Flourless Chocolate Cake With Toasted Hazelnuts And Brandied Cherries Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round. Wrap outside of pan tightly with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Combine chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water.
• Whisk eggs, golden brown sugar, and 1/4 cup Frangelico in large bowl to blend. Add chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in ground hazelnuts and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Place in oven and tent springform pan loosely with foil. Bake until cake is set in center and top is dry to touch, about 1 1/2 hours (top of cake will remain shiny). Remove cake from roasting pan; remove foil from top and outside of pan. Cool cake in pan on rack. Chill cake until cold, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup Frangelico in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Cut cake into wedges. Transfer to plates. Top with whipped cream; sprinkle with chopped toasted hazelnuts.

Steps:

• If you are using whole hazelnuts, preheat the oven or oven toaster to 350ºF/180ºC. If you are using hazelnut meal, skip to step 4.
• Toast the whole hazelnuts for about 10 minutes until fragrant. Set aside and cool.
• Place the cooled hazelnuts in a food processor and grind to make hazelnut meal. Do not over-process. If you do, it will turn into nut butter.
• In a small pan, melt butter and chocolate under very low heat.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Spray oil inside a 9-inch springform pan.
• In a bowl, beat mascapone cheese until creamy. Add sugar and beat again.
• Add eggs and beat until creamy.
• Add the chocolate mixture, vanilla and liquor (if using) and mix well.
• Add hazelnut meal, salt, and cinnamon and mix well.
• Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes. Set aside and cool.
• When the cake is cooked, remove the pan and place the cake on a cake plate.
• Dust cocoa powder and powdered sugar using a stencil (see note above).
• Infuse love and serve with whipped cream and/or ice cream if desired.

Steps:

• For cake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
• Grind toasted hazelnuts in food processor until very finely chopped.
• Stir in baking powder and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until pale in color.
• Mix in ground hazelnuts, Kahlua and melted chocolate.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
• Quickly fold 1/3 of the egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten the mixture.
• Then add remaining whites and fold until no white streaks remain.
• Pour into springform pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Cool on wire rack.
• When cake is cool, slice horizontally into 2 layers.
• Drizzle each cut side with 1 tbsp Kahlua.
• To make frosting, dissolve coffee in boiling water.
• Set aside.
• Melt chips in microwave oven, stir until smooth.
• Set aside.
• In medium bowl, combine butter and eggs, beat until creamy.
• Beat in melted chips and coffee, mixing until well blended.
• Spread generously between layers, down the sides and on the top of the cake.