Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (14 page)

1½ cups granulated sugar

3 eggs (graded large), separated

¾ cup milk

Adjust rack to center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round layer-cake pans and dust all over with flour, invert over paper and tap to shake out excess flour. Set the prepared pans aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Place the chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat well. Add the egg yolks all at once and beat, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula, until well mixed. Add the chocolate and beat to mix.

On low speed add the sifted dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, scraping the bowl with the spatula and beating until smooth after each addition. Remove from the mixer and set aside.

In the small bowl of the electric mixer, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until they hold a firm shape but are not dry.

Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture.

Divide between the two pans and smooth the tops.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops barely spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip. (The cakes are soft and will not spring back as sharply as most cakes do. Do not overbake or the cake will be dry.)

Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, with a small, sharp knife, cut around the sides to release. Cover each layer with a rack, invert, remove pan, cover with another rack and invert again, leaving the layers right side up to cool on the racks. Cool completely.

Prepare a flat cake plate or serving board by placing four strips of wax paper around the outer edges.

These layers are tender and delicate and must be completely cool and handled with care. Place one layer upside down on the cake plate, checking to be sure that the wax paper touches the cake all around.

If you have a cake-decorating turntable or a lazy Susan, place the cake plate on it.

Prepare the icing.

MARSHMALLOW ICING

This is a perfect marshmallow-like filling or icing. You will love it. It will not form a crust if it stands for even a few days. You must use a candy thermometer.

1½ cups granulated sugar

⅔ teaspoon cream of tartar (see Note)

⅔ cup water

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅔ cup egg whites (from 4 to 5 eggs; you can use whites that have been left over from other recipes, frozen, and then thawed)

1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the sugar, cream of tartar, and water in a 6-cup saucepan (preferably one that is tall and narrow—in a wide one the mixture will be too low to reach the bulb of the candy thermometer). With a wooden spatula stir over moderate heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to boil. Cover and let boil for 3 minutes. (This keeps the steam in the pot and dissolves any sugar crystals that cling to the sides. However, if you still see any granules when you remove the cover, dip a pastry brush in cold water and use it to wipe the sides.)

Uncover and insert a candy thermometer. Raise the heat to high and let boil without stirring until the thermometer registers 242 degrees.

Shortly before the sugar syrup is done (or when the thermometer registers about 236 degrees—soft-ball stage) add the salt to the egg whites in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until the whites are stiff. (If the sugar syrup is not ready, turn the beater to the lowest speed and let beat slowly until the syrup is ready. Or you can let the whites stand, but no longer than necessary.

When the syrup is ready (242 degrees—medium-ball stage), put the mixer on high speed and gradually add the syrup to the beaten whites in a thin stream. Then beat at high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, for about 5 minutes or until the icing is quite thick and stiff. Mix in the vanilla. If necessary beat some more. The icing may still be warm when it is used.

Spread one-third of the icing over the bottom layer about ⅓ to ½ inch thick. Cover with the top layer, placing it right side up so that both layer bottoms meet in the middle.

With a long, narrow metal spatula spread the remaining icing around the sides and on the top and spread it smoothly. Or form it into loose swirls and high peaks—these will stay just where you put them. It is the most agreeable and cooperative icing I have ever used with a pastry bag. If you like to use a pastry bag, spread the icing more thinly and reserve a generous amount for decorating. Fit the bag with a large star-shaped tube and you will have great fun with rosettes and curlicues of all kinds.

Remove the wax paper strips by pulling each one out toward a narrow end.

Let the cake stand uncovered at room temperature for several hours before serving.

NOTE
:
To measure ⅔ teaspoon, measure 1 teaspoon and, with a small metal spatula or a table knife, mark it into thirds. Then cut away one-third and return it to the box.

Black Forest Cherry Torte

12
G
ENEROUS
P
ORTIONS

Question:
What is better than chocolate cake and whipped cream?

Answer:
Chocolate cake and whipped cream with cherries and kirsch.

This is adapted from a famous old classic Viennese recipe. It is named in honor of the Black Forest region of Germany because that is where kirsch (cherry brandy) comes from. It is huge, dramatic, extravagant
, wunderbar!
Make it for a big occasion and have your camera ready. The cake (which is a chocolate nut sponge cake), cherry filling, and kirsch syrup may all be prepared ahead of time, but it should be assembled and the whipped cream should be put on the day it is served.

You will need a 10 × 3-inch round cake pan or spring-form pan. And plenty of room in the refrigerator.

2½ ounces (½ cup) almonds, blanched or unblanched

½ cup sifted all-purpose flour

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

9 eggs (graded large)

1 tablespoon water

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup fine, dry bread crumbs

¼ teaspoon salt

Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 × 3-inch round cake pan or spring-form pan, dust all over with fine, dry bread crumbs (these are in addition to those called for in the ingredients), invert over paper and tap lightly to shake out excess, and set the prepared pan aside.

The almonds must be finely ground; this may be done in a food processor, a blender, or a nut grinder. Set the ground almonds aside.

Sift together the flour and cocoa and set aside.

Separate 8 of the eggs. Place the yolks, the 1 remaining whole egg, and the tablespoon of water in the small bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at high speed for 4 or 5 minutes until pale lemon-colored. Reduce the speed and gradually add ¾ cup (reserve ¼ cup) of the sugar. Increase the speed to high again and beat for a few minutes until the mixture forms a wide ribbon when the beaters are raised (it will be a pale creamy color).

On lowest speed add the ground almonds and the bread crumbs, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until incorporated. During the mixing, if the mixture fills the bowl too much and it looks as though it might run over, transfer it to the large bowl of the mixer. Now, in order to avoid spattering, use the rubber spatula to fold in the sifted dry ingredients a bit, then beat briefly at lowest speed only until everything is incorporated. Remove from the mixer.

Place the 8 egg whites and the salt in the large bowl of the electric mixer. (If you do not have two large bowls for your electric mixer, transfer the egg yolk mixture to any other bowl. You will need a large one for beating the egg whites.) With clean beaters beat at high speed until the whites barely hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate and gradually add the reserved ¼ cup of sugar. Then increase the speed again and beat until the whites hold a firm shape but are not stiff or dry.

Add two or three large spoonfuls of the whites to the chocolate mixture and stir to lighten the chocolate a bit. Fold in two or three more spoonfuls. Then add all of the chocolate to the whites and fold only until blended.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and briskly rotate the pan a bit first one way, then another, to level the top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.

Immediately cut around the sides with a firm, sharp knife to release the cake. Cover with a rack and invert, remove the pan, cover with another rack and invert again, leaving the cake right side up to cool.

If possible, chill the cake in the freezer for about an hour to make it easier to slice into two layers.

CHERRY FILLING

This may be made several days ahead if you wish.

2 1-pound cans red sour pitted cherries (water-packed)

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons liquid drained from the cherries

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Few drops red food coloring

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Optional: additional kirsch (to be used when assembling the cake)

Drain the cherries (you will have about 3½ cups of cherries), setting aside ¾ cup plus 2
tablespoons of the liquid—you will not need the remaining liquid.

Spread out the cherries on several thicknesses of paper towels to drain thoroughly.

In a small saucepan stir the sugar and cornstarch to mix thoroughly. Gradually add ¾ cup of the liquid, reserving the remaining 2 tablespoons. Stir constantly to keep the mixture smooth.

Place over moderate heat and stir gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture comes to a low boil. Reduce the heat slightly and barely simmer, stirring gently, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the food coloring and the almond extract.

Pour into a bowl, add the drained cherries, and stir. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate.

KIRSCH SYRUP

This may be made ahead of time if you wish.

2 tablespoons liquid reserved from the drained cherries above (or water)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

⅓ cup kirsch

Place the cherry liquid and the sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over moderate heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the kirsch, and let stand to cool.

WHIPPED CREAM

4 cups heavy cream

½ cup confectioners sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

⅓ cup kirsch

Before whipping the cream, chill the large bowl and the beaters of the electric mixer. (Or the cream may be whipped with a large wire whisk, in which case place the large mixing bowl in which you are whipping the cream in a larger bowl of ice and water.)

Place all the ingredients in the chilled bowl and beat (or whisk) until the cream is firm enough to use as filling and icing—it must hold a definite shape (watch it very carefully toward the end).