Chocolate Frosting

Courtly's Note:

I adopted this recipe from the recipezaar account. The previous owner said "This is the best chocolate frosting I have ever made. It is at its absolute best if not refrigerated after icing the cake. If you try this you will be making it often."

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 4.0 cups

• ½ lb bittersweet chocolate (good quality)
• 6 ½ ounces unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder , dissolved in
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5 ounces unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in ss bowl with 6 1/2 oz unsalted butter.
2. Put over pan of simmering water.
3. Whisk together as soon as chocolate and butter soften.
4. Keep whisking until just melted and combined.
5. Remove from heat and stir in espresso and vanilla.
6. Cool to room temperature.
7. Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
8. Place 5 oz of unsalted butter and 1/2 of the powdered sugar mixture in a Cuisinart food processor.
9. Process scraping down sides.
10. Add rest of powdered sugar mixture, start processor and slowly pour in cream.
11. Process for about 10 seconds.
12. Whisk butter/cocoa mixture together with room temperature chocolate/espresso mixture in a large bowl until it becomes shiny and smooth.
13. Can be frozen.
14. Bring to room temperature before using.
15. Yield: Plenty for a 9" layer cake.

Reviews

[Just Call Me Martha]

Absolutely incredible!!! Mean Chef suggested this recipe when I was looking for something to fill little pre-made chocolate cups for a dessert tray. I made this according to the directions, with the exception of the espresso power for which I had to substitute instant coffee. The texture is beautiful. It spreads very well and, for my use, held its shape well when piped into cups with a pastry bag. The chocolate remained super-shiney as well. I sprinkled a few gold flakes on top and they were beautiful. This is the only chocolate frosting/filling I will ever make. Thanks!

[Mirj]

The most important step in this recipe is #13: Can be frozen. This makes a huge amount of frosting, more than was necessary for my daughter's birthday cake. I didn't have an espresso powder so I used some Taster's Choice instant coffee, vanilla-flavored. I froze the amount that was left-over (almost one-third). It defrosted beautifully this past weekend and I used it to frost a smaller cake. Thanks for my new keeper.

[Jangomango]

This is the best chocolate frosting I've ever used. At first I thought, nah, I don't want to use all those ingredients, and then thought about taking this short cut or that short cut. However, I was a good little bunny and did what I was told. Oh, wow. Beautiful texture and it freezes and thaws excellently. Brilliant one, MC.