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Candied
Cranberries: Pick over
the cranberries and remove any berries that are soft or rotten and then place 2
cups of cranberries into a 6-8 cup stainless steel (or other heatproof) bowl.
The cranberries are going to be 'steamed' so you will need a steamer or pot that
is large enough to hold the bowl of cranberries. Fill the large pot or
steamer with a few inches (5 cm) of water and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile,
combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour
the boiling syrup over the cranberries and cover the bowl with a plate.
(You need to 'weigh' the bowl down so it will not move around once it is in the
pot with the water.)
Set the
covered bowl of cranberries into the pot or steamer. Cover the pot and
steam the berries over low to medium heat for about 45 minutes.
Remove from
heat and let cool. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let the berries sit in
the syrup for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. The syrup will become a
little jellied. If using right away, drain the berries before using,
keeping the syrup for some other use. If storing, place the covered
berries, still in their syrup, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Makes about
1 1/2 cups of candied cranberries.
Chocolate Genoise: Preheat oven to 350
degrees F (177 degrees C). Butter, or spray with a vegetable spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan
and then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
In a small
bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter
with the vanilla extract. Keep this mixture warm. If needed, re-warm for a few
seconds just before using.
In a medium bowl
sift
together the
flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a large heatproof
bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of
simmering water. Whisking constantly, heat the eggs and sugar until
lukewarm to the touch (this will take approximately 5 minutes depending on the temperature of the eggs
and the simmering water). Remove from heat and transfer the egg mixture to
the bowl of
your electric mixer. Beat on high speed until the egg mixture has cooled, tripled in
volume, and looks like softly whipped cream. This will take
approximately 5 minutes and the batter is beaten sufficiently when the batter
falls back into the bowl in a ribbon-like
pattern.
Then
sift about
one-third of the
flour mixture over the whipped eggs and
fold in using a
large rubber spatula or
whisk. Fold in half of the remaining flour, and then
fold in the rest.
Do not over mix or you will deflate the batter. Then take about 1 cup of
the batter and fold it into the hot butter mixture with a small spatula.
(This will lighten the butter mixture and make it easier to incorporate
into the egg batter without deflating it.) When completely combined, use a spatula to
fold the butter
mixture completely into the rest of the egg batter. Pour the batter into
your prepared pan, smoothing the
top.
Bake until
the cake shrinks
slightly from the edges of the pan and the top springs back when lightly pressed
(about 20-25
minutes). Cool on a metal rack. When the cake has cooled completely, run a small knife or spatula around
the edges
to release the cake. The
genoise
will keep well-wrapped two days in the refrigerator or else three months frozen.
To Assemble the Cake:
Drain the candied cranberries, reserving the syrup. Make a liqueur syrup
by combining 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the drained cranberry syrup with the 2
tablespoons of Kirsch.
Melt
the 4 ounces (115 grams) chocolate and 2 tablespoons water in a heatproof bowl
placed over
a saucepan of simmering water. Let cool to room temperature.
Using a serrated knife,
cut the chocolate genoise, horizontally, into two layers. Turn over the top
layer of the cake (so the top of the cake becomes the bottom) and center it on
your serving platter. Brush the layer with about 2 tablespoons
of the liqueur syrup.
Beat 1/2 cup (120 ml) of
the chilled heavy whipping cream until soft
peaks form. With a rubber spatula or whisk quickly
fold
the cream into the chocolate mixture. Immediately spread the moistened genoise layer
with the chocolate cream.
Place
enough drained cranberries evenly over the chocolate cream to cover the cream
completely. (The remaining cranberries should be placed back into the left over
cranberry syrup, refrigerated, and they will be used for decorating the top of
the assembled cake.)
Moisten the cut-side of
the second genoise layer with 2 tablespoons syrup. Place cut-side down on top of
chocolate cream, gently pressing to compact. Brush the top layer with
syrup.
Beat remaining whipping
cream with the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons (28 grams)
granulated white sugar until
stiff peaks form. Spread a thick layer of whipping cream over top and
sides of cake. If you like, place any remaining cream in a pastry bag
fitted with a large star tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip) and
pipe large rosettes
over the entire top surface of the cake. At this point refrigerate the
cake, covered, for 24 to 36 hours before serving (this allows time
for the flavors to mingle). Just before serving, drain the reserved candied cranberries
and blot with paper towels to remove any remaining moisture, and randomly place on top of cake.
Serves 10-12.
Adapted from Alice Medrich's book Cocolat.
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