Best-Ever Chocolate Desserts Best-Ever Chocolate Desserts (February 04, 2005)

Warm Chocolate Cake

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate (or 2/3 cup chocolate chips) 4 Tbsp. butter 3 eggs 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 3 Tbsp. cake or all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder Melt the chocolate and butter over hot water, stirring until smooth. Whisk the eggs and sugar to blend. Fold in the flour blended with cocoa. Fold this mixture into the chocolate mixture. Grease (butter) and cocoa dust six or more 1/2-cup souffle dishes or a 9-inch pie pan. Pour in the batter. Chill 1-2 hours. Bake on a cookie sheet at 400°F for 12 to 16 minutes. Un-mold while warm and serve with ice cream. Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Dark Chocolate Almond Cake

1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) unsalted butter 8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 6 eggs, separated 1/8 tsp. each salt and cream of tartar 3/4 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. coffee, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec or rum 3/4 cup toasted finely ground almonds or toasted skinned hazelnuts 6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Chocolate Glaze: (optional) 6 oz. semisweet chocolate 2 Tbsp. walnut or hazelnut oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper. In the top of a double boiler over hot water, melt butter and chocolate and stir to blend. Let cool. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, add salt and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Add 3 tbsp. of sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. In another bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored and beat in remaining sugar and coffee or liqueur. Stir in chocolate mixture. Fold in one-third of the whites to lighten the mixture and gently fold in nuts, flour, and remaining whites. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool 30 minutes. Place a serving plate on cake pan, invert, remove pan sides, and carefully peel off parchment paper. Let the cake cool to room temperature.
For glaze, combine in the top of a double boiler the chocolates and oil. Melt over simmering water and stir to combine thoroughly. Cool until chocolate just begins to thicken. Pour glaze onto center of cake and quickly tip cake so glaze covers top surface. Using a spatula, coat sides of cake. Instead of the glaze, dust cake with powdered sugar shaken through a sieve or topped with chocolate curls. Makes 12 servings.

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped 2 cup half-and-half or milk 2/3 cup sugar 5 egg yolks, beaten or 3 eggs 1 cup whipping cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract
In the double boiler, heat the half-and-half over barely simmering water until scalded. Whisk the sugar into the egg yolks. Whisk in some of the hot half-and-half, return the mixture to the pan, and cook over barely simmering water, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the spoon. Stir the chocolate into the custard until the chocolate melts. Immediately place in a pan of cold water, and stir to cool to room temperature. Stir in the cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, or until thoroughly chilled. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Makes 1 quart. For vanilla, omit chocolate and add 1 Tbsp. vanilla.

Copyright 2002 Lou Pappas

E-mail a friend a link to this story.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]