Chocolate Torte With Dried Cherry Port Sauce

Chocolate Torte With Dried Cherry Port Sauce

Ah, the intensity yet elegance of a chocolate truffle dessert! A version of this amazingly simple torte is a signature sweet with Chefs Stev George and Deanna Harrington, owners of the elegant Casa Bella Inn in Gananoque, Ontario. A caramel sauce can replace the port sauce for the younger set.  

Ingredients:

Dried Cherry Port Sauce
1½ cups (375 mL) port
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) dried cherries or cranberries

Torte
3 eggs in shells
9 oz (275 g) high-quality semi-sweet or bittersweet
chocolate, chopped
¾ cup (175 mL) unsalted butter
1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
One 500 mL container rich vanilla ice cream

Directions:  

Bring port and sugar to a rolling boil in a large saucepan over high heat; boil 5 minutes uncovered. Add cherries, remove from heat. Cool. (Store in a covered jar in refrigerator for up to a week or more.)

Place eggs in a bowl and cover completely with hot tap water; set aside for about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190C).

Line an 8-inch (20-cm) layer-cake pan with foil, keeping edges slightly above pan for later grasping; coat foil with cooking spray.

In a small pan over low heat, melt chocolate with butter. Stir until smooth. Add vanilla. Drain eggs, discarding tap water, and crack into a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until triple in volume. Fold in melted chocolate mixture until just combined; pour into lined pan.

Place filled pan into a larger pan with sides. Pull out oven rack; place pans on rack. Pour about ¾-inch (2-cm) boiling water into outer pan, forming a hot water bath. Carefully push rack back into oven. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are raised and centre is just set when gently touched. Do not over-bake. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Then refrigerate torte at least 2 hours for ease in cutting. (Chilled torte keeps well for 2 to 3 days.)

To cut, lift cold torte out of pan using foil edges; remove foil and transfer torte to serving plate. Cut into wedges, then lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour to restore soft buttery texture. Serve with a small dollop of ice cream and a drizzle of cherry port sauce. 

To double recipe:
Double ingredients; make batter all at once. Divide batter between 2 prepared 8-inch (20-cm) layer-cake pans.

Makes 8 portions

Christmas Cake

A Better Christmas Cake

My trick for making a really good Christmas cake is to use high-quality dried fruit and simmer it in a mixture of alcohol that makes the flavours come together like a good cocktail; hold it together with just enough batter to turn it into a cake; bake it low and slow to keep it really moist and make small loaves that are great for sharing with family and other fruitcake lovers.  I use the small aluminum foil baking pans which makes sharing so easy.  This is my favorite!

Ingredients:
6 oz (175 g) pitted prunes

6 oz (175 g) dried apricots

4 oz (125 g) dried pineapple

4 oz (125 g) dried black Mission figs, hard stem ends removed

4 oz (125 g) dried cherries
4 oz (125 g) Thompson raisins
4 oz (125 g) golden raisins
¾ cup (175 mL) port
½ cup (125 mL) dark rum
½ cup (125 mL) brandy
½ tsp (2 mL) Angostura bitters
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches (8 cm) long
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1¼ tsp (6 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground cloves
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground allspice
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (375 mL) demerara sugar, (raw sugar) packed
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

Use kitchen scissors to cut prunes, apricots, pineapple and figs into small pieces (smaller than ½ inch/1 cm). Put in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot along with cherries, raisins, port, rum, brandy, bitters, honey and cinnamon stick. Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until fruit mixture is plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in grated lemon rind. Scrape into a large glass or ceramic bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for a few days, or ideally a week, stirring every few days. 

Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C). Grease 5 mini loaf pans, 5 x 2 x 2 inches (13 x 5 x 5 cm) approx., and fully line with parchment paper. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a small bowl and stir with a fork until uniform. 

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating really well between additions and scraping down sides as needed to keep batter from separating. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined (batter will be on the thin side). Scrape in dried fruit mixture and any syrupy liquid and stir until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake for 2 hours 20 minutes or until cakes are deeply golden and a cake tester comes out with crumbs clinging to it. 

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel off parchment paper and let cool fully. Wrap cooled cakes well and keep in airtight containers until ready to eat or share. No aging necessary. 
Yield: 5 small fruitcakes

Another suggestion is Dresden Stollen, published Dec. 25, 2013.  A recipe from Big Sur Bakery.

A Better Christmas Cake

                                                   

A Better Christmas Cake 

My trick for making a really good Christmas cake is to use high-quality dried fruit and simmer it in a mixture of alcohol that makes the flavours come together like a good cocktail; hold it together with just enough batter to turn it into a cake; bake it low and slow to keep it really moist and make small loaves that are great for sharing with family and other fruitcake lovers.

Ingredients:
6 oz (175 g) pitted prunes

6 oz (175 g) dried apricots

4 oz (125 g) dried pineapple

4 oz (125 g) dried black Mission figs, hard stem ends 

   removed

4 oz (125 g) dried cherries
4 oz (125 g) Thompson raisins
4 oz (125 g) golden raisins
¾ cup (175 mL) port
½ cup (125 mL) dark rum
½ cup (125 mL) brandy
½ tsp (2 mL) Angostura bitters
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches (8 cm) long
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1¼ tsp (6 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground cloves
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground allspice
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (375 mL) demerara sugar, (raw sugar) packed
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

Use kitchen scissors to cut prunes, apricots, pineapple and figs into small pieces (smaller than ½ inch/1 cm). Put in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot along with cherries, raisins, port, rum, brandy, bitters, honey and cinnamon stick. Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until fruit mixture is plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in grated lemon rind. Scrape into a large glass or ceramic bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for a few days, or ideally a week, stirring every few days. 

Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C). Grease 5 mini loaf pans, 5 x 2 x 2 inches (13 x 5 x 5 cm) approx., and fully line with parchment paper. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a small bowl and stir with a fork until uniform. 

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating really well between additions and scraping down sides as needed to keep batter from separating. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined (batter will be on the thin side). Scrape in dried fruit mixture and any syrupy liquid and stir until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake for 2 hours 20 minutes or until cakes are deeply golden and a cake tester comes out with crumbs clinging to it. 

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel off parchment paper and let cool fully. Wrap cooled cakes well and keep in airtight containers until ready to eat or share. No aging necessary. 
Yield: 5 small fruitcakes

Christmas Cake

 

A Better Christmas Cake 

My trick for making a really good Christmas cake is to use high-quality dried fruit and simmer it in a mixture of alcohol that makes the flavours come together like a good cocktail; hold it together with just enough batter to turn it into a cake; bake it low and slow to keep it really moist and make small loaves that are great for sharing with family and other fruitcake lovers.

Ingredients:
6 oz (175 g) pitted prunes

6 oz (175 g) dried apricots

4 oz (125 g) dried pineapple

4 oz (125 g) dried black Mission figs, hard stem ends 

   removed

4 oz (125 g) dried cherries
4 oz (125 g) Thompson raisins
4 oz (125 g) golden raisins
¾ cup (175 mL) port
½ cup (125 mL) dark rum
½ cup (125 mL) brandy
½ tsp (2 mL) Angostura bitters
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches (8 cm) long
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1¼ tsp (6 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground cloves
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground allspice
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (375 mL) demerara sugar, (raw sugar) packed
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

Use kitchen scissors to cut prunes, apricots, pineapple and figs into small pieces (smaller than ½ inch/1 cm). Put in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot along with cherries, raisins, port, rum, brandy, bitters, honey and cinnamon stick. Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until fruit mixture is plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in grated lemon rind. Scrape into a large glass or ceramic bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for a few days, or ideally a week, stirring every few days. 

Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C). Grease 5 mini loaf pans, 5 x 2 x 2 inches (13 x 5 x 5 cm) approx., and fully line with parchment paper. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a small bowl and stir with a fork until uniform. 

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating really well between additions and scraping down sides as needed to keep batter from separating. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined (batter will be on the thin side). Scrape in dried fruit mixture and any syrupy liquid and stir until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake for 2 hours 20 minutes or until cakes are deeply golden and a cake tester comes out with crumbs clinging to it. 

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel off parchment paper and let cool fully. Wrap cooled cakes well and keep in airtight containers until ready to eat or share. No aging necessary. 
Yield: 5 small fruitcakes