German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Cake:
4 oz. German sweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/3 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2/3 cup coffee or water
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs, room temperature, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
1 3/4 cups flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
1 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350º F and line 2-3 round, 8-9-inch cake pans (depending on how thick you want your cake layers) with wax paper.

Grease and flour your lined cake pans and set aside.

Set up a double-boiler with a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and melt chocolate until smooth.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy and lightened in color. 3-4 minutes.

One at a time, beat in egg yolks (waiting until each is incorporated before adding the next), then add melted chocolate and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
Alternate between adding the flour mixture and buttermilk and coffee to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Beat egg whites in a small bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/4 egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining egg whites, only until just combined.

Pour batter equally into prepped cake pans and place in oven. Bake for 25-28 minutes, rotating in the middle, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling.

For the frosting: 

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks, butter and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat and cook, whisking continuously, until mixture is thick and golden.

Remove mixture from heat and fold in pecans, coconut and vanilla extract.

Let cool until you can spread it thickly on the cake. Frost cake (leave sides bare), stack in layers and serve at room temperature

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients
3 cups pecan halves
1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 & 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Arrange pecans in a single layer of a shallow baking pan. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Stir halfway through baking.

Line bottom and sides of a 9"x 13" baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on two short sides. Grease foil.

Whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa. Add cold butter, and combine with a pastry blender* until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into bottom and about 3/4-inch up sides of prepared pan.

Bake crust for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over crust. Allow to cool on a wire rack at least 30 minutes.

Place eggs in a large mixing bowl, and beat lightly. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour evenly over partially baked crust.

Bake 28-34 minutes, or until edges are golden and filling has set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Then, refrigerate for an hour.

Using foil overhang, lift bars from pan and place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars.