Dark Side Of The Moon Recipe

Prepare

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper; grease the paper and dust lightly with cocoa powder.

Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until blended.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Add the hot water and mix until smooth—the batter will be thin, which yields a fudgy crumb.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake 22–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and remove parchment. Cool completely before assembling, about 1 hour.

Combine cooled strong coffee, coffee liqueur and corn/simple syrup in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside for brushing; this enhances flavor and keeps the cake moist.

Place the chopped chocolate (10 oz) in a heatproof bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat milk, sugar and the egg yolks over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens slightly and reaches about 160°F (just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Do not boil to avoid scrambling yolks.

Pour the hot milk mixture over the chopped chocolate and let sit 1 minute to melt; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the cubed butter and vanilla until glossy. Let the chocolate mixture cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes) but will still be fluid.

Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining cream until fully incorporated and mousse is smooth and airy. Chill the mousse until slightly set, about 30 minutes — it should be spreadable but hold some shape.

If cake layers have domes, level the tops with a serrated knife to make even rounds. Place one cake layer on a cake board or serving plate.

Brush the top of the bottom layer generously with the coffee soaking syrup (about half the syrup). Allow a minute to absorb.

Pipe or spread an even layer (about 3/4–1 inch) of chocolate mousse over the soaked layer, leaving a small 1/4-inch rim at the edge to prevent overflow.

Place the second cake layer on top, press gently to adhere. Brush the top layer with remaining soaking syrup. Refrigerate the assembled cake for 20–30 minutes to firm the mousse and cake for easier glazing.

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate (8 oz) in a heatproof bowl with the butter and optional corn syrup.

Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer (small bubbles at the edge), then pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 1–2 minutes. Gently stir until the ganache is smooth and glossy. If any chocolate remains unmelted, warm briefly over a bain-marie while stirring.

Cool the ganache to about 90–95°F (slightly warm but not hot). Place a rack over a baking sheet to catch excess glaze. Remove the chilled cake from refrigerator and pour ganache over the top, starting at the center and working outward, letting it flow down the sides to create a smooth coating. Use an offset spatula to smooth quickly if needed.

Once glazed, transfer cake to refrigerator to set ganache for at least 30 minutes.

Chocolate Curls: Hold the dark chocolate bar at room temperature or slightly warm (wrap in plastic and microwave in 5–7 second bursts if too cold, or shave a thin layer from the surface). Use a vegetable peeler to shave long curls off the edge of the bar onto a plate. If curls break, you can press them into place or chill briefly to firm.

White Chocolate Crescent Moon: Melt the white chocolate gently (double boiler or microwave in short bursts) until smooth. Stir in the optional 1/2 tsp neutral oil or butter for sheen. Pipe a crescent moon shape onto parchment using a small piping bag or a spoon; for a raised moon, pipe two layers letting the first set briefly. Chill until fully set, then gently remove from parchment.

Finish the cake by arranging chocolate curls across the top and around one side, leaving negative space for the crescent moon. Place the white chocolate crescent moon on the top edge or slightly off-center to evoke a lunar crescent. Return to refrigerator briefly to set decorations.

Before serving, remove cake from refrigerator 15–20 minutes to bring to ideal texture. Slice with a warm knife (wipe between slices) and serve.