Boca Negra Chocolate Chipotle Cakes Recipes

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter ramekins and dust with sugar, knocking out excess.
• Toast chiles in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard stems, seeds, and ribs, then soak chiles in hot water to cover until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Purée chiles in a mini food processor or a blender, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons soaking liquid as needed to form a paste. Force paste through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Set aside 1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste and freeze remainder for another use.
• Bring juice and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour hot syrup over chocolate in a large bowl, stirring until chocolate is melted. Add butter and stir until melted.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking after each addition, then stir in chile paste, flour, and salt. Divide among ramekins and bake in hot water bath , uncovered, until just firm and top is starting to crust, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer ramekins with tongs to a work surface and let stand 2 minutes.
• Unmold warm cakes directly onto dessert plates (they will be difficult to move once they adhere).
• *Available at Mexican markets, many supermarkets, and Chile Today-Hot Tamale (800-468-7377).

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. Grease either a 9 x 13 oblong pan, or three - 8x1 1/2 inch. round pans. (I use Pam type butter flavored spray or Baker's Joy when making cakes).
• 3. In medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, Chipotle chili powder and salt. Set aside.
• 4. In large mixing bowl beat butter for 30 seconds on medium to high. Gradually add sugar 1/4 cup at a time beating after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat on medium an additional 2 minutes.
• 5. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
• 6. Alternatly add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beating on low after each addition until just combined.
• 7. Beat on medium to high for 20 seconds. Stir in grated chocolate.
• 8. Divide the batter between the prepared pans (or place in pan if using oblong). This batter will be quite thick.
• 9. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
• 10. Cool in the pan(s) for 10 minutes on wire rack.
• 11. Remove from pan(s) and finish cooling on wire rack.
• 12. Frost with Especially Dark Chocolate Frosting (recipe on site), or your favoite frosting. If, desired top with a dollap of whipped cream and some shaved chocolate.

Steps:

• Heat the cream in a saucepan until small bubbles form around the edge. Meanwhile, put the white chocolate in a food processor or in a blender container. Pour the cream over the chocolate; process until completely smooth. Add the Bourbon; taste and add up to a tablespoon more if you like.
• Pour into a container with a tight-fitting lid; refrigerate 8 hours. (The cream can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for up to a month; thaw overnight in refrigerator.).
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan; line the bottom with buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the cake pan in a shallow roasting pan; set aside.
• For the cake, heat the sugar and Bourbon to a full boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook to a syrup, about 2 minutes.
• Place the chocolate in a food processor; pour the syrup into the work bowl. Process until the mixture is completely blended, about 12 seconds.
• Add the butter, in pieces, with the machine running.
• Add the eggs, one at a time.
• Add the flour. Process until smooth, about 15 seconds.
• Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
• Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the sides of the cake pan.
• Bake until the top is dry, about 30 minutes. Remove the cake pan from its water bath; wipe the cake pan dry.
• Cover the top of the cake with a sheet of plastic wrap. Invert the cake onto a flat plate, peel off the parchment.
• Quickly but gently invert again onto a serving platter; remove the plastic. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the chilled white chocolate cream.

Steps:

• Makes about 1 cup. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan with tip of a paring knife, then add pod and remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatillos are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• Discard cinnamon stick and vanilla pod, then purée tomatillo mixture in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Cool completely, then chill, covered, until cold.
• *Available at Latino markets and some supermarkets.