Chocolate Hills

For the hills:
1 whole egg
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup strong brewed coffee
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup vegetable oil

For the syrup:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water

For the ganache:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1¼ cups heavy whipping cream

For the syrup, combine the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

For the ganache, bring the cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

For the hills, whisk the egg and buttermilk in a mixing bowl until fully combined. Combine all dry ingredients in a kitchen mixer. Blend at low speed until combined. With the mixer running, add the egg mixture to dry ingredients. Blend at low speed until combined. Add the coffee and vanilla and blend at low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium, then add the oil in a slow stream. (The batter will be fairly thin.)

Transfer the batter to lightly oiled individual bundt molds (See NOTE). Bake at 350° until a knife inserted comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Dip the hills in chocolate syrup and return to rack. Garnish with drizzles of melted dark chocolate and white chocolate.

To serve, sauce a plate with chocolate ganache. Place one hill on each plate and ladle some of the ganache into the center of the hill.

NOTE: use 6-compartment bundtlette pans, not mini bundt molds

Copyright © 2006 by Paul Prudhomme