CHERRIES
10 oz Dried Bing or tart cherries
1/3 c Water
1/3 c Plus 1/2 C Cognac
1/4 c Sugar
CAKE
1/3 c Chopped toasted almonds
3 1/2 oz Bittersweet (not
-unsweetened) or semisweet
-chocolate, chopped
6 tb (3/4 stick) unsalted
-butter, room temperature
1/2 c Sugar
4 lg Eggs, separated
1/4 c Unsweetened cocoa powder,
-sifted
CUSTARD
1/2 c Plus 2 T whipping cream
5 oz Bittersweet (not
-unsweetened) or semisweet
-chocolate, chopped
3 tb Milk
1 lg Egg yolk
1/4 ts Vanilla extract
4 oz Bittersweet (not
-unsweetened) or semisweet
-chocolate, shaved into
-shreds with vegetable
-peeler
Vanilla ice cream
FOR CHERRIES: Combine cherries, water, 1/3 C Cognac and sugar in heavy
small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to
low and cook until most liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.
Cool. Add 1/2 C Cognac. Cover; chill overnight.
FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 300’F. Position rack in center of oven.
Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch-diameter spnngfonn pan with 2
3/4-inch-high sides. Line sides with parchment paper strip. Sprinkle
bottom with almonds. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over
simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from over water; cool
slightly.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1/4 C sugar in large bowl until
fluffy. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold
in melted chocolate, then cocoa. Using electric mixer fitted with
clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks
form. Add 1/4 C sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into
chocolate mixture in 2 additions, folding until just combined. Pour
batter into pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out
clean, about 35 minutes. Cool on rack (cake will fall to a height of
about 2 inches). Cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Release pan
sides; remove parchment. Reattach sides of pan.
FOR CUSTARD: Preheat oven to 300F. Bring cream to boil in heavy small
saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 5 oz chocolate; stir until smooth.
Whisk in milk, yolk and vanilla.
Drain cherries well, reserving liquid. Press enough cherries onto top
of cake to cover completely. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Pour
custard over cake, covering completely and allowing some custard to
fill in space between sides of cake and pan. Press down on cherries
to submerge. Using tip of knife, pierce any bubbles on surface. Bake
until custard is barely set, about 30 minutes.
Transfer cake to rack; Cool completely. Cut around sides of pan to
loosen cake. If custard is not completely set, refrigerate cake 15
minutes. Release pan sides. Press chocolate shavings onto sides of
cake. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.) Serve cake
with ice cream; drizzle ice cream with reserved cherry liquid.
Yields
8 servings