Triple Chocolate Pound Cake with Chocolate Ganache

 INGREDIENTS:

 For the chocolate loaf
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 3 oz. unsweetened dark chocolate bar, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. coffee powder
  • 1/3 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1½ cup granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs

 For the chocolate ganache
  • 1 cup whipping cream or all-purpose cream
  • 2 tbsps. butter
  • 4 oz. unsweetened dark chocolate bar, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsps. sweet chocolate chips

 PROCEDURE:
  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (170ºC). Line with baking sheet the base and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Leave some excess linings on the side.
  2. In a small bowl, sift and mix together the all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.
  3. Place in a heatproof bowl the chopped chocolate bar and pour over the boiling water to melt the chocolate. Thoroughly stir in the coffee and cocoa powder until well blended. Set aside to cool.
  4. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in the chocolate mixture and whisk thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.
  5. Add the egg one at a time and mix well after each one.
  6. Gradually toss in the flour and salt mixture. Stir well to combine.
  7. Carefully pour the chocolate batter in the lined baking pan. Gently beat a few times the surface to release air bubbles.
  8. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Test the doneness of the loaf by inserting a toothpick into the middle. The stick must come out almost clean. Carefully remove the loaf out of the oven.
  9. Allow to cool a few minutes in the pan, and then turn it out and transfer on the rack to completely cool. Prepare the chocolate ganache while the loaf is cooling,
  10. Put the cream in a saucepan and bring to a mild simmer over medium heat. Continuously whisk with a metal spoon to avoid the cream from sticking on the pan. Remove the cream from heat when it starts to thicken.
  11. In a heatproof bowl, put the chopped chocolate bar and chocolate chips, and pour the cream over. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture smoothens.
  12. Stir in the butter and continue to whisk until smooth and silky. Allow to completely cool. Spread or pour the ganache over the chocolate loaf. Slice the cake into serving pieces and serve. Enjoy!

 **Makes 1 loaf

 TIPS FROM ENZ:
  1. Start to test the doneness of the loaf on the last 10 minutes of cooking. Reduce a little the cooking time as you might want a moist loaf cake.
  2. If using the less creamy all-purpose cream for ganache, continue to cook the cream at a very low simmer until it gets the preferred thickness.
  3. In making chocolate ganache, it is a “must” to remove the cream from the stove before adding the butter and chocolate. Lessons learned: do not add chocolate while the cream is on the stovetop as cooking the chocolate would tend to release much of the oil which would turn the ganache into curdles and become liquidy. One incorrect move as a result of laziness and mediocrity would ruin your chocolate ganache in a snap.

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