Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese & Condensed Milk

Sponge:

• Melt the butter and chocolate over a low heat. When the mixture is smooth, add the sugar and cocoa powder and mix well.
• Whisk the room-temperature mascarpone until it becomes creamy then incorporate it into the chocolate cream. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Finally, add the flour and a pinch of salt.
• Preheat the oven to 160 °C (320 °F). Line a small 20/20 cm (8×8 inches) baking tray with butter and flour (or parchment paper). Position the oven rack on level 3 from the top.
• Combine the flour with the cocoa powder and a pinch of salt.
• Melt the butter over a low heat and set aside.
• Whisk the egg yolks well with the sugar until they double in volume and lighten in color. Add the hot water and mix for a few seconds. Add the melted butter and mix slowly.
• Fold in the dry ingredients. Gradually pour in the milk and stir continuously to obtain a smooth mixture. Finally, add the scraped out inside of half the vanilla pod.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cream cheese cream:

• Mix the cream cheese until it becomes smooth and easy to work with. Hydrate the gelatin in cold water and incorporate it into the condensed milk, gently warmed. Mix well and add it to the cream cheese. Refrigerate for half an hour. Whip the whipping cream with the vanilla sugar and gently fold into the cream cheese.

Chocolate cream:

• Bring the heavy cream to almost boiling point, then gradually add it to the egg yolks, stirring continuously. Simmer for 5-7 minutes over a low heat until it thickens. Take the cream off the heat and add the chocolate and the condensed milk. Let it rest for 2 minutes then stir well. Refrigerate until it becomes slightly thicker.
• Cut the sponge in half. Place one piece on a platter and spread a third of the chocolate cream on it. Pour the cream cheese over the chocolate cream. Add the second layer of cake and top it with the rest of the chocolate cream. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate, then place in the refrigerator. It is best to slice the cake the next day when the creams are fully set.

Enjoy!