Edd Kimber, for those who can’t quite place the name, is the adorable and extremely talented baker who won the first-ever season of The Great British Bake Off 10 years ago. Since that momentous event, Edd has been very busy, having somehow managed to write four books, the latest of which is One Tin Bakes: Sweet and Simple Traybakes, Pies, Bars and Buns (Kyle Books, 2020; $22.99). I love this book, which is full of desserts and treats that are alluring yet approachable – all can be made in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, without a lot of fuss. And of all of the 70 recipes in the book, this one spoke (read: screamed) to me, and it turns out, it is Edd’s favorite, too. He writes, “This recipe is the reason this book exists, my OG one tin cake that has fed countless crowds as I developed the recipe. One early version came with me to the local pub, and once my friends had devoured most of it, we handed out the rest to strangers – a cake is still the best way I know to make friends. The ganache is made with a bittersweet salted caramel and topped with peanuts and cacao nibs. If there is one cake I want you to try, it’s this one.”
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Serves 12 to 15
Ingredients
Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Ganache:
- 7 ounces (200 grams) milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 2/3 cups (400 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 cup (200 grams) superfine granulated sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Sheet Cake:
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 grams) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/3 cups plus 1 teaspoon (300 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup plus 4 teaspoons (100 milliliters) neutral-tasting oil, plus extra for greasing
- 1 scant cup (225 milliliters) sour cream
- 1 scant cup (225 milliliters) hot brewed coffee
Garnish:
- Salted peanuts
- Cacao nibs
Instructions
Make the ganache:
- First, make the ganache, as it needs to chill before use. Place the chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Heat the sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat until melted and the color of an old copper coin. Add the butter, salt and half the warm cream. Once the bubbling has subsided, you should have a smooth caramel. If not, reduce the heat and stir until smooth. Pour in the remaining cream and the vanilla and stir to combine.
- While still hot, pour the caramel over the chocolate and leave for a couple of minutes, then stir until a smooth ganache. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until the texture of buttercream, soft and scoopable. If you leave it too long it will thicken and whipping the ganache will become tough.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180°C or Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and line with a piece of parchment paper that overhangs the two long sides of the tin, securing in place with metal clips.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle, pour in all the remaining ingredients and whisk everything together just until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the cake springs back to a light touch and is starting to pull away from the tin’s sides.
- Because the cake is on the large side, it is a little harder to maneuver, so cool in the tin for 20–30 minutes, before using the overhanging parchment paper to lift it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Use an electric mixer to whisk the ganache for a few minutes until smooth and shiny (over-whisking can make it grainy, so err on the side of caution). Spread over the cake, then sprinkle liberally with peanuts and cacao nibs. Cut into portions and serve. Store in a sealed container for 4 to 5 days.
Recipe from One Tin Bakes by Edd Kimber (Kyle Books, 2020)
Photo by Edd Kimber
