Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Chestnut Cream
- Open all three packages of chestnuts (including the package intended for coating) and select ten small chestnuts from them - try to choose the smallest chestnuts and keep them aside for decorating the cake. Alternatively - if you fell on a package that does not have small chestnuts - cut five chestnuts in halves lengthwise.
- Grind the rest of the chestnuts in a blender for a few seconds, add maple syrup, vanilla, salt, melted butter, and almond milk, and process until combined and smooth. Taste, and add maple syrup if necessary.
- Transfer the chestnut cream to a bowl, cover, and put in the refrigerator to set for at least two hours - preferably overnight.
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius (320 F).
- Brush the bottom of the silicone molds with oil.
- Sift the flour and cocoa into a medium bowl, and add the rest of the dry ingredients: baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
- Mix water, oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, and butter-flavored extract in a separate bowl.
- Mix the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and add to the wet ingredients bowl.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while mixing until combined.
- Place the silicone molds on a baking tray to make it easier to put them in the oven.
- Divide the batter equally into the three molds, about a cup of batter per mold
- Put in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick or a wooden skewer comes out completely clean. Remove from the oven, place the molds with the baking tray below on a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool completely.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Glazing
- Mix sugar and water in a medium saucepan, preferably with a heavy bottom; Cook on medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar gets amber color; the process takes about 10 minutes. Please note: from the moment the sugar starts to change color - it takes a few seconds to get an amber color - so be careful not to burn it. If you're not sure, it's best to remove it from the heat when the caramel is slightly lighter than amber color rather than darker.
- Meanwhile, heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan on the stove or microwave. When the caramel is ready, lower the heat and slowly pour the hot coconut milk into it, stirring with a metal whisk or silicone spatula (do not use a wooden spoon - the caramel will stick to it). Continue to cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- Stir in the butter until it melts. Remove from the heat, add vanilla extract and salt, and mix well; Taste and add salt by taste if necessary. Cool for about five minutes.
- Add the chestnuts we saved for the coating to the caramel sauce, using a spoon so that they are coated with caramel on all sides. Leave them for about half an hour until the caramel cools to room temperature and thickens. Occasionally turn the chestnuts in the pot for a uniform coating. Take out the chestnuts and place them on baking paper to set; Keep aside.
- Add the cocoa to the caramel sauce and mix well.
Assembly The Cake
- Spread baking paper on the work surface and place a 20 cm (8-Inches) springform pan bottom or a 20-22cm (8-Inches - 9-Inches) plate wrapped in aluminum foil.
- Take one cake out of the pan and gently place it on the pan-bottom or the plate.
- Spread half of the chestnut cream over the cake. Release another cake from the mold and carefully place it on top of the cream; Press gently.
- Spread the other half of the chestnut cream on top of the second cake, release the third cake, place it on top of the cream, and press gently.
- Pour the chocolate-caramel cream on the cake; let it drip on the sides. You can use a silicone spatula; the excess cream will drip onto the baking paper instead of making the serving plate dirty. No need to coat the sides thoroughly. Place the cake on a serving plate, cover it, and put it in the refrigerator to set for about an hour.
Garnish
- Take the cake out of the fridge, and garnish it with the caramelized chestnuts we made earlier.
- Collect the caramel accumulated on the baking paper with a teaspoon, and drip it over the chestnuts.
- Peel curls of dark chocolate and vegan white chocolate over the cake using a veggie peeler. Return the cake to the refrigerator for at least two hours. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
Make the chestnut cream in a blender! It's the only way to get a smooth cream, don't use a food processor.
If you have some salted-caramel left, transfer it to a jar and keep it in the refrigerator for other uses, such as the Montblanc dessert (recipe coming soon). Before use, heat a little in the microwave.
I got the inspiration to add salted caramel glazing to the cake from Sapir - my most creative colleague who challenged me with other recipes on the blog, including Vegan Pistachio Crunch Popsicle :)