Flourless Chocolate Cake With Toasted Hazelnuts And Brandied Cherries Recipes

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH TOASTED HAZELNUTS AND BRANDIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• For brandied cherries:
• Combine brandy and dried cherries in 4-cup glass container with lid. Cover and let soak at room temperature 1 week.
• Bring 1 cup water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool syrup. Drain brandy from cherries (reserve brandy for another use). Add sugar syrup to cherries and stir to blend. Let soak at room temperature at least 2 days. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store covered at room temperature.
• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round. Place chocolate and 1 1/4 cups butter in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool to lukewarm, about 10 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl until very thick and pale yellow in color, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Gently fold chocolate mixture into yolk mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in another large bowl until peaks form. Fold 1/3 of beaten whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes (cake will be puffed and soufflé-like while baking). Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes (cake will fall in center). Run knife around cake sides to loosen; press edge of cake down to make level with center. Remove pan sides and cool cake completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.
• For ganache:
• Combine chocolate and cream in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from over water; let stand until ganache cools slightly but is still pourable, about 5 minutes.
• Place cooled cake on rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/2 cup ganache over top of cake. Using offset spatula, quickly spread ganache over top and sides of cake. Freeze cake 3 minutes. Pour remaining ganache over top of cake. Working quickly but gently and grasping pan bottom and rack together, slightly tilt rack with cake from side to side, allowing ganache to flow evenly over top and down sides of cake; smooth sides with offset spatula. Press hazelnuts onto sides of cake to adhere. Chill cake until ganache is set, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes before serving.
• Cut cake into wedges. Garnish with whipped cream and spoon brandied cherries alongside.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease one 10 inch round cake pan and set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the water, salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved and set aside.
• Either in the top half of a double boiler or in a microwave oven melt the bittersweet chocolate. Pour the chocolate into the bowl of an electric mixer.
• Cut the butter into pieces and beat the butter into the chocolate, 1 piece at a time. Beat in the hot sugar-water. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Have a pan larger than the cake pan ready, put the cake pan in the larger pan and fill the pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
• Bake cake in the water bath at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 45 minutes. The center will still look wet. Chill cake overnight in the pan. To unmold, dip the bottom of the cake pan in hot water for 10 seconds and invert onto a serving plate.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with cooking parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.
• In 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; pour into large bowl. Stir in sugar until blended. Stir in eggs, 1 at a time; stir in vanilla. Stir in cocoa and espresso powder until well blended. Pour into pan.
• Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place cooling rack upside down over cake. Turn upside down carefully so cake is on rack; remove pan. Turn upside down onto another rack, and flip cake right side up. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, place cake right side up on serving platter. Using sharp knife, cut into wedges, cleaning knife blade after each cut. Serve with whipping cream. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter, 1/4 cup sugar and chocolates over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool until mixture is lukewarm. , In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in pecans and chocolate mixture. , In a small bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir a small amount of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites., Pour into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. , Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan and cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Ganache if desired. Garnish with strawberries and mint if desired.