Bittersweet Chocolate Cake With Dried Cherries Recipes

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with waxed paper. Butter sides of pan and paper. Dust pan with flour. Melt chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
• Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl until pale yellow. Mix in flour, then chocolate mixture. Using electric mixer, beat whites in another bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Run small sharp knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto platter and cool. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.) Sift powered sugar over cake and serve.

DENSE BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and set aside.
• In the top of a double boiler, combine the butter, chocolate and coffee and melt slowly, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until frothy. Whisk the eggs into the melted chocolate until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.
• Remove the sides of the pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, before serving.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a nine-inch tube pan.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking soda and set aside. Place the cherries in a dish, stir in the cherry liqueur and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing only enough to combine the ingredients.
• Add the almond extract to the cherry mixture, then fold this mixture into the batter.
• Spread the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and continue to cool on a rack.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Line 9 x 5 x 2-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Mix in cream and golden syrup. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or overnight. (Cake can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Uncover pan. Place platter on pan. Invert cake onto platter. Peel off plastic wrap. Cut cake into slices and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE (WITH DRIED CHERRIES SOAKED IN BRANDY)

Steps:

• Combine cherries and brandy and microwave uncovered on high 45 seconds; set aside. Combine chocolate and margarine/butter. Microwave on high 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds; set aside.
• Beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high about 5 minutes, till thick and lemon colored. Beat in chocolate mixture, milk and vanilla. Beat in flour. Stir in undrained cherries and nuts.
• Pour in 9 x 1" round baking pan; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes (45-50 to springform pan). Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
• GLAZE: Combine chcolate with margarine/butter; microwave on high 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or till melted, strirring twice.
• Spread 1/4 cup of Glaze evenly over top and sides of cake. Chill 10 minutes. Frost top and sides of glaze with remaining glaze. Chill till set. Let stand at room temperature 10/15 minutes before serving.