Tomato Soup Chocolate Truffles and Cupcake Topping

  tomato soup cupcake topped with chocolate tomato soup ganache

Back blogging today :) please do join me on Facebook too :) 

Tomato Soup or "Mystery Cake";  This odd cake of American origins dates back to at least the 1930's and uses canned tomato soup (usually the iconic Campbell's) as an ingredient. 

Nigella has a version and renowned baker Rose Levy Beranbaum says the tomato soup adds "zing" to the recipe. 

Goodness me... I'm definitely getting "onion/garlic" but I'm not sure about "zing". I'm wondering if Campbell's Tomato Soup is a different formula in Australia??? Grab a can out of your pantry if you're not from Oz and let me know what is in your tomato soup.... 

               ingredient list Campbell's Tomato in Australia

I made Rose Levy Bernbaum's Chocolate Tomato Cake with Mystery Ganache. Now, I do love "Rose" and 'Rose's Heavenly Cakes' is one of favourite cake books, but I don't like this cake at all. My step son Dan and I found at first bite you taste chocolate, but  shortly after an unpleasant aftertaste sets in.

Slightly more successful was the "Mystery ganache" which I used to make truffles, mmmm not sure if I really like them but it does have that fun "what is it" factor. Oh, the truffles would be great for any Warhol themed event too :)

The following is a tweaked version (*almost exactly the same!!) of Rose Levy Bernbaum's Mystery Ganache recipe;

Ingredients 

1/4 cup of Campbell's tomato soup 

1 1/2 cups cream

370 grams (13 oz) dark eating chocolate  

Method

Chop chocolate into small pieces with a serrated knife, alternatively use a food processor taking care not to over process. Transfer chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl. 

In a saucepan heat cream and tomato soup, stirring once or twice until the mixture just comes to the simmer and small bubbles appear around the edges. 

Pour hot cream mixture over chopped chocolate and let sit for 2-3 minutes, stir until mixture is smooth. At this stage you can use the chocolate as a glaze cake topping like I have in the cake pictured at top. To do this you can either pour over the liquid ganache or dip the top of cake into it. 

To make simple tomato soup chocolate truffles, refrigerate the chocolate soup mixture until firm enough to roll into balls, then toss the balls in cocoa to coat. Refrigerate until serving time, bring to room temperature for full flavour. 

                       chocolate tomato soup truffles

PS promised Japanese Slipper Cupcake recipe.

Happy Baking :)

* want to try Nigella's tomato soup cake? ... recipe on her official blog here

Update on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 10:13AM by The Lone Baker

Thank you so much to D.J. for replying with the ingredient list from an American can of Campbell's tomato soup....

Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste)Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Wheat Flour, Salt, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Cottonseed, Canola and/or Soybean)Flavoring, Ascorbic Acid, and Citric Acid. 

No onions/garlic in the US version. Apologies to step son Daniel for making him eat tomato/garlic/onion and chocolate all in the name of recipe testing for me!! 

PS the US soup is going to make a far nicer, albeit not as odd batch of chocolate truffles ;) 

Hard to bake cupcakes with Pleurisy!

        Lol, it's hard to bake cupcakes when you have pleurisy! 

Mark was so happy to hear I have pleurisy he starting shaking the doctors hand... I was expecting high fives any second, they both looked so pleased with themselves.

For 6 weeks I've been getting tested and have been prescribed everything, including anti inflammatories right the way through to hormones. Suspected heart problems, were superseded by looking for cancers. I changed doctors a few times and it was the third doctor (recommended by Dan's Mum... thanks Debbie!) that found the pleurisy.

I should be back if not baking, at least with cupcake paraphernalia postings in 3 to 4 days. I am curled up with an old fashioned note pad and pen right now planning cupcakes, waiting to return!

In the meantime a few past postings you might have missed;

try your hand a molecular gastronomy

If you were watching MasterChef last night it was molecular gastronomy night & they had trouble making spheres. If you'd like to give it a try and make yourself fruit caviar/pearls see "Weird Science". 

fruit curds

Whether you're in chilly winter at the moment or perhaps you are sunning yourself on a glorious summer's day...whatever the season, why not whip up a batch of fruit curd/butter?  easy to do with fruits from tangelo's to raspberries. 

caramel bite cupcakes with canned caramel

Perhaps your more in the mood for quick Caramel Bite Cupcakes?

ever versatile and delicious chocolate ganache

Then again, chocolate ganache is always tempting!! 

                  Or give toffee a twirl!!! 

Happy Baking :) 

Ganache

The Devil Made Me Do It Cupcake
Whipped and Piped Ganache Frosting tops a Devils food cake with flakes of Valrhona chocolate.

Melted, Shaped, Whipped, Dark, White, Dipped, Spread, Milk, all words associated with what must be one of the most versatile ways to use chocolate... Ganache.

Heated heavy cream is poured over chopped chocolate and stirred until blended. 

Depending on the ratio of chocolate to cream, ganache can be used for
Cupcake fillings; one part cream to two parts chocolate
Pouring glaze; one part cream to three parts chocolate 
Light filling; equal parts cream and chocolate. 

Refrigerated ganache can be whipped until piping consistency to pipe on your cakes. Truffles can be formed from cooled ganache, whipped or not.

The ganache can be flavoured with alcohol; Tia Maria, framboise liqueur and Grand Marnier are some my favourites but coffee and pure vanilla essence come are wonderful too. 

Whilst heavy cream is usually used, try sour cream or crème fraîche. Play around with ratios to come up with something that is right for you.

For cupcakes I make ganache fillings, sometimes with praline mixed through, other times chopped toasted nuts, or white chocolate with a berry liqueur. The possibilities are endless, whether your a classic dark chocolate type or wasabi and white chocolate is more your thing, you'll be tempted by ganache. 

Basic Ganache frosting
Makes 2 cups

1 cup of cream
400g of dark eating chocolate, chopped
Pinch of salt
2 tbs of liqueur (optional)

Bring bring cream to the boil, remove from heat, let stand a few minutes before pouring over chopped chocolate and stir until melted, add liqueur if using. Refrigerate until cold. Beat with an electric mixer until colour lightens, being careful not to over beat as ganache will be become grainy. Pipe as per usual. Leftover ganache can be rolled into small balls to form truffles.

*Alton brown makes ganache frosting with equal parts cream/chocolate, Joy of Baking adds a few tablespoons of unsalted butter, Rose levy Beranbaum uses a food processor to blend the chocolate & the cream. As you work more with ganache you'll develop your own ratios, flavours & techniques to suit your personal taste and baking needs. Enjoy!

*To use ganache as a glaze topping see Midnight Mint Mini Cupcakes

*To use ganache as a filling for cupcakes see Gingerbread Boys & Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes