Amano Chocolate Buttercream

We all know cake is just a vehicle to get more frosting in our mouths. To that end, I recently had a powerful need to frost a moist, rich yellow genoise cake with a buttercream worthy of such a noble platform. Standard issue chocolate frosting involves dry, dusty cocoa whipped into powdered sugar and butter. In contrast, nothing can replace melting premium chocolate and beating it into a mixture generously endowed with unsalted butter, powdered sugar, Tahitian vanilla, and a splash of cream. Sure, some purists dislike the chalky texture of uncooked frosting due to a lacing of cornstarch in the powdered sugar (to keep it dry and fluffy). But, for ease of preparation raw buttercream cannot be beat. Just plop the heart-stopping ingredients in a standing mixer and whip until you have a fluffy frosting. No thermometers, no whipping egg whites, just one bowl, and beaters to lick in less than 5 minutes.

So, a-whipping I went. And the critical component, of course, was the chocolate. Rather than degrade all those calories with mediocre couverture, I decided to spring for the good stuff: Amano chocolate. To be fair, Amano is the sponsor of all my tastings at speaking engagements and I do have a box of this premium chocolate sitting in my house—just begging to be used. It’s an unfair advantage, I know. But I broke into my stash because there is a reason Amano is the “winning-est” chocolate in the world. Amano Chocolate tastes INCREDIBLE. It is single-sourced from the best plantations, roasted, ground, and poured in small production batches by fanatical chocolatiers. Each variety has a complexity of flavors and notes totally different from the others. Who knew Orem, Utah, has a hidden factory that would make Willy Wonka jealous. To get your hands on Amano Chocolates you can visit their retail store in the industrial side of Orem. It is well-worth the trip to see truffles so beautiful they should be in a museum. While you are there, I highly recommend you indulge in the free tasting of chocolate bars to discover the remarkable diversity of flavors—all in the name of science, of course.

Amano Chocolate Buttercream

Yield: Frosts a 13 x 9-inch cake or two 8-inch rounds.

1-pound powdered sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream, or more

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

1 2-ounce bar Amano chocolate (any variety), broken into small squares

Melt chocolate in the top portion of a double boiler over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with a spatula. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large standing mixer, pulse powdered sugar and butter until combined. Add all remaining ingredients and beat on high until fluffy. Add more cream if mixture is dry. Frost immediately, or keeps in a sealed container in refrigerator up to three days. Bring to room temperature before using.

The Amano Factory Store is located at:
450 South, 1325 West
Orem, UT 84058

801-655-1996
amano@amanochocolate.com

www.amanochocolate.com

Summer Hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm, Monday through Saturday
Winter Hours: 10:00am - 6:00pm, Monday through Saturday

Tres Hatch is the author of Miracle Pill 10 Truths to Healthy, Thin, & Sexy