The caramel and chocolate cream pie is a wonderful addition to any special occasion, thanks to its rich ingredients of cream, dark chocolate, and luxurious caramel sauce. However, it's important to consider the potential health risks associated with caramel, as it contains a high amount of sugar and calories, which may contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, and an increased risk of diabetes when consumed in large quantities. Additionally, caramel lacks valuable nutrients, making it add "empty calories" to the diet.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whipped cream (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup dark chocolate ganache
- ½ cup caramel sauce
Preparation:
- Prepare the oven and pan:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter, then dust with flour to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Prepare the batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and continue mixing until the mixture is smooth.
- Prepare the dry ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.
- Combine the ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, but avoid overmixing to prevent a tough cake.
- Bake:
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake:
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble the pie:
- Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the whipped cream evenly over the surface of one layer of the cake.
- Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream.
- Add the topping:
- Pour the dark chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over the ganache for an extra touch of luxury.
Nutritional Values and Estimates for Each Ingredient:
- Flour (2 cups):
- Calories: Approximately 912 kcal
- Protein: 24g
- Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 192g
- Sugar (1.5 cups):
- Calories: Approximately 1200 kcal
- Protein: 0g
- Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 300g
- Butter (½ cup):
- Calories: Approximately 400 kcal
- Protein: 0.5g
- Fat: 44g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Milk (1 cup):
- Calories: Approximately 150 kcal
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Eggs (3 large eggs):
- Calories: Approximately 210 kcal
- Protein: 18g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Whipped Cream (2 cups):
- Calories: Approximately 800 kcal
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 80g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Dark Chocolate Ganache (1 cup):
- Calories: Approximately 800 kcal
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 56g
- Carbohydrates: 72g
- Caramel Sauce (½ cup):
- Calories: Approximately 400 kcal
- Protein: 0g
- Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 100g
Total Estimated Nutritional Values (for the entire recipe):
- Total Calories: Approximately 4872 kcal
- Total Protein: Approximately 54.5g
- Total Fat: Approximately 205g
- Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 688g
Note: These values are estimates and depend on the specific ingredients and portions used. For more accurate details, you can use online nutritional calculators that take into account the precise ingredients and their quantities.