Chocolate Truffle Cake

Chocolate Truffle Cake

Truffles:

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon ( 1/2 ounce ) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flavoring of your choice ( Grand Marnier, Amaretto,raspberry liqueur, etc. )
8 fresh perfect raspberries, optional

Chocolate Cake:
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
5 ounces ( 1 1/4 sticks ) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 eggs, at room temperature
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
Whipped cream, optional
Ice cream, optional

1. Make the truffles: Combine the chocolate, cream, and butter in a small heatproof bowl, set over simmering water, and let melt. When almost melted, remove from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in flavoring of your choice and refrigerate until thick enough to mound on a spoon, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

2. Line baking tray with wax or parchment paper. Scrape the chocolate mixture into pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip. Pipe eight 1-inch mounds onto the prepared tray. Place 1 raspberry in center of each chocolate mound and pipe a little more of the chocolate mixture to enclose completely. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

3. Make the cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter, or coat with vegetable spray, 8 oversize muffin cups ( 4 inches wide and 2 inches deep ) or 1 1/4-cup custard cups. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper. ( To cut out the rounds, place 1 of the cups on wax paper and trace around the bottom with a pencil. Then cut the 8 circles. ) Set aside.

4. In the top of a double boiler or a small heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt together the chocolate and butter. Cool slightly.

5. Meanwhile, in the large bowl of an electric mixer, with paddle or beaters, on high speed, beat eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Scrape in the chocolate mixture and, on low speed, beat just until combined. Remove the bowl and fold in the flour, using a rubber spatula. Spoon a little of the batter into each of the prepared cups, top with 1 truffle, and cover with the remaining batter. Arrange cups on baking tray and bake until edges of the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the cups, 12 to 13 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Invert onto individual dessert plates and carefully peel off paper.

6. Serve warm. Spoon softly whipped cream or ice cream next to each cake and, if desired, garnish with a few fresh raspberries. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

Source: Wolfgang Puck - Spago Desserts

Chocolate-Bran Bars

Chocolate-Bran Bars

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter1 tablespoon molasses
2/3 cup ( 3 ounces ) dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup ( 2 ounces ) pitted prunes, chopped
3 cups bran flake cereal

Grease a shallow 11 x 7-inch baking pan with butter; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. Melt chocolate, butter and molasses together in a bowl placed over a pan of gently simmering water. Remove from heat.

Add apricots, prunes and cereal to chocolate mixture; mix thoroughly. Spread in prepared pan, smoothing top with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until firmly set.

Loosen mixture from pan by running the tip of a knife around the inside edges of pan. Turn out onto a board and remove paper; turn mixture over. Cut in 24 pieces. Arrange bars neatly on a serving dish or store in an airtight container in a cool place for 2 to 3 days. Makes 24 bars.

Source: The Book of Cookies by Pat Alburey

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

CRUST:
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
6 T. margarine

FILLING:
1 bag (14 oz.) caramels
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350.
Mix crumbs, margarine; press onto bottom, sides of 9" springform pan.
Bake 10 minutes.
Microwave caramels, milk in small bowl, 4-5 minutes, until melted, stirring every minute.
Pour over crust.
Top with pecans.

Beat cream cheese, sugar until well blended.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Blend in chocolate, vanilla; pour over pecans.

Place pan on cookie sheet, bake 45 minutes.
Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.
Refrigerate.
Garnish with whipped cream, additional chopped pecans.

CHOCOLATE MINT MERINGUE CHEESECAKE

CHOCOLATE MINT MERINGUE CHEESECAKE

1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs
2 T. granulated sugar
3 T. butter or margarine, melted
three 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup mint chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large egg whitesone
7 oz. jar marshmallows creme

Combine chocolate wafer crumbs, 2 T. sugar, melted butter; press onto bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, mixing at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Blend in mint chocolate chips, vanilla; pour over crust.
Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing from pan.
Chill.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gradually add marshmallow creme, beating until stiff peaks form.
Carefully spread over top of cheesecake to edges.
Bake at 450 for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.