Chocolate And Date Meringue Cake 2 Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine dates with boiling water. Set aside to cool.
• Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Add flour mixture alternating with cooled date mixture. Fold in chopped nuts and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips to mixture.
• Spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
• Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl using an electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Add sugar slowly, continuing to beat until meringue is smooth, shiny, and satiny, about 10 minutes. Let stand while coating 2 baking sheets with butter and flour.
• Add cocoa powder to egg white mixture slowly, 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Beat on medium power until very smooth and evenly colored.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until each cookie comes off the baking sheet cleanly, 1 to 2 hours.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Line the base of a 20cm round tin with baking paper. Butter and flour the tin and set aside. Put the eggwhites in a clean, dry mixer bowl and beat until quite foamy. Gradually beat in the sugar, a little at a time, until the meringue is thick and shiny, about 5 mins. Very gently fold int he chocolate, almonds, dates and vanilla, deflating the whites as little as possible. Scrape into the prepared tin and bake for about 40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove and loosen carefully around the sides with a spatula. Cool in tin on rack. The top will have risen and will collapse and crack as it cools. Once cool, invert onto a flat serving plate and chill for at least 6 hours (up to 5 days). When ready to serve transfer cake to a serving plate. Whip cream and spread over cake. Scatter with toasted almonds.

Steps:

• Grease a 22-24cm round springform pan. Line base and sides with baking paper. Process chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Process dates until finely chopped. Add to bowl. Process almonds until roughly chopped. Add to bowl. Stir in almond meal. Beat egg whites in a small bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks start to form. With motor operating add sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time. Continue to beat for 5 mins until meringue is smooth and glossy. Gently stir a quarter of the meringue into chocolate mixture. Then gently stir in remaining meringue. Spoon into prepared pan. Smooth top. Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 55 mins or until golden brown and firm to touch. Stand for 10 mins in pan. Remove side and base. Transfer cake to wire rack. To make ganache, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream boil in a small saucepan. Pour over chocolate. Stir until smooth. Stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until spreadable. Spread ganache over top of cold cake. Decorate with extra almonds and serve with crème fraiche.

Steps:

• FOR CAKE:.
• Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter at medium speed until creamy.
• Add sugar and beat well.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time and beat until well blended after each addition.
• In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and 2 teaspoons flavoring.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cocoa. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture; beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at low speed after each addition until well blended.
• Stir in the pecans and mix well.
• Fold in the beaten egg whites and pour the batter into 3 well greased 9 inch cake pans.
• Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove cake to wire racks to cool completely.
• CREAM CHEESE FILLING:.
• Beat the first four ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
• Once the cake cools completely, spread this filling between the layers.
• GANACHE:.
• Bring whipping cream to a simmer in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted.
• Cool until ganache becomes a spreading consistency (stirring often).
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with ganache reserving 1/2 cup.
• MERINGUES:.
• Beat the egg whites, vinegar and salt at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.
• Gradually add sugar; beating until soft peaks form and sugar dissolves.
• Fold in chocolate.
• Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake at 250°F for 35 minutes.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Once cool, mound meringues on top of cake to form a small mountain, beginning at the sides and working in, layering 3-4 layers high. Drizzle the meringues with the remaining ganache.
• TO SERVE THE CAKE:.
• Before cutting, remove the meringues with small tongs and use them as a garnish on each cake serving.
• TO STORE:.
• IF you have any cake left, store it in the refrigerator without the meringues. Store the meringues in an airtight container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop. Set aside.
• Make cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
• In a clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
• Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.