10/05/2008
Chocolate Cranberry Mousse Cake
Cranberry Compote:
12oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 t minced orange peel
2 T fresh orange juice
*Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
*Bring to boil.
*Reduce heat and simmer until cranberries pop and mixture is syrupy, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
*Transfer mixture to bowl.
*Refrigerate until cold.
*Mix in orange juice.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
Chocolate Ganache:
2 cups whipping cream
2 T unsalted butter
2 T sugar
1 1/2 lbs semisweet chocolate, chopped
*Bring cream, butter and sugar to simmer in heavy large saucepan, stirring occasionally.
*Place chocolate in large bowl.
*Pour boiling cream mixture over.
*Let stand 5 minutes.
*Stir chocolate mixture until melted and smooth.
*Let ganache stand at room temperature until cool, about 2 hours.
Chocolate Cake:
2 T unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup plus 2 T unsalted butter
6 1/2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
9 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
*Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
*Brush three 9" cake pans with 1 1/2" high sides with melted butter.
*Line bottoms with parchment.
*Brush parchment with melted butter.
*Melt 3/4 cup plus 2 T butter and chocolate in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
*Set aside.
*Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in large bowl until tripled in volume, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 6 minutes.
*Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks.
*Fold melted chocolate mixture into yolk mixture.
*Stir in 1/4 of whites.
*Fold in remaining whites.
*Divide batter among prepared pans, spreading evenly.
*Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 22minutes.
*Let cakes cool completely in pans on racks.
Assembly:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
*Spread dab of ganache on 9" tart pan bottom.
*Turn out 1 cake layer onto pan bottom; peel off parchment.
*In medium bowl, mix 1 cup ganache, 1 cup cranberry compote and walnuts.
*Spread half of cranberry-ganache mixture atop cake.
*Turn out second cake layer onto another 9" tart pan bottom; peel off parchment.
*Slide second cake onto filled cake.
*Spread remaining cranberry-ganache mixture atop cake.
*Turn out third cake layer onto tart pan bottom; peel off parchment.
*Slide third cake onto filled cake.
*Place cake in freezer 1 hour.
*Spoon 1 cup plain ganache into pastry bag fitted with star tip; set aside at room temperature.
*Using spatula, spread remaining plain ganache over sides and top of cake.
*Chill cake 1 hour.
*Pipe 2 rows of plain chocolate ganache stars around top edge of cake.
*Spoon remaining cranberry compote atop cake inside border.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
*Let cake stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
*Using warm knife, cut cake into slices, wiping knife clean after each slice.
*Transfer to plates and serve.
Serves 16
This recipe came from the author of Death by Chocolate.
Cranberry Compote:
12oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 t minced orange peel
2 T fresh orange juice
*Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
*Bring to boil.
*Reduce heat and simmer until cranberries pop and mixture is syrupy, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
*Transfer mixture to bowl.
*Refrigerate until cold.
*Mix in orange juice.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
Chocolate Ganache:
2 cups whipping cream
2 T unsalted butter
2 T sugar
1 1/2 lbs semisweet chocolate, chopped
*Bring cream, butter and sugar to simmer in heavy large saucepan, stirring occasionally.
*Place chocolate in large bowl.
*Pour boiling cream mixture over.
*Let stand 5 minutes.
*Stir chocolate mixture until melted and smooth.
*Let ganache stand at room temperature until cool, about 2 hours.
Chocolate Cake:
2 T unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup plus 2 T unsalted butter
6 1/2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
9 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
*Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
*Brush three 9" cake pans with 1 1/2" high sides with melted butter.
*Line bottoms with parchment.
*Brush parchment with melted butter.
*Melt 3/4 cup plus 2 T butter and chocolate in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
*Set aside.
*Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in large bowl until tripled in volume, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, about 6 minutes.
*Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks.
*Fold melted chocolate mixture into yolk mixture.
*Stir in 1/4 of whites.
*Fold in remaining whites.
*Divide batter among prepared pans, spreading evenly.
*Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 22minutes.
*Let cakes cool completely in pans on racks.
Assembly:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
*Spread dab of ganache on 9" tart pan bottom.
*Turn out 1 cake layer onto pan bottom; peel off parchment.
*In medium bowl, mix 1 cup ganache, 1 cup cranberry compote and walnuts.
*Spread half of cranberry-ganache mixture atop cake.
*Turn out second cake layer onto another 9" tart pan bottom; peel off parchment.
*Slide second cake onto filled cake.
*Spread remaining cranberry-ganache mixture atop cake.
*Turn out third cake layer onto tart pan bottom; peel off parchment.
*Slide third cake onto filled cake.
*Place cake in freezer 1 hour.
*Spoon 1 cup plain ganache into pastry bag fitted with star tip; set aside at room temperature.
*Using spatula, spread remaining plain ganache over sides and top of cake.
*Chill cake 1 hour.
*Pipe 2 rows of plain chocolate ganache stars around top edge of cake.
*Spoon remaining cranberry compote atop cake inside border.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
*Let cake stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
*Using warm knife, cut cake into slices, wiping knife clean after each slice.
*Transfer to plates and serve.
Serves 16
This recipe came from the author of Death by Chocolate.
Labels: Cake, chocolate cake, cranberry, mousse, mousse cake
