Romanian Chocolate Cake - Boema

Base:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Line the baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Beat eggs and sugar until creamy. Add oil and milk and incorporate.2 eggs + 130 g granulated sugar/ ⅔ cup + 150 ml neutral-tasting oil/ ⅔ cup + 100 ml milk/ scant ½ cup
3. Dry ingredients: In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and cocoa and sieve them over the egg mixture. Fold in gently.200 g all-purpose flour/ 1⅔ cup + 1 teaspoon baking powder + 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder/ ½ cup
4. Bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, level, and bake for 18 minutes. Let cool completely.
5. Make the ganache and the syrup immediately after preparing the cake; they have to cool as well.

Ganache:

1. Chop the chocolate very finely; I prefer to do this in the food processor; it is quicker and finer. Place the chocolate in a bowl.230 g dark chocolate/ 8 oz
2. Make ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a small pot. When it starts to simmer pour it over the chocolate in the bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes then whisk with a hand whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and shiny.230 ml heavy cream/ 1 cup
3. Cool ganache: Cover with cling film and let stand until completely cool; it should take at least two hours.

Syrup:

1. Caramelize sugar: Place the sugar in a non-stick pan and let it caramelize; start stirring with a wooden spoon when it starts to caramelize and don't let it burn.150 g granulated sugar/ ¾ cup
2. Add water: When the sugar has a nice deep brown color, slowly and carefully pour in the water. The sugar will harden immediately. Keep stirring until it dissolves completely. Let the syrup get cool.230 ml water/ 1 cup
3. Soak the cake: When the cake is cool, cut it into small squares, about 4-5 cm/1.6-2 inches. Place the cake squares into a square baking dish. Carefully and evenly pour the cold syrup over the cake pieces.
4. Chil cake: Place the dish in the fridge and let it there for about 30-40 minutes or until the cake has absorbed all or almost all the syrup.

Glaze:

1. Chop the chocolate very finely and place it in a bowl.230 g dark chocolate/ 8 oz
2. Add cream: Heat the heavy cream in a small pot. When it starts to simmer, pour it over the chocolate in the bowl. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then whisk with an egg whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and shiny.230 ml heavy cream/ 1 cup
3. Glaze the cake: Using a tablespoon, pour the glaze over the cake squares, letting it dribble over the edges of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer until the glaze has set.

Topping:

1. Beat the heavy cream shortly. Mix the powdered sugar and the whipping cream stabilizer (if using) and slowly add them to the cream while beating all the time. Beat until the cream stiffens. Place the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a large nozzle.230 ml heavy cream/ 1 cup + 50 g powdered sugar + 1 packet whipping cream stabilizer
2. Whip the ganache until very fluffy, adding some powdered sugar to taste. Place the ganache in another piping bag fitted with a large nozzle; the nozzle I used for the ganache was even larger than the one I used for the whipped cream.some powdered sugar to taste
3. Piping: Nicely pipe the ganache over each cake square. Pipe the whipped cream on top of the ganache.