Chocolate Marsala Cake Recipes

SQUIDGY CHOCOLATE CAKES WITH PRUNES IN MARSALA

Steps:

• First of all, deal with the prunes by placing them in a small saucepan, together with the Marsala, then just bring them up to simmering point and leave to cool. Transfer them to a small, lidded plastic box and leave to soak for as long as possible, turning them now and then. (I always try to let them soak overnight.) When you're ready to make the cakes, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C). Then separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a medium-sized bowl and the whites in a large, grease-free one. Next, whisk the yolks and the sweetener together quite briskly for about a minute, then sift the cocoa powder on to the yolks, whisking briefly until it's well blended in. Now, using an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites to the soft-peak stage. (They need to be standing up in peaks that just nod over when you lift the whisk.) After that, fold a tablespoon of the egg white into the chocolate mixture, then quickly but carefully fold in the rest. You can watch how to separate eggs and how to whisk egg whites in our Online Cookery School Videos on this page. Divide the mixture between the ramekins - it will pile up quite high - then place them on the baking tray and bake them for 12-15 minutes, or until they feel springy but still a bit wobbly to the touch. Remove them from the oven, and don't be alarmed to see them shrink because that's quite normal. When they're cool enough to handle, slide a small palette knife around the edges and turn out first on to the palm of your hand, then right-side up on to a cooling rack. While they're cooling, make the filling. Drain the prunes, reserving the liquid. Next, measure the fromage frais into a bowl, together with the sweetener and chocolate extract, then add the prune-soaking liquid and whisk everything together. Now transfer the prunes to a board, reserving four of them for the tops of the cakes, and roughly chop the rest, before folding them into the fromage-frais mixture. Finally, slice the chocolate cakes in half horizontally, fill with the prune mixture and sandwich the two halves together again. Pop a whole prune on top of each one and dust lightly with cocoa powder before serving. Nutritional information Per serving: 155 kcal, Fat 6.2 g, Saturates 1.9 g, Protein 9.5 g, Carbohydrate 14 g. More cake recipes

CHOCOLATE MARSALA CAKE

Steps:

• Spray a 20cm round cake tin with cooking spray and line with non-stick baking paper.
• Preheat oven to 180 C / 350°F.
• Place all ingredients into bowl of electric mixer.
• Beat on slow until everything is combined, then increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes.
• Pour into tin.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE, CHERRY AND MARSALA CASSATA

Steps:

• For filling:
• Combine dried currants and 2 tablespoons Marsala in small bowl. Let currants macerate 15 minutes. Cut cherries into eighths and drain on paper towels. Drain currants.
• Puree ricotta cheese, sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons Marsala and whipping cream in processor until smooth. Transfer to medium bowl. Gently mix in currants and cherries.
• Peel any loose crust from pound cake and discard. Cut pound cake lengthwise into 3 horizontal layers. Place bottom layer on serving platter. Spread half of filling over. Place second pound cake layer atop filling. Spread remaining filling over. Arrange third pound cake layer atop filling. Smooth sides with rubber spatula. Refrigerate cassata until filling is firm, about 2 hours.
• For Frosting:
• Combine 1/2 cup reserved cherry syrup, semisweet chocolate and Marsala in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add unsalted butter a few pieces at a time and whisk until melted. Refrigerate frosting until thickened to spreading consistency, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Slide sheets of waxed paper under edges of cassata. Transfer 1 cup chocolate frosting to pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Spread remaining chocolate frosting over sides and top of cassata. Pipe frosting in pastry bag in swirls on long sides and in rosettes along upper edges of cassata. Refrigerate until set. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Let cassata stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.