Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake With Brandied Cherries Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a large bowl set over a bain marie or in a double boiler at a low simmer. Stir chocolate until melted. Turn off the heat and let stand.
• Beat the cream over ice until it forms soft peaks. Set aside and hold at room temperature. With a mixer, whip egg to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and continue whipping until firm.
• Remove the chocolate from the bain marie and using a whisk, fold in the egg whites all at once. When the whites are almost completely incorporated, fold in the whipped cream. Cover the mousse and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour or until set. Serve in goblets topped with more whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE WITH BRANDIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• - About the chocolate sponge cake: The recipe calls for an 2x 8" pan at 325 c for about 35-40 minutes. I used my 9" pan which would give me a much thicker sponge cake. Naturally I had to either increase the baking time or the oven temperature, I chose the later but kept the baking time at 35-40 minutes. 35 minutes was perfectly enough. - To create the layers I cut the 9" cake in half and trimmed off the top. - I used 5 cups of brandied cherries as opposed to the recipe's 3 cups. I would still increase it to 6 cups. - I would probably eliminate the sugar in the brandied cherry recipe. - I reduced the cherry liquid to half a cup and spooned it over the cake layers. - I used 5 times the amount of mousse that Dorie's recipe called for. Which was just enough. Next time I might use a different mousse recipe just to see the difference. This one had way too many eggs. - I used my medium round pastry tip to do the doodling for the chocolate collar. - The cake tastes noticeably better when left in the fridge for at least 24 hours. -Let the mousse set and then top the layers and crumb coat the cake with it. It is much easier and eliminates the need for a pastry ring or acetate. - I used about a cup of fresh cherries (stems attached) plus sliced (didn't have slivered) pistachios to top the cake.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and butter.
• Combine the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and whisk until combined, set aside. Whisk together, eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla until well combined. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the hot coffee and rum to the batter and whisk until totally blended and smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be quite runny.
• Divide the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until set when tested with a toothpick. Cool completely.
• For the cherry filling and topping: Place the cherries and kirsch in a saucepot. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and then add to the cherries.
• Add the sugar mixture to the cherries and cook over low heat until the cherries come to a boil and the liquid thickens and is transparent, about 10 minutes. If you are using fresh cherries, you will want to cook them until the fruit is slightly tender.
• Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
• To assemble the cake: Whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Place one layer of the cake on a serving platter. Spread half of the whipped cream over the top. Distribute half the cherries over the cream. Repeat with the next layers of cake, cream and cherries. Serve immediately or place it in the refrigerator.

SOUR CHERRY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Make sour cherry jam:
• In a small saucepan stir together the cherry jam, balsamic vinegar, and calvados. Simmer over low heat until the liquid reduces and thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until cooled completely.
• Make shortbread base:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide shortbread base off bottom), then lock on side of pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.
• Pulse hazelnuts with sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add flour, butter, cocoa, and salt and pulse just until a dough forms.
• Press dough evenly onto bottom of springform pan with your fingers. Prick all over with a fork, then bake until just dry to the touch, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer base in pan to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove side of pan and carefully slide out parchment from under shortbread, then reattach side of pan around shortbread base.
• Make mousse while shortbread cools:
• Sprinkle gelatin over water in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat, stirring, just until gelatin is melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in chocolate hazelnut spread until combined and remove from heat.
• Whisk together mascarpone and chocolate hazelnut mixture in a large bowl. Beat together cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in another large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until just combined, then increase speed to high and beat until cream just holds soft peaks. Whisk one third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream until well combined.
• Use a spoon or rubber spatula to spread the jam mixture evenly on top of shortbread, then spoon the mousse layer on top of the jam, gently smoothing top. Chill, covered, at least 3 hours.
• Make ganache and glaze cake:
• Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan and remove from heat. Add chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then gently whisk until completely melted and smooth. Transfer ganache to a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
• Run a warm thin knife around inside of springform pan, then remove side. Slide cake off bottom of pan and transfer to a serving plate. Pour ganache onto top of cake and spread, allowing excess ganache to drip down sides.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY MOUSSE DELIGHT

Steps:

• Drain cherries, reserving juice; set cherries aside. Add enough cold water to cherry juice to measure 1-1/4 cups. In a large bowl, beat cake mix and cherry juice mixture on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. , Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until dark golden brown and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan onto a wire rack; cool completely, about 1 hour. Run a knife around sides of cake and remove from pan., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Pat cherries dry with paper towels. Holding cherries by the stem, dip in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; refrigerate until set. , In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes or until thickened. Whisk until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Slice cake; serve with mousse and dipped cherries.