Chocolate Prune Cognac Cake Recipe 43

CHOCOLATE PRUNE & COGNAC CAKE RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Prunes: Combine prunes, 1/3 cup cognac & 3 tbsp sugar in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 2 hours. Cake: Melt chocolate with 5 tbsp cognac & coffee in a heavy 2qt saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Whisk in butter 1 tbsp at a time. Mix in 3/4 cup sugar, flour, cinnamon, and allspice. Blend in yolks. Cool mixture slightly. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter 8-10 cup bundt pan dust with flour. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, salt, & cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp at a time & beat until almost stiff but not dry. Whisk chocolate mixture to loosen. Gently fold in 1/4 whites. Gently fold back into remaining whites. Gently fold in prune mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until center if firm about 45min- 1 hour. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Cool on rack compeletely. Wrap tight and let stand overnight. Glaze: Bring cream to simmer in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add Cognac. Cool until glaze mounds slightly on spoon. Spoon glaze over cake. Allow glaze to drip down sides. Let stand until set.

CHOCOLATE PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare bundt pan.
• Sprinkle soda on prunes.
• Pour boiling water over and allow to cool.
• Cream butter and sugar in food processor.
• Add eggs.
• Add prune mixture and process for 15 seconds.
• Gradually add flour sifted with cocoa.
• Mix until blended with on/off motion.
• Pour into pan.
• Bake 45-55 minutes.
• When cool, turn out.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

DARK CHOCOLATE-PRUNE BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, leaving an overhang on the ends for easy removal. Butter the bottom and sides of foil.
• In a small bowl, toss the chopped prunes with the cognac or bourbon. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, almonds, salt, and cinnamon with your fingers until no lumps of brown sugar remain. Add the butter to the bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until clumps form when the mixture is pressed together.
• Press 2 cups of the streusel mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat. Add the Lyle's Golden Syrup and the chocolate. Let stand one minute; stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Sprinkle the prune pieces evenly over the hot crust, adding any remaining cognac to the ganache. Drizzle the chocolate ganache over the prunes, as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the edges and top are golden. Cool bars in pan set over a wire rack. Lift the edges of the foil to remove bars from pan. Slide bars from foil to a cutting board. Cut into very small squares (they're rich!).