Chocolate Cherry Charlottes Recipes

Steps:

• Filling: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar.
• Bring 1/4 cup cream and remaining 1/4 cup milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add one-third of cream mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add remaining cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly; return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl with chocolate; let stand until softened, 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming; let cool completely.
• Whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream to soft peaks and gently fold into custard. Refrigerate until ready to assemble, up to 1 day.
• Ladyfingers and Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a pencil and ruler, make a template that will be the guide for piping ladyfingers and cake layers: On a piece of parchment, draw two sets of parallel lines spaced 3 1/2 inches apart. On a second piece of parchment, trace three 5-inch circles. Place each piece of parchment, pencil-side down, on an unrimmed baking sheet. Sift together flour and 1/4 cup cocoa into a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, salt, and vanilla on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. In a separate bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks with remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg-yolk mixture into egg-white mixture, then fold in flour mixture in three additions. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
• Pipe ladyfingers crosswise onto prepared templates, spacing 1/4 inch apart (you'll need about 16), then pipe cake rounds, starting in center of each circle and spiraling outward until you reach edge of template. Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa and confectioners' sugar; sift over cake rounds. Bake ladyfingers and cake rounds until firm and springy, about 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Assembly: Place a 6-by-3-inch cake ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet; line ring with a 20-by-3-inch parchment strip to form a collar. Bring rum and granulated sugar just to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Place ladyfingers standing upright inside of ring, with domed sides facing out (use just enough to fit snugly). Place one cake layer at bottom of ring. Brush ladyfingers and cake with rum syrup. Pour half of chocolate filling into cake ring and top with a second cake layer. Brush cake with syrup and top with remaining chocolate filling. Top with final cake layer and brush with syrup. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, whisk cream and confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Carefully remove charlotte from bottom piece of parchment and transfer, still in cake ring, to serving platter. Remove ring and gently peel off parchment strip. Dollop whipped cream on top of cake and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Steps:

• Bring cherries, kirsch, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Stir in almond extract.
• Heat cream, chocolate, and a pinch of salt in another small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon butter, stirring until incorporated, then stir in cooked cherries with any liquid.
• Transfer filling to a metal bowl and freeze, stirring occasionally, until firm but not frozen solid, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut out 12 rounds from bread slices with cookie cutter, then cut 42 (2- by 1 1/2-inch) rectangles from trimmings and remaining slices. Spread 1 side of each round and rectangle with some of remaining butter. Put 6 rounds, buttered sides down, in molds and line sides with rectangles (5 to 7 per mold), buttered sides against mold, arranging them vertically and slightly overlapping, pressing gently to adhere. Trim any overhang flush with rims.
• Divide filling among molds and top with 6 remaining bread rounds, buttered sides up, pressing gently to fit inside bread rim.
• Bake charlottes in molds on a baking sheet in middle of oven until bread is golden, about 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then invert plates over charlottes and invert charlottes onto plates. Serve warm.
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Steps:

• Toss together cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set aside; let cherries thaw slightly, about 35 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a pastry brush, generously brush one side of each slice of bread with the butter. Reserve 6 slices; cut remaining slices in half to form 36 rectangles. Line sides and bottom of each cup of a jumbo (6-cup) muffin tin with 6 rectangles, overlapping bread and placing buttered side against tin.
• Toss cherry mixture to combine. Spoon into bread-lined cups. Top each with a reserved bread square, buttered side down; press firmly onto cherries.
• Bake charlottes until tops and sides are golden and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack; let stand until charlottes have cooled slightly and are just firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Using an offset spatula or knife, loosen sides of charlottes from tin, and unmold; invert onto serving plates. Serve warm, with warm sour cherry compote on the side.
• Put cherries, sugar, and vinegar into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cherries have burst and mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Toss together cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set aside; let cherries thaw slightly, about 35 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a pastry brush, generously brush one side of each slice of bread with the butter. Reserve 6 slices; cut remaining slices in half to form 36 rectangles. Line sides and bottom of each cup of a jumbo (6-cup) muffin tin with 6 rectangles, overlapping bread and placing buttered side against tin.
• Toss cherry mixture to combine. Spoon into bread-lined cups. Top each with a reserved bread square, buttered side down; press firmly onto cherries.
• Bake charlottes until tops and sides are golden and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack; let stand until charlottes have cooled slightly and are just firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Using an offset spatula or knife, loosen sides of charlottes from tin, and unmold; invert onto serving plates. Serve warm, with warm sour cherry compote on the side.

Steps:

• Place racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Put the turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• To a large bowl, add the granulated sugar, butter, oil, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt, and whisk to combine.
• Add the molasses and egg to the bowl, and whisk until smooth. Add the flour and baking soda, and stir with a rubber spatula until a few streaks of flour remain.
• Add the chopped chocolate and cherries, and stir until well-combined and the flour is completely incorporated and no longer streaky.
• Portion the cookies into 24 balls that are roughly 2 tablespoons/35 grams each, roll them in the turbinado sugar, and place them on the prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet.
• Bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until crackly on top but still quite soft in the center. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and 1 cup of the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Pour into large bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the cherries. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Shape dough into 60 (about 1 1/4-inch) balls. Lightly butter hands if dough is sticky when shaping into balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten each ball to 1 1/2-inch circle.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring halfway through, until chips can be stirred smooth. Spoon into resealable food-storage plastic bag; partially seal bag. Cut small tip from corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over tops of cookies. Let stand about 2 hours or until chocolate is set. Store covered in airtight container.