Bon Appetit Desserts (39 page)

Frost cupcakes, mounding slightly in center. Cut 1-inch-long pieces of apple straws and stick 1 piece in top of each cupcake to resemble stem. Using leaf-shaped cutters, cut out leaves from candy tape. Drape leaves atop cupcakes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at cool room temperature.

White Chocolate Cupcakes with Candied Kumquats

The candied kumquats add a tang that contrasts nicely with the sweet white chocolate and creamy coconut milk. Coconut milk is available at many supermarkets and at Indian, Southeast Asian, and Latin markets. Shake the can well before opening it.
Makes 18

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

1¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 cup sugar

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

3 large egg whites, room temperature

4 ½ ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

6 ounces Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Candied Kumquats (see recipe)

CUPCAKES
: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 18 standard (⅓-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Place white chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool to lukewarm.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and coarse salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Stir white chocolate into sugar mixture. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with coconut milk in 2 additions. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter among paper liners (about ¼ cup each).

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool completely in pans on rack.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

FROSTING
: Stir white chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and coarse salt in another medium bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate. Cool until thickened to spreadable consistency.

Spread frosting over cupcakes. Drain Candied Kumquats; arrange kumquats decoratively atop cupcakes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be assembled 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Candied Kumquats

Cooking the kumquat slices in simple syrup gently mellows the tart citrus flavor. These candied kumquats would be a great addition to many other desserts—in trifles, atop cheesecakes and custards, and between layers of a gingerbread cake. And try stirring the kumquat syrup into cocktails.
Makes about ⅔ cup

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

20 kumquats, sliced into rounds, seeded

Stir ½ cup water and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring syrup to boil. Add kumquats and return to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until fruit is tender and syrup thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl; cool to room temperature.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Chocolate Fudge Torte

A velvety frosting and tender cake make this Passover dessert rich and decadent enough for any special occasion. The use of nondairy creamer and pareve margarine makes it lactose-free, and Passover-friendly matzo cake meal and potato starch are used in place of flour. (When Passover food restrictions are not a concern, the recipe is great using heavy cream and butter.) Potato starch, made from cooked, dried, and ground potatoes, is a gluten-free thickener. Look for it in the kosher or baking aisle of your supermarket. Freezing the cake just until it becomes firm makes removing it from the pan and assembling it easier.

8 to 10 servings

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

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted pareve margarine, diced

3 large eggs, beaten to blend

½ cup liquid nondairy creamer

Pinch of coarse salt

1½ cups sugar, divided

1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tablespoons matzo cake meal

2 tablespoons potato starch

5 large eggs, separated, room temperature

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup liquid nondairy creamer

Chocolate shavings (optional)

Fresh mint leaves (optional)

FROSTING
: Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and just begins to bubble, about 8 minutes. Chill until just thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1½ hours.

CAKE
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15½×10½×1-inch baking sheet with foil, leaving overhang. Grease foil. Sift ½ cup sugar, cocoa, cake meal, and potato starch into medium bowl.

Combine egg whites and salt in large bowl. Using handheld electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Using same beaters, beat egg yolks and remaining ½ cup sugar in another large bowl until thick, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in oil, then nondairy creamer. Add dry ingredients; beat just until blended. Fold egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture in 3 additions.

Spread batter on prepared sheet. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out dry and cake feels firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. Freeze cake just until firm, about 30 minutes.

Using foil as aid, lift cake onto work surface. Cut cake crosswise into 3 rectangles, each about 10×5 inches. Slide large spatula under 1 cake rectangle; transfer to platter. Spread ⅔ cup frosting over. Top with second layer. Spread ⅔ cup frosting over. Top with third layer. Spread very thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake to coat thinly and anchor crumbs. Chill cake 15 minutes to set thin coat of frosting. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over cake. Chill until cold, about 4 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover loosely with foil; keep chilled.

Cover top of cake with chocolate shavings and garnish with mint, if desired. Cut crosswise into slices and serve.

Chocolate, Walnut, and Prune Fudge Torte

Prunes add moisture to this rich torte, which can be made up to three days before you plan to serve it. Slice it thinly: It’s very rich, and a little goes a long way. To serve this dessert during Passover, make it with margarine for a meat meal or with butter for a dairy meal. Note that the cake needs to chill overnight after it’s baked.
16 servings

Natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ cups diced pitted prunes (about 8 ounces)

1 cup prune juice

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted margarine or unsalted butter

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

¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

8 large eggs, room temperature

2 large egg yolks

1¾ cups sugar

Pinch of salt

1 cup prune juice

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted margarine or unsalted butter

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

24 walnut halves

CAKE
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Brush 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides with margarine. Dust pan with cocoa; tap out excess. Wrap outside of pan with triple layer of heavy-duty foil. Combine prunes and prune juice in small bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.

Melt margarine in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add ¾ cup cocoa and whisk until smooth. Mix in walnuts, then prune mixture. Cool to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt in large bowl at medium speed until well blended and just beginning to foam, about 1 minute. Fold in chocolate mixture. Transfer batter to prepared springform pan. Set springform pan in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

Set roasting pan in oven and bake torte until top looks dry and crusty and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool torte in pan on rack 30 minutes. Place in refrigerator uncovered and chill overnight.