Chocolate Cognac Cake Food

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT TORTE WITH CHOCOLATE COGNAC MOUSSE

Steps:

• Make ganache:
• Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low. Whisk in chocolate until smooth and remove from heat. Transfer ganache to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened but spreadable, about 2 hours. (If ganache becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)
• Make cake layers while ganache chills:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• Pulse chestnuts with flour, baking soda, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
• Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or about 6 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla (mixture will look a little separated). Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly among pans and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks, then invert onto racks and remove parchment.
• Make mousse and assemble torte:
• Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, and stir in Cognac. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of softened butter, about 1 hour. (If mixture becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until softened.)
• Beat cream in a bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks, then chill, covered, while beginning to assemble torte.
• Put 1 cake layer on cardboard round on a rack set in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep). Spread 1/2 cup ganache evenly over top of layer and sprinkle with all of chopped marrons glacés. Top marrons glacés with another 1/4 cup ganache and cover with another cake layer.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add sugar and beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir whipped cream into chocolate Cognac mixture, then stir in one third of whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon mousse immediately onto cake layer (it sets quickly), spreading evenly, then top with third cake layer. Chill torte, covered, until mousse layer is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency at room temperature, chilling, covered, if it becomes too soft.
• Glaze cake:
• Reserve 1 1/4 cups ganache in a metal bowl, then spread remainder over top and side of torte to seal in crumbs. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Set bowl of reserved ganache over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until ganache reaches a pourable consistency. Remove bowl from heat and cool 5 minutes. Pour ganache evenly over top of torte, making sure it coats all of side. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze (let excess drip into baking pan). Transfer cake on cardboard to a cake stand or plate using 2 large heavy metal spatulas and chill until set. Garnish just before serving.

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). If it does not have a removable bottom, line a 9 inch tube pan with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, cocoa and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Set aside. Measure 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture and toss with the grated chocolate.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at low speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Increase mixer speed to medium, stir in cream of tartar and salt, and continue to beat until egg whites form soft peaks. Gradually mix in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.
• Gently fold the flour mixture into the beaten egg whites, then fold in the grated chocolate, stirring just until no white streaks remain.
• Gently scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface of the batter and tap the pan lightly to remove any air bubbles. Bake in center of the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until the surface springs back when touched. Cool completely, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving, if desired.

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, cake flour, and cocoa. Sift together 2 times, and set aside.
• In a clean large bowl, whip egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on high speed until very stiff. Fold in white sugar 2 tablespoons at a time while continuing to mix. Fold in flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for approximately 1 hour, or until cake springs back when touched.

CHOCOLATE COGNAC CAKE

Steps:

• Place the cookies in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
• Transfer them to a mixing bowl.
• Place the 2-3/4 oz. of chocolate and 1/2 cup of butter in a microwave bowl.
• Place in microwave and melt them in 15 second increments.
• Stirring a few times.
• Give the chocolate and butter a final stirring to mix well, then pour over the cookie crumbs and mix together.
• Put this mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and press down to form a base.
• Place in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
• Place the chocolate in a large microwave safe mixing bowl and melt in 15 second increments.
• Beat in the mascarpone, egg yolks and brandy.
• Whip the cream until it just holds its shape and fold it into the chocolate mixture.
• Using a grease-free bowl and clean beaters, whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
• Add the sugar, a little at a time, and beat until the whites are thick and glossy.
• Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture in two batches, until just mixed.
• Spoon the mixture onto the chilled base and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• To serve:.
• Carefully remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a serving plate.
• Pipe 12 rosettes of the whipped cream and top each with a chocolate coffee bean.
• Cut into 12 wedges and serve.

CHOCOLATE DATE CAKE WITH COCONUT-COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the dates and cognac in a bowl and let macerate about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the macerated dates, almonds, and coconut. Mix until the ingredients come together into a paste.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the melted chocolate into the date mixture and set aside.
• In another bowl, whip together the egg whites and salt until they just begin to form soft peaks. While slowly adding the sugar, continue whipping the whites until they form firm peaks. Fold in the cocoa, cardamom, and ginger until just combined. Working in 3 batches, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the date-chocolate mixture until just combined.
• Scoop chocolate batter into buttered ramekins or molds. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out dry, about 12 minutes. Lower the oven to 325 degrees F.
• To serve, unmold the cakes onto a baking sheet and top each with a chilled chocolate-almond wafer. Put the cakes into the oven and bake until the wafer just melts, about 15 seconds. Spoon a small pool of sauce onto plates, and gently place the cakes into the sauce. Serve.
• Put the chocolate into a bowl. Bring the cream to a gentle simmer, pour over the chocolate, and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Fold in the spices and nuts. Spread the chocolate batter evenly onto a silicone mat or wax paper-lined baking sheet and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the wafer into discs that are slightly larger than the top of the cakes.
• Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, reduced and thickened.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C. Grease and line with parchment paper a 10-inch/25 cm cake pan, with quite high sides.
• Boil a full kettle of water and set aside. Have a roasting pan at the ready that will accommodate the cake pan comfortably.
• Put the Cognac or rum, espresso, chocolate and vanilla into a saucepan and melt over a bain-marie.
• Break the eggs into a large glass or metal bowl with the sugar. Set the bowl over a pot of warm water, and beat until the mixture has tripled in volume and has the consistency of whipped cream. This will take about 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whip the cream into peaks.
• Partially fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Add the whipped heavy cream and continue folding the mixtures until evenly combined. Pour into the cake pan. Set the cake pan into the roasting pan, and slide it into the oven. Now, pour the hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
• Bake until set, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven, open the door and let the cake sit for 15 minutes to sink evenly back into the pan. Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit 30 minutes in the water bath. Remove from the bath and flip the cake onto a platter. Press gold leaf, if using, on the top to decorate. Serve with sweetened whipped cream on the side.

CHOCOLATE-COGNAC CREAM

Steps:

• Using electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in medium bowl to soft peaks. Add cocoa and Cognac; beat until peaks form. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

CHOCOLATE SPOON CAKE WITH COGNAC CHERRIES

Steps:

• For cherries: Combine cherries, water, 1/3 cup Cognac and sugar in small saucepan; bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to low and cook until most liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes; cool; add ½ cup Cognac; cover; chill overnight.
• For cake: Preheat oven to 300F; position rack in centre of oven; butter bottom and sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan; line sides with parchment paper strip; sprinkle bottom with almonds; melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth; remove from over water; cool slightly.
• Beat butter and ¼ cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy; add yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; fold in melted chocolate, then cocoa; with clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form; add ¼ cup sugar, beat until stiff but not dry; fold whites into chocolate mixture in 2 additions, folding until just combined; pour batter into pan; bake until tester inserted into centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes; cool on rack (cake will fall to a height of about 2 inches); cut around sides of pan to loosen cake; release pan sides; remove parchment; reattach sides of pan.
• For custard: Preheat oven to 300F; bring cream to boil in small saucepan; remove from heat; add 5 oz chocolate; stir until smooth; whisk in milk, yolk and vanilla; drain cherries well, reserving liquid; press enough cherries onto top of cake to cover completely; wrap outside of pan with foil; pour custard over cake, covering completely and allowing some custard to fill space between sides of pan and cake; press down on cherries to submerge; using tip of knife, pierce any bubbles on surface; bake until custard is barely set, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer cake to rack; cool completely; cut around sides of pan to loosen cake; if custard is not completely set, refrigerate cake 15 minutes; release pan sides; press chocolate shavings onto sides of cake; (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead; cover and chill).
• Serve cake with ice cream; drizzle ice cream with reserved cherry liquid.