Bon Appetit Desserts (44 page)

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pans on racks. Cover and let cakes stand at room temperature overnight.

GANACHE
: Bring cream to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer ganache to glass bowl. Let stand until thick enough to spread, about 4 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

MOUSSE
: Using electric mixer, beat 3⅓ cups cream in large bowl until peaks form; chill. Combine remaining 1 cup cream and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted, smooth, and still warm to touch. Pour warm chocolate mixture directly onto whipped cream and fold in gently. Chill until mousse is set, at least 8 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

ASSEMBLY AND SERVING
: Cut around pan sides; turn out cakes. Peel off parchment. Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round. Place another cake layer, cut side up, on clean baking sheet. Spread each with ⅓ cup raspberry jam. Chill until jam sets, about 15 minutes.

If ganache is chilled, microwave on defrost setting in 15-second intervals until just soft enough to spread, stirring occasionally. Drop 1 cup ganache by rounded teaspoonfuls over each jam layer. Using offset spatula, gently spread ganache to cover jam. Drop 3 cups mousse by heaping spoonfuls onto each ganache layer; gently spread to cover. Chill cake layers 30 minutes. Using large metal spatula, place cake layer from baking sheet, mousse side up, atop cake layer on tart pan bottom. Place third cake layer, cut side down, atop cake (reserve remaining cake layer for another use). Spread 1 cup mousse over top of assembled cake. Using long offset spatula, spread sides of assembled cake with enough ganache (about 1½ cups) to fill gaps and make smooth surface. Transfer cake on tart pan bottom to platter.

Turn 1 large baking sheet upside down on work surface. Arrange two 20-inch-long pieces of foil on work surface. Cut two 15¾×4½-inch-strips from transfer sheet. Lay 1 transfer sheet strip, rough-textured design facing up, onto each sheet of foil.

Place chocolate in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Stir until chocolate is smooth and very warm to touch (about 115°F). Remove bowl from over water.

Pour thick ribbon of melted chocolate (about ⅔ cup) onto 1 transfer sheet strip. Using long offset spatula, spread chocolate evenly over transfer strip, covering completely (chocolate will run over sides of strip) [1]. Using tip of knife, lift edge of chocolate-coated strip. Slide hands between transfer strip and foil; lift entire transfer strip and place it, chocolate side up, on inverted baking sheet [2]. Chill until chocolate on strip is set and loses gloss but is still flexible (do not let chocolate become too firm), about 1½ minutes. Using fingertips, lift chocolate-coated strip and attach, chocolate side in, to side of cake [3]. Press strip to seal chocolate to side of cake (strip will stand about 1 inch above top edge of cake). Coat remaining transfer strip with chocolate and transfer to inverted baking sheet; chill until set but still flexible. Arrange 1 end of second strip against (but not overlapping) 1 end of first strip. Press second strip to seal chocolate to side of cake (both strips will just encircle cake). Chill cake until chocolate strips are firm, about 30 minutes. Carefully peel transfer paper off chocolate strips [4]. Chill cake at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.

Mound fruit atop cake. Chill until ready to serve.

DO AHEAD
:
Cake can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Spiced Chocolate Torte Wrapped in Chocolate Ribbons

Adorned with a ribbon and a big bow, this cake looks like a delicious present. Adding corn syrup to the melted chocolates creates a pliable mixture known as modeling chocolate. Using a pasta machine makes it easy to roll out sheets of chocolate to cut into ribbons, but the cake would look stunning with just the glaze and fresh flowers.
12 to 14 servings

1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

8 eggs, separated, room temperature

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), melted, lukewarm

1½ cups finely chopped pecans

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1⅓ cups unbleached all purpose flour, sifted (measured, then sifted)

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cream of tartar

¾ cup sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

4 jumbo egg yolks

1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), melted and cooled (but still pourable)

¼ cup dark rum

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

2 tablespoons honey

¾ teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

7 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

½ cup light corn syrup, divided

7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), broken into pieces

CAKE
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1½-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each with waxed paper; butter and flour paper.

Using electric mixer, cream butter in large bowl. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in egg yolks 1 at a time. Blend in melted chocolate. Slowly mix in pecans, vanilla, and spices. Gently fold in flour in 4 batches (batter will be very thick and dense).

Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar in another large bowl until medium peaks form. Gently fold ¼ of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites. Divide batter among prepared pans, spreading evenly. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Run knife around sides of each cake. Let stand 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks. Cool to room temperature.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Wrap tightly and freeze.

BUTTERCREAM
: Stir sugar and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil 1 minute. Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg yolks in medium bowl until pale and thick.

Gradually beat in hot sugar syrup; continue beating until mixture is completely cool, about 5 minutes. Beat in butter 1 piece at a time, incorporating each piece completely before adding next. Blend in melted chocolate, then rum. (If buttercream looks broken or curdled, place bowl with buttercream over medium heat on stove burner and whisk 5 to 10 seconds to warm mixture slightly, then remove from heat and beat mixture again on medium speed. Repeat warming and beating as many times as needed until buttercream is smooth.)

Reserve ½ cup buttercream. Set 1 cake layer flat side up on rack; spread with half of remaining buttercream. Top with second cake layer; spread with remaining buttercream. Top with third cake layer; use reserved ½ cup buttercream to fill in seam where cake layers meet. Freeze cake until buttercream is firm, about 2 hours.

GLAZE
: Stir all ingredients in top of double boiler over gently simmering water until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Stir until glaze is thickened, about 5 minutes (do not allow to set).

Pour ¾ of glaze over top of cake. Carefully and quickly tilt cake back and forth so glaze coats sides; smooth sides with spatula, adding some of remaining glaze where necessary. Chill cake until glaze is set.

CHOCOLATE RIBBONS
: Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over gently simmering water; stir until smooth. Stir in ¼ cup corn syrup. Pour onto baking sheet. Chill until firm, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer white chocolate to work surface and knead several minutes. Shape white chocolate dough into ball. Wrap in plastic. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Repeat with bittersweet chocolate and remaining ¼ cup corn syrup.

Cut white chocolate dough into 4 pieces. Flatten 1 piece into rectangle. Turn pasta machine to widest setting. Run chocolate through 3 times, folding into thirds before each run. Adjust machine to next narrower setting. Run chocolate through machine without folding. If chocolate is more than
inch thick, run through next narrower setting. Lay chocolate piece on rimless baking sheet. Repeat flattening, folding, and rolling with remaining chocolate pieces. Repeat process with bittersweet chocolate dough.