I could not find 54% coca< so I got 64% can I mix 10x powered suger to sweeten it up?

The "minimum" 54% cocoa mass refers to the chocolate (not the cocoa powder) in Step 1 of the recipe. The cocoa used in Step 2 is Dutched. For more information on the difference, refer to the lesson in the cooking school on the Basics of Quality Chocolate. Cheers!

My question is in I'm reference to step1 of the recipe, Step 2 is clear.

I am also referring to Step 1 of the recipe. The "minimum" 54% cocoa is the chocolate used to make the ganache. We say "minimum" as you can use chocolate that is higher than this. In the video we also mention that you are looking to buy a good quality chocolate that is "at least" 54%. Hope this helps to clear things up for you. Cheers!

Thank you very much, the cake turned out very well. The forsting, very rich and smooth. Great recipe.

My nephew loved these: make little balls out of the left-over ganache and wrap pinky finger size sugar cookie dough around the outside. Roll it in sugar. press with a small glass to flatten. It doesn't stick because of the sugar. Bake at 350* (180C) for 15 minute depending on your altitude. This uses up any left-over, but I think he would rather just eat it straight. My sister would, however, shoot me if I permitted him to do such a thing. I'm wrapped around his finger as it is!

This is great!. the Chocolate videos is the Best... hey, would you guys adopt me?... I am having so much fun with Rouxbe!....

my cake was very dry... :(

This really is a very moist cake. Perhaps you might have measured incorrectly or over baked the cake a bit. Make sure you try it again as it is quite delicious. Cheers!

As Kimberley states, measuring incorrectly can be a cause. I used to pack flour in a measuring cup until I learned a cup of flour should weigh 4 1/4 oz. The King Arthur Flour web site actually has a video showing how to properly measure flour. Click on recipes and go to online baking resources and there is a heading called measuring flour. Basically you fluff the flour first, sprinkle it into a straight edged one cup measuring cup and scrape off the excess. Using this technique has greatly improved my baking results.

My oven could only fit in one 9in pan, and in the comment above it said it's not really good to bake in batches. So is it okay for me to cut the ingredients by half and make the batter in batches then bake them? please don't tell my to buy a new oven...that would not be an option (even though I really want to buy a new one. *sob*)

Yes, you can definitely cut the ingredients in half and bake each cake off as you mix it. Happy cake making!

don't know if i missed it or what, but i don't see in the video where sugar is added in and neither is in the text. Hope I didn't miss it?

right after the post i checked it again and the word sugar just stares me in the face! so sorry!

I live at 6500 ft. Are there changes to the cake recipe for high altitude?

Hi Kay,
There has been plenty of discussion on high altitude baking in the forum. If you type in "altitude" in the search bar at the top right of any page, then click on the forum discussion tab, you'll find some useful information, in particular this post. Cheers!

Could I use this as a topping for profiteroles? Also in The dark chocolate always seem to be 70% or higher. I never see anything that says 54%.

You could try using this particular ganache for profiteroles but keep in mind that it will thicken substantially as it cools, so it won't be pourable. You could pour the ganche over the profiteroles just after making it (allow it to cool just slightly) but serve the profiteroles immediately. The ganache will soften the profiteroles if they are stored for any length of time.

54% cocoa mass is quite common; if you can't find it, use anywhere between 54 to 70%...not much higher than this or the chocolate will affect the texture of the ganache. Cheers!

I made the cake a day in advance, how should i store it? It's a little warm in my apartment so im nervous to leave it out.

Here is a post from earlier in this same thread that you may find helpful. Cheers!

I want to make this cake and I am wondering if I would be able to whip some of the ganache, then fold in more whipped cream to make a filling? The cake looks dense so I didn't know if it would be too heavy for a whipped cream filling. Any other suggestions for filling choices?
Thanks

I think the cake will be okay with a whipped cream filling. It can be tricky to combine ganache with whipped cream because the cold cream with the not-so-cold ganache can seize and become lumpy/grainy. You can fill the cake with buttercream, jam, chocolate mousse or turn it into a black forest cake with whipped cream and cherries. There are plenty of recipes on the web for fillings. This caramel one sounds nice. Cheers!

Thanks for tip on combining ganache and whipped cream, I don't want that to happen. Caramel sounds wonderful. Thanks again for the advice.

Would it be too skimpy to try and get 16 pieces out of this cake?

You could try and cut it into 16 pieces but that's stretching it. The thinner the pieces get, the harder it will be to cut into nice, even pieces. Besides, this cake is so good that you might make some guests sad with only a few bites. You might get away with it if you decide to make cupcakes from the batter. Cheers!