Cocoa cake with zabaglione cream

To prepare the cocoa cake with zabaglione cream, soak the gelatin sheets in a container with cold water for at least 10 minutes 1. Bring the marsala to a boil in a saucepan to release the alcoholic part 2. In a bowl, beat the eggs together with the sugar using an electric mixer or whisk 3.

Add the sifted flour 4, mixing well to avoid lumps; pour the mixture into the hot marsala, lowering the heat 5. Thicken the mixture, then turn off the heat; squeeze the gelatin sheets and add them to the hot cream 6

and mix to dissolve completely 7. Transfer the cream to a bowl 8 and cover with plastic wrap in contact 9, letting it cool to room temperature and then in the refrigerator.

Now, prepare the cocoa sponge cake: take the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with whisks, pour the egg whites at room temperature 10; start working them, then add half the granulated sugar 11. Set aside the whipped egg whites and work the yolks with the remaining sugar using the stand mixer or an electric mixer 12;

Stop the mixer 13 and gradually add the whipped egg whites to the yolk mixture 14, mixing everything 15.

Combine the sifted flour, baking powder 16, and cocoa 17, then mix with a spatula 18 until you obtain a dense and homogeneous batter,

which you will transfer to a previously greased and lined 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper 19; level the surface with a spatula 20 and bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 40 minutes (or at 300°F for 30 minutes if using a fan oven). Once ready 21, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely.

Remove the zabaglione cream from the refrigerator and revive it by working it with an electric mixer, then whip the cream 22 and add it to the now cold cream 23; add it gradually, mixing gently from bottom to top to prevent the mixture from deflating 24.

Once finished 25, place it in the refrigerator to cool in a piping bag without a nozzle, to which you can make a hole. When the cake is cold, cut it into 3 equal parts with a knife (26-27);

fill the base of the cocoa sponge cake with part of the zabaglione cream with the help of the piping bag 28 and cover it by placing the second layer 29; also fill the second layer with more cream, then cover the cake with the third and final layer 30.

Now proceed with decorating the cake. Place the remaining zabaglione cream in a small bowl and spread it on the sides of the cake with a spatula 1; put the remaining cream in a piping bag with a star nozzle and decorate the surface, making puffs along the edge 2. Once completed, chill the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Then adhere the chocolate sheets all around, placing them obliquely next to each other 3.

Still using the zabaglione cream, make decorative puffs along the base 4, then focus on the ganache: bring the fresh cream to a boil in a saucepan, then add the chopped dark chocolate 5. Turn off the heat and mix with the whisks 6 until the chocolate is completely melted.

Place the ganache you have obtained in a bowl and let it cool slightly 7, then pour it in the center of the cake to cover the undecorated surface 8. Level it with a spatula 9,

finally, distribute the chocolate truffles on the cream puffs, alternating them 10 (keep one aside for the final decoration). With the remaining cream, create two straight parallel lines (11-12),

finally, place the remaining milk truffle on the ganache 13, which will serve as a base to place the chocolate sheet 14. Once finished, place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, after which you can serve your splendid and delicious cocoa cake with zabaglione cream 15!