springform pan. Smooth sides and top with the rest of the ganache. If ganache had hardened, reheat in a bain-marie. Smooth cake over top and edges. Decorate as you wish! I used the crushed praline along the edges and top. Then I used the rest of the mousse and pipped little decorations along the top with whole almonds.
- To serve, heat a serrated knife and use that to cut the cake with ease. Serve with extra caramel if needed or almonds.
Notes
Store in the fridge and remove for 30 minutes before serving. It will last for a week and a half.