You may be familiar with truffles, as a decadent chocolate candy – little cocoa-dusted gems redolent of liqueur.  They are made of ganache, an all-purpose frosting and filling made from chocolate and cream.  This recipe features ganache in three different ways: beaten with whipping cream to make a luscious filling, as the frosting and glaze, and finally, scooped into little balls for the ornamental truffles. 

Cake:

• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in pieces

• 4 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoons salt

• 4 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup cold water

Truffles, filling and frosting:

• 2 3/4 cups Chocolate Ganache, room temperature

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1 cup heavy cream

Moistening syrup:

• 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur, optional

• 1/3 cup Coffee Simple Syrup

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Brush 2 (9-inch) round pans with melted butter and dust lightly with flour or spray generously with cooking spray.  Line the bottoms with circles of parchment or waxed paper.  Melt the butter and chocolate in the top of a double broiler, over gently boiling water; the upper pan should not touch the water.  Stir in the sugar; set aside.  Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside.

With an electric mixer or with a wire whisk, beat the eggs and vanilla until smooth.  Add the chocolate mixture and beat until homogenous.  Add half of the dry ingredients to this batter.  Mix well, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.  Add the remaining dry ingredients, mix well and scrape again.  Slowly add the water; mix and scrape.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when touched with a finger.  Cool completely.

To make the truffles:

Refrigerate 1/2 cup of the Chocolate Ganache until it is cold.  Put the cocoa powder on a plate.  Scoop the cold ganache with a teaspoon and shape into twelve small balls.  Drop the truffle balls into the cocoa powder and roll them around until they are lightly coated.  Refrigerate.

To make the filling:

Put 3/4 cup of Chocolate Ganache in a medium bowl and whisk to lighten, about 10 strokes.  Add one quarter of the cream, gently whisking until smooth.  Add the remaining cream and whisk by hand until the chocolate cream holds a soft shape.  Be careful; if the ganache is too warm or if you over-whip the ganache and cream, the chocolate cream will curdle.  Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake.

To assemble:

If using, add the coffee-flavored liqueur to the Coffee Simple Syrup.  With a serrated knife, trim the dome from both cakes so they are flat, not rounded.  Trim the sides of the cake if they seem dry.  If you wish, grind the cake trimmings in a food processor and reserve them for the sides of the cake.

Put one of the cake layers on a cardboard circle or a flat serving plate.  Moisten it with half of the syrup.  Spread on the chocolate cream filling.  Gently flatten the second cake layer on top and brush it with the remaining syrup.

Frost the sides and top of the cake with 1 cup room temperature chocolate ganache.  Refrigerate the cake for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, place the remaining 1/2 cup of ganache in the top of a double boiler.  Place over gently boiling water; the upper pan should not touch the water.  Stir while heating, just until the ganache becomes a runny glaze.  Pour it evenly over the top of the cake; use a spatula to smooth out any glaze that runs down the side.

If desired, press some of the reserved cake crumbs onto the sides of the cake.  Shake the excess cocoa powder off the truffles.  Arrange them around the top edge of the cake, evenly spaced, pressing each gently in the fresh glaze.

Makes 1 (9x3-inch) round cake, serves 12 to 20.