TBB: Chocolate Pavarotti with Wicked Good Ganache

I woke up early on Saturday morning (which is like once in a blue moon..hahaha..cos Sat is like my catch up sleep day) and when I saw Raymond posted a photo of his freshly baked Chocolate Pavarotti Cake on our FB group, I knew I had to make it right away (this was like 3 weeks ago...figured it was good to bake earlier too as I wanted to bake Chinese New Year cookies during this weekend).

I got all my ingredients ready. I found white chocolate in my pantry just enough to make this cake.  When I heated up my white chocolate, it didn't really melt into flowly liquid..in fact..it turned into a dry soft mass.  It's Valhorna..so I know it has to have cocoa butter in it. Maybe it's dried up? *shrugs*.. Since I had some cocoa butter on hand (see the small container..), I placed a teaspoon of it into the soft dry mass and immediately it turned the white chocolate into liquid.  Problem solved!   Next the boiling water + cocoa powder mixture - done.

Measure eggs & water mixture and add vanilla.

Oh..missed out taking some photos.. that is the mixing of the dry and wet ingredients.

And placed into oven to bake.  

It's a very easy and fast put together cake.

While the cake is baking, time to make the ganache. 

Melt the chocolate + 3/4 tsp of secret ingredient X + heavy cream in microwave.

Stir into a smooth ganache. 

Oooooh... X-hot! I like! :D 

Cake is all ready after 40mins.  

Measure the height of the cake. 

Then frost with ganache.  Lazy to take out my piping tip.

I just used a spatula to swirl it around.  Photo below, the cake is just out from the fridge.

I put in the fridge for a while to set the ganache.

After, I found the cake very dull & boring.

Saw some coloured hundreds thousands rice (what is it called? I forgot!) in my pantry and put it along the swirl giving it a lollipop look.  Just like makeup..you only need a bit to brighten you up! (Like the Chinese saying - "There is no ugly women, only lazy women!"...and sometimes forgetful woman) 

I think it is quite pretty now.  

I never thought a short 1 layer cake can look this pretty.

Before this,  I only had eyes for tall cakes.

Now I changed my mind after seeing how some decorations can prettify the cake. :)  

Sliced and ready for taste testing! 

Sooo GOOD!  

Very light, tender and moist crumb. 

Very chocolaty as well!

I was slightly disappointed that the X-factored ganache when paired with the chocolate cake - seemed to only just 'tickle' the tongue..  The cake had washed out the X. 

Honestly, secret ingredient X can remain anonymous because to me even without, the cake with plain ganache is still a Winner imo! I would definitely be making this cake often. 

I gave out some slices to my friend and colleagues and none of them came back to me about the heat in the ganache. Some said they didn't even taste it!  Some commented that there was this annoying aftertaste sensation on tongue and they can't quite make out what it was (I didn't mention the secret ingredient X till later).... Perhaps our taste buds have been de-sensitised.... knowing how spicy South East Asia's cuisine can be..  :)