Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake With Brandied Cherries Recipes

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.

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, puree the tofu until it is smooth.
• Put the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, 1/4 cup water and brandy in a saucepan or heat-proof bowl fitted over a pot containing 1-inch barely simmering water. Stir frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Mix in 1/2 cup of sugar, a little at a time, until smooth.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the tofu and puree until smooth and well blended. Spoon the mousse into serving dishes, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Whip the cream with a beater. When the cream is almost completely whipped, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and finish whipping. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings and serve.

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.

Steps:

• Drain off and reserve the juice from the prunes, then press each prune gently between your fingers to slip out the stone. Tip the prunes with the apple juice into a food processor or blender (there should be no more than 100ml juice). Add the brandy, if using, then process the fruit to a purée.
• In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate on High for 1-2 mins until melted. Stir in the orange zest and allow to cool slightly. Divide the yogurt between two bowls and stir the melted chocolate into one of them.
• Layer alternate spoonfuls of the three mixtures in four dessert tumblers, starting with a layer of prune purée, then natural yogurt followed by the chocolate yogurt mix. Finish with prune purée and top this with natural yogurt. If you like a marbled effect, swirl the layers together using a skewer.
• Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr before serving, then scatter over the pistachio nuts to decorate.

Steps:

• In a heavy based pan place the fruit, the water and 2 Tbsp Brandy (or juice, if you prefer).
• Heat until just under boiling, add sugar and Cornflour, stir and boil for 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat if too much liquid is evaporating.
• In 4 small Ramekin dishes, place the sponge cake and drench in brandy (Use a fresh fruit juice if you dont want to use alcohol, but use less).
• Cover with the"jam" you have just made.
• Set aside and refrigerate when cool.
• Break chocolate into a glass bowl and heat over a Bain Marie until it melts, remove from heat and place on a damp cloth so you can beat the mixture without it slipping around.
• Beat the egg yolks and add them to the chocolate, beating thoroughly until it is homogenized.
• Add kirsch, brandy or juice and beat again.
• Leave to cool for 15 minutes.
• Beat up the egg whites till the soft peak stage, then fold them into the chocolate mixture.
• Spoon the mousse over the chilled sponge and jam in the ramekins.
• Cover with foil and chill for at least 2 hours (or if your in a hurry shove'em in the freezer for 20 minutes and then put them in the fridge, not as nice but ok in an emergency).
• To serve add a dollop of whipped cream and some shaved chocolate.

Steps:

• combine cake mix,pie filling,extract, and eggs.
• Mix by hand and spread on jelly roll pan or 13 x 9 pan
• Bake at 350 Until done in middle (25-35 minutes).
• Frosting-------------.
• combine sugar,butter and milk,stir over low heat.
• Bring to boil for 1 minute.
• Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
• Cool then frost.

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.