Italian Gelato and Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Zabaglione Gelato

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• big pinch of salt
• 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 large eggs yolks
• 1/2 cup of Sweet Marsala

German Chocolate Cake

• 66 grams or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (sifted) unsweetened alkalized/Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup canola or safflower oil, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, separated, plus 2 whites, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 75 grams or 3/4 cup (sifted and leveled off in a cup) cake flour
• 75 grams or 2/3 cup (sifted and leveled off in a cup) bleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups or 300 grams superfine/caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sale
• Chocolate Snowball Hot Fudge Sauce
• (Makes 1 cup)
• 56 Grams (2 ounces) of fine quality unsweetened or 99% cacao chocolate
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons (sifted before measuring) (10 grams) unsweetened (alkalized) cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup (132 grams) Sugar
• 1/2 cup (116 grams) heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Zabaglione Gelato

1. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Zest half of the lemon directly into the warm milk. While the milk warms up, pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until light and creamy. Slowly pour the warm lemon-infused milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the Marsala and stir until cool over an ice bath.
3. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator for 1 hour, then freeze it in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer�s instructions or about 30 minutes. Once its ready, store in the freezer for over 24 hours.

German Chocolate Cake

1. Use one 9�5x3 inch loaf pan, bottom coated with butter and topped with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 350�F/175�C, with the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Whisk cocoa and boiling water by hand in a stand mixer bowl or a large bowl until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes. You can place it in the refrigerator but it would be needed to be at room temperature before proceeding to the next step.
3. Add oil and yolks to the mixer bowl and whisk with a whisk batter mixer attachment beginning on low speed, gradually going to medium. It will get until smooth and shiny, like buttercream, after about a minute. Scrape the sides of the bowls before adding vanilla and mixing for a few more seconds.
4. Whisk cake flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate medium bowl, then sift on a large piece of parchment for pouring. Add half of the flour mixture into egg and chocolate mixture. Beat on low until the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the side of the bowl before adding the remaining flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high for a minute before pausing and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. At this point the mixture will be very thick. Turn the mixer on slow and add the egg whites, and gradually speed up to medium high for 2 minutes. The batter will resemble a thick soup. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the centers. Cake must be unmolded as soon as they are taken out of the oven. Run a thin metal spatula around the sides and invert cake onto prepared wire rack. Remove the parchment from the bottom and re-invert them again on the other rack. Cool completely before filling.

Assembly

1. Line a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan whole pan with saran wrap in order to just pull it out once ready to serve.
2. Slice the cooled cake and layer it back into the loaf pan with a thick layer of gelato in the center.
3. Place in freezer for so it is sturdy enough for cutting. Let the cake stand in the freezer overnight before cutting.
4. When ready to serve remove by pulling up on the saran wrap and peeling it off. Let sit on serving tray for 30 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the fudge sauce.

Chocolate Snowball Fudge Sauce

1. In the top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water heat the chocolate and butter (don�t let the bottom of the container touch the water). Stir often with a silicone spatula until completely melted. Whisk in the cocoa and set aside.
2. In a small heavy saucepan, heat the sugar and cream over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to the boiling point and the whisk it into the chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Use right away or cover and keep it warm for up to an hour or refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks. Reheat just before pouring it onto the cake or serving as dipping sauce.