Mexican Chocolate Cake With Dried Cranberries Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, mix 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. In small bowl, place cranberries. Pour syrup over berries; stir to blend. Refrigerate, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove berries from refrigerator and drain; discard liquid. In small bowl, place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Working with a few berries at a time, roll one by one in the sugar to completely coat. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour or until dry. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat Cake ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups of the batter in each pan.
• Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, softened butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. If necessary, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time, until spreading consistency.
• Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread 3/4 cup frosting on top; top with second cake layer. Spread 3/4 cup frosting on top; top with third cake layer. Frost sides with a thin layer of frosting so sides are covered but cake still shows through. Spread remaining frosting on top.
• Place sugared cranberries around base of cake, and press in slightly to adhere to frosting. Place remaining cranberries on top, mounding in center of cake; garnish with sprigs of rosemary. Loosely cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
• Butter and flour a 12-cup (1.5-L) Bundt pan or 9-inch (22.5-cm) angel food cake pan. Melt the butter over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa.
• Add water and coffee and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Whisk in the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Add the cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined.
• Whisk in the cranberries.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake cake until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, 45 - 55 minutes.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a thin knife and invert onto a plate.
• Let cool.
• For the glaze, bring the cream to a boil in a small pot.
• Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until smooth.
• Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides.
• Keeps well for 3 days tightly wrapped. Freeze for longer storage.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Make the sugared cranberries: Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them; let sit 1 hour. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the cardamom in a large bowl. Drain the cranberries, add to the spiced sugar and toss to coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, rerolling the cranberries in the sugar occasionally until dry, 2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl; set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate large bowl. Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan until almost simmering; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until just combined. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; lightly tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made 1 day ahead; let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the side of the bowl, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and almond liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Halve 1/2 cup of the sugared cranberries. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then sprinkle with the halved cranberries. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top with the remaining sugared cranberries.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Put all ingredients into a microwave-safe bowl.
• Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir to combine.
• Continue repeating heating in microwave, using 30 seconds at a time, until completely mixed into smooth consistency.
• Cool to room temperature, use as cake/dessert frosting or filling.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake:.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F Butter cake pan well and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• Melt butter (2 sticks) in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl, then sift again into cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (don't worry if there are lumps).
• Pour batter into cake pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 45 to 55 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
• Cool cake in pan on a rack 20 minutes, then loosen edges with a thin knife and invert onto a plate.
• Make glaze:.
• Spread pecans in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool pecans slightly in pan on a rack, about 5 minutes.
• Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, then stir in half-and-half and confectioners sugar. Add chocolate and cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and salt. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Spoon glaze over top and sides of cake (cake will still be warm) and spread with a small offset spatula or knife to cover completely.

CHAMPURRADO WITH HONEY (MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE)

Steps:

• Add cinnamon, Mexican chocolate and two cups of water to a stock pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until chocolate melts.
• In a separate bowl mix the corn dough with a cup of water until smooth. Pour corn mixture into the hot chocolate, stirring constantly.
• Add the milk and honey to the pot, let it simmer over low heat, stirring frequently until the milk thickens, being careful not to let milk burn. Champurrado should be the consistency of heavy cream, if yours it too thick, just add more milk.
• For authenticity; froth the mixture with a Mexican Molinillo prior to serving.

MACADAMIA BUTTER COOKIES WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Process nuts in a food processor until it forms a smooth buttery paste (2-3 minutes). Combine macadamia butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add vanilla and egg; beat well.
• Combine flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; stir with a whisk. Beat slowly at low speed until just combined (mixture will be very thick).
• Stir in cranberries.
• Chill dough for 10 minutes.
• Divide chilled dough into 30 equal portion, roll into a ball. Press each ball into sugar; place each ball, sugar side up, on baking sheet.
• Gently press each cookie with fork, forming a criss-cross pattern.
• Bake cookies for 9-12 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.