Chocolate Almond Cake With Sugared Cranberries Recipes

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and extracts; mix well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. , Pour into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. , For frosting, cream butter, sugar and extracts in a small bowl until smooth. Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over cake. Decorate with almonds.

SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine the granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries and weight with a plate to submerge. Cover the pot and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours. Strain the cranberries, reserving the syrup. (Refrigerate leftover syrup in an airtight container for up to 1 month.)
• Spread the superfine sugar on a baking sheet; toss the cranberries in the sugar. Refrigerate on the baking sheet, uncovered, for 1 hour. Toss again in the sugar before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ALMOND AND CHOCOLATE DACQUOISE WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and, using an 8-inch round cake pan as a guide, trace 3 circles on parchment (2 on one sheet and 1 on other). Turn parchment over (circles will show through paper).
• Make meringue layers:
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with cream of tartar and salt until they hold soft peaks. Add sugar all at once and vanilla and beat until meringue holds stiff glossy peaks. Fold in almonds gently but thoroughly and divide meringue evenly among parchment circles, spreading to fill in circles.
• Bake meringue layers in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, 1 hour, or until firm and pale golden. Remove parchment from sheets and cool meringue layers on it on racks. Carefully peel off parchment and put meringues, smooth sides up, on a work surface. Meringue layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, in a cool dry place.
• Make cranberry sauce:
• In a heavy saucepan combine cranberries, preserves, sugar, water, and lemon juice and simmer until thickened slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Cranberry sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and transfer chocolate to a sealable plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Squeeze chocolate to one corner and snip off corner as close to edge as possible to make a 1/8-inch hole. Drizzle chocolate over smooth sides of meringues (do not spread to coat) and chill, uncovered, until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• In a bowl beat cream with sugar and vanilla until cream holds stiff peaks.
• Assemble dacquoise:
• Put 1 meringue layer, chocolate side down, on a cake plate and spread evenly with about half of whipped cream. Repeat layering in same manner with another meringue, remaining whipped cream, and remaining meringue. Dacquoise may be assembled and kept in a cake keeper, chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Garnish dacquoise with chocolate leaves and sugared cranberries, Slice dacquoise with a serrated knife and serve chilled with cranberry sauce.
• To make the chocolate holly leaves:
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and remove double boiler or pan from heat. With a 1/2-inch pastry brush coat underside of each leaf about 1/8 inch thick with chocolate. Chill leaves, chocolate sides up, until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes, and carefully peel off holly or lemon leaves. Chocolate leaves may be made 1 week ahead and kept frozen, in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container lined with wax paper. Makes 15 chocolate leaves.