Fran’s Triple Chocolate Pyramid

For those organized enough to plan their cakes in advance, the pyramid cake offers multiple rewards. First there’s the taste—perfectly balanced layers of dense, moist chocolate sponge perfumed with almonds, alternating with a rich, creamy milk-chocolate filling. Then there are the spectacular visuals. The pyramid is fabulous with a row of sparklers down the middle for New Year’s Eve or a sophisticate’s birthday party. And last but not least important for the baker is the fact that the Triple Chocolate freezes and stores so well.
If you do have any Triple Chocolate left over, you want to wrap it well and stash in the freezer. We have been told that an ice-cold slice, eaten straight out of the freezer, is one of life’s great (and chewy) midnight snacks.

Serves 18 to 24

Ingredients

1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
8 ounces almond paste, cut into small pieces, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, measured then sifted
Milk-Chocolate Hazelnut Filling
1½ recipes Dark-Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F.
Lightly butter two 9-by-13-inch or quarter-sheet pans and line with parchment paper. Lightly butter the top of the parchment paper.
In a mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times.
Reduce the speed to medium and slowly add the almond paste, a piece at a time. Continue beating, increasing speed to high, until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl several times.
At medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, thoroughly mixing between each addition. The mixture will be light, fluffy, and pale yellow in color.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, and with a rubber spatula gently fold in the cocoa.
Divide the batter and pour into the prepared pans, smoothing the top. The pans will be one-quarter full. These are thin layers.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cake loses its shine and springs back when lightly touched. The finished cake will start pulling away from the sides of the pan. As the cake cools, it will continue to shrink.
Place the torte layers in the refrigerator to chill.

To Assemble the Cake

Make the Milk-Chocolate Hazelnut Filling. While it whips remove the torte layers from the refrigerator. Run a thin knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen.
To remove, cover the cake with a sheet of parchment. Top with another clean baking sheet and invert so the cake in the pan releases onto the sheet pan. Repeat with the second cake layer. Remove the parchment paper from each layer.
Using a ruler and the tip of a knife to make a mark, measure across the width to divide each layer in half. With a sharp blade cut each layer in half lengthwise, making 4 dense layers, about 4 by 12 inches each.
Cut a cake board to 4 by 12 inches and with a spatula transfer a layer to the board.
Evenly spread about a quarter of the Milk-Chocolate Hazelnut Filling over the layer, so that the filling and the cake are each about ¼ inch thick. Repeat until all the layers are assembled and the top layer is filling. The finished height should be approximately 2 inches.
With a metal spatula, smooth the sides. Chill for 1 to 2 hours to set. (At this point the cake can be glazed as a loaf, similar to the Blanc et Noir. For a more elaborate presentation, forge ahead and make the pyramid.)

To Form the Pyramid

The concept for making a pyramid is to slice a rectangle loaf along the diagonal into 2 parts and then press together the 2 long triangles to make a larger triangle. You’ll need a long thin slicing knife or serrated blade, dipped in hot water and wiped dry, to gracefully complete this maneuver.
Place the chilled cake on its board along the edge of the counter lengthwise. Align your blade at the upper left rear corner of the loaf and the lower right bottom corner, resting the blade on the counter. With a firm slicing motion (not sawing back and forth) cut the cake in half along the diagonal into 2 even triangular strips. Use the cardboard and counter as a guide for your knife, and be careful not to position your fingers in front of the blade.
Stand one triangle on its short side, removing any parchment. Stand the second triangle and position back-to-back to form a larger triangle, with the filling layer touching the cake layer in the middle. Transfer to a 3-by-12-inch cake board and press firmly together. The finished torte should be about 3 inches wide, 4 inches tall, and 12 inches long. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until firm.

To Finish the Cake

Make the Dark-Chocolate Ganache Glaze.
Pour about ½ cup of the glaze into a small bowl, and place in the refrigerator to chill for approximately 25 minutes. Set aside the remaining glaze to cool about 30 minutes, gently stirring occasionally until it thickens and ribbons off the end of the spatula, about 80–85°F.
With an offset spatula, thinly coat the sides and ends of the finished torte with the chilled glaze. Transfer to a cooling or pouring rack positioned over a rimmed baking sheet.
Slowly and evenly pour the glaze over the ends of the torte, being careful to cover all the corners. Then pour the remaining glaze on both sides, using a metal spatula to spread if necessary. Let set about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #18 tip with the thickened glaze from the baking sheet. Pipe a small shell border down the top of the torte.
Store in the refrigerator. Remove at least half an hour before serving. Can be stored for up to 3 days.