Tag Archives: chocolate

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, dessert by

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve last posted here on Cassie’s Kitchen! It’s been pretty hectic over the past few weeks (months?) and my poor kitchen and blog have been sadly neglected. But I’m back, and I apologize profusely for keeping you from this decadent Chocolate Brandy Cake recipe because we have so many things to celebrate and what’s better to celebrate with than Chocolate Cake! Well..Chocolate Brandy Cake!

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

I have so much news, I don’t even know where to start! (Deep breath…) Okay, first I had a pretttttty big birthday. At least it seemed pretty big to me…I entered into my 3rd decade on this planet…eek!! I love birthdays, any reason to bake glorious layer cakes and boozy cupcakes is okay by me…that is…as long as they’re not my own. For some reason I try to avoid my birthday at all costs. Possibly because I was born on St. Patricks Day, which was a glorious day to celebrate when I turned 21 (I actually did so in Dublin – who am was I?), but now that I’m 30 (double eek!), the idea of being surrounded by drunken obnoxious people in overcrowded bars is nauseating. So the last few years I’ve decided to escape the city and celebrate my birthday anywhere but NYC. Since this birthday happened to be a big one, my boyfriend, Jordan, and I decided to take a trip first to Austin for SXSW (so I could surround myself with drunken, obnoxious people in crowded music venues…hm..), and then to Costa Rica.

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

My birthday was spent with some of my favorite people, including Jordan (obviously), his best friend Steve and his very talented girlfriend, Miss Katie from Butterlust, who generously baked a fabulous mini chocolate cake for me (thank you Katie!). I also was able to see two of my closest friends, Catherine and Cordelia, whom I’ve known since my first decade on earth! I couldn’t have asked for a better, low-key birthday. To top it off, the birthday week was just starting as we continued with a trip to Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

Five years ago, Jordan and I went on our first vacation together to Costa Rica, and we were excited to go back to relive the amazing time we had there. I still look back and think it to be one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. Jordan was the perfect travel companion, we got along so well and had the same exact travel style (mostly relaxation, a little bit of adventure, some sight-seeing, and a lot of time spent at cafes, bars and restaurants.) We returned to the same hotel we had stayed at on our previous trip, Banana Azul, which was even better than we had remembered.

Costa Rica

Little did I know, the first day we arrived in Puerto Viejo, Jordan had a surprise waiting for me. He suggested we bike to Punta Uva, a popular beach in Puerto Viejo, and then hike the cliff next to the beach to the serene and secluded beach we knew was on the other side. This was our favorite spot when we visited last, and for years to come Jordan and I would send each other pictures of the beach anytime the weather was bad, we had a rough day, or because we knew the other needed a pick-me-up. When we climbed down the cliff and the brush opened up to crystal blue water and white sand, Jordan got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I couldn’t have been happier, and we celebrated with a bottle of champagne overlooking the most beautiful blue water on a perfect warm day. We enjoyed the rest of the week celebrating, drinking far too much lots of bubbly, eating fresh, local seafood and relaxing beach side.

Costa Rica

When we returned to NYC, we didn’t even bother unpacking, because we moved to Brooklyn 2 weeks later! Phew! I’m seriously exhausted even typing all this.

Now that we’re fully settled into our new hood, I’m hoping to get back on the saddle and start blogging again. I hope you’ll forgive me for my absence, but I hope you caught up on recipes in the archive. And now can we talk about cake already?

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

This cake really doesn’t need much of an explanation. It’s rich, decadent, and intensely chocolate. The prunes soaked in liquor adds an elegance to the chocolate making this cake refined and almost luxurious. It’s perfect for a birthday celebration, Memorial Day party, Christmas dinner, or seriously, just because. Yes, it is a little involved, but I can tell you it’s ever so worth it. Because there are always reasons to celebrate, especially when chocolate is involved.

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

Celebratory Chocolate Brandy Cake

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Note: This cake is relatively straight forward and simple to make. The one intimidating step (at least for me), was setting the prune and brandy mixture aflame. I was expecting massive showy flames, but the flame was very tame and didn’t creep above the top of the saucepan. Even so, always exercise caution when using this technique.
 
Adapted from Baking, From My Home to Yours

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2/3 cup finely ground pecans (or walnuts)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 12 plump, moist prunes, pitted and chopped into small bits
  • 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup Brandy (or cognac, Armagnac or Scotch whiskey)
  • 7 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar

For the glaze:

  • 3 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Recipe

For the cake:

  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375º F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan, fit the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, and then butter paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the nuts, flour and salt.  Set aside.
  3. Place the prunes and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until almost all of the water has evaporated.  Be sure not to scorch the fruit. Pull the pan from the heat and pour in the brandy, stand back and set the prunes and liquor aflame with a match or utility lighter. Allow the flame to die out, then transfer the fruit and any remaining liquid to a bowl and let cool. (This step can be done up to a day in advance.)
  4. Add the chocolate, butter and remaining 3 tablespoons water to a heatproof bowl, and set it over a pan of simmering water.  Stir occasionally until chocolate and butter are melted. Remove from heat as soon as it is melted and not overly hot.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and thick, approximately 2 minutes. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate mixture, then the nut mixture and then finally the prune mixture.  Mix to combine and evenly distribute all ingredients.
  6. With a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the egg whites until they hold firm, glossy peaks. Stir one quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Turn the batter into the pan and spread the top evenly with a spatula.
  7. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, until it is puffed, firm on top and starting to pull slightly away from the sides of the pan; a thin knife or toothpick will come out streaky, but not wet. You don’t want to over-bake this cake.
  8. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing the sides of the pan. Invert the cake and pull off the bottom and paper, and then turn right side up to cool to room temperature. Allow to cool completely before glazing.

For the glaze:

  1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the sugar, then butter, stirring until the glaze is smooth.
  2. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing excess to run down the sides. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the cake and sides if necessary.

Cake will keep for 1 day at room temperature, or 3 days in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Almond Apricot Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache #BundtBakers

Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts by

Almond Apricot Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate GanacheLittle known fact about me: I love chocolate.  Okay, that might have been obvious by now if you are a frequent visitor of my little part of these here interwebs, but seriously, I live for chocolate. I’m not even in the slightest bit embarrassed about admitting to the fact that I probably eat chocolate almost every day.  Most of the time, it’s just a small square, or a few chocolate chips, but I have a hard time going a full day without my much needed chocolate fix.  Continue reading →

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Crystallized Ginger

Posted in Chocolate, Christmas, Cookies by

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Crystallized Ginger

No Christmas, in my opinion, is complete without a tray of cookies to finish off a fabulous meal. This year, I’m participating in Patience Brewster’s online cookie exchange! If you’re not familiar, Patience Brewster is an artist and designer of handcrafted ornaments. What a fabulous way to share recipes and get in the holiday spirit! I’ve been baking up a storm at Chez Bowman –  so far I’ve made 3 or 4 types of cookies (including these – ahem, famous ones), English toffee that I distributed to my coworkers in cute holiday packaging (all Martha Stewart-like), and my favorite holiday culinary tradition, Challah (a Jewish holiday classic, that’s become a staple in my family’s WASPy Christmas breakfast – more to come on that recipe in the coming weeks).  Continue reading →

Candy Cane Chocolate Bundt Cake #BundtBakers

Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, Mint by

Candy Cane Chocolate Cake

Sometimes I think there’s nothing better than Christmas time at home with my parents. My mom and dad live in a 19th century, stone town house in Pennsylvania, and every Christmas, with wood fires burning, we hang our stockings and sit by the fireplace laughing, eating and drinking until it’s well into the early morning. My parents go the extra mile when decorating the house for Christmas. Their tree is adorned with antique ornaments, beads, garlands and Christmas lights. Every fireplace mantle is swathed with fir tree branches, and our front door is crowned with a homemade Della Robbia, welcoming all family and friends that come to share the holiday spirit.  Continue reading →

Orange Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Bourbon Buttercream Frosting (a.k.a. The Old-Fashioned)

Posted in Cakes, Cupcakes, Desserts by

The Old Fashioned Cupcake

Last weekend, my mom, sister and I hosted a “psuedo”-surprise birthday party for my dad. I write “psuedo” because my dad, not being a fan of surprises, knew the party was happening, but was not made privy to the guest list.  So he was certainly surprised to see over fifty of his closest friends and family show up to celebrate.  That’s right, my dad’s a pretty popular guy.  Continue reading →

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Cookies, Desserts by

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I saw these cookies in last month’s issue of Bon Appétite and was looking forward to making them for Valentines Day’s. Since nothing says “I love you” more than chocolate.   The recipe was really straight forward, but I knew something was off when the batter was more cake-like than cookie-like, and even though it thickened a bit while chilling in the fridge, the dough never turned into the consistency I imagined it would.  Continue reading →

Irresistible Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Cookies, Desserts by

oacc

Last weekend, I did something I never in my life thought I would do – I ran a Tough Mudder.  For those of you not aware of the “Tough Mudder Competition” I encourage you to check it out on YouTube as it’s highly entertaining to watch.  The race is a 12 mile obstacle course, consisting of treks through uneven terrain, running through fire, jumping into ice baths, crawling through mud, running through an electric shock field, the list goes on.  The obvious question here is, “Why would anyone ever want to do that?”  Good question!  The answer is pretty simple:  I am terrible at peer pressure, and I have a serious fear of missing out.  FOMO as they call it.   Continue reading →

Sour Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Cookies by

ImageIs it just me, or did summer seem to fly by? I’m sure I probably say this every year right around Labor Day, but for some reason, this summer seemed to move particularly fast.  Though normally I’m a bit sad to see summer close up shop, the crisp, perfect fall air that we’re starting to experience in New York is getting me very excited for the coming months, particularly for all the amazing things I can make in the kitchen.  If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big advocate for cooking and baking with fresh, local ingredients when I can – and in order to do that, most produce has to be in season.  Of course I love all the fruits and veggies that summer provides, but most of my favorites actually come into season in the fall:  crisp apples, sweet acorn squash, and tart cranberries are just a few ingredients I’m already dreaming up recipes for.   Continue reading →

Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Cookies, Desserts by

image

I absolutely love salt, and must admit I probably consume maybe a lot a little more than I should.  It can sometimes be difficult for me when I’m cooking for others – always feeling like I should be holding back on the sodium, knowing that others don’t love it quite as much as I do.  But seriously, nothing can ruin a dish more than if it’s under-seasoned, and in many dishes I cook that are simple with few ingredients, lack of salt can be a major mistake.  But of course too much salt can be a killer, so I’m always walking the fine line trying to keep a good balance.  After all, you can always add on, but you can’t take away in cooking and baking.   Continue reading →

Pistachio Petit-Four Cake

Posted in Cakes by

image

This past weekend we threw my sister Sam a surprise birthday party, and oh boy was she surprised.  She had absolutely no idea that there were 30-40 of her closest friends waiting behind the door to her apartment.  Two of her friends did most of the work, setting up her apartment, bringing food and drink, decorating adorable mason jars with twine to serve a specialty cocktail, and adorning her entire apartment with beautiful flower arrangements that we asked each guest to bring. Continue reading →