Torta di cioccolato per compleanno reale

Puff, puff...siamo un po' in ritardo, ma una buona ricetta, anzi una ricetta reale come in questo caso non ha data di scadenza. La regina Elisabetta ha compiuto 88 anni pochi giorni fa e come al solito si è fatta preparare la sua torta preferita, una torta al cioccolato perfetta per il tè del pomeriggio. Anche nelle famiglie reali le ricette si tramandano dalla bisnonna alla nonna alla mamma e questa ricetta risale ai tempi della regina Vittoria nella versione scritta intorno al 1899 dal suo pasticcere Gabriel Tschumi. La fonte della ricetta che vi lasciamo nell'originale è tratta dal sito http://www.theroyalchef.com

“The” Chocolate Birthday Cake
Makes about 10 portions.
The sponge

6 egg yolks

2 eggs

4 oz granulated sugar

2 oz flour

1 oz Dutch cocoa powder

2 oz melted butter

The topping and filling;

1 pint heavy cream

1 lb ghirardelli dark chocolate

At least 6 hours before baking the cake prepare the filling. Melt 8 oz of the chocolate and bring to the boil ½ pint of the cream.

Pour the cream onto the chocolate and whisk it until smooth, then refrigerate until set.

Turn on the oven to 350 degrees and set a pan (large enough to hold a mixing bowl) half full of hot water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Line an 8 inch sponge tin with parchment paper and grease.

In a mixing bowl add the eggs, yolks and sugar and whisk together. Place over the bowl of hot water to allow the mixture to heat up.

Sieve the flour and cocoa and set aside.

Whisk the egg mixture until it doubles in volume and then fold in the butter and flour mixture. Spoon the mix into the cake tin and bake for about 20 minutes until the sponge springs back when pressed.

Remove from the oven onto a cooling wire and make the topping while the sponge cools.

Melt the remaining 8 oz of chocolate and bring to the boil the remaining ½ pint of cream. Pour the cream onto the chocolate and whisk it until smooth and then set aside off the heat.

Slice the sponge into three discs and spread the filling onto the bottom two discs and reassemble.  Add the remaining chocolate mix to the hot topping and whisk in.

Place the sponge back onto the cooling wire and ladle the topping over the sponge allowing it to run down the sides. Cool the cake for at least 2 hours before decorating with chocolate and serving.