Continued:
When chilled, transfer the chocolate-cream to a 4 1/2-quart bowl
of a
heavy-duty electric mixer with the wire whip attachment. Beat on
medium
speed until the mixture is light in color and soft peaks start to
form.
Do not overbeat or the mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate until
ready
to use.
Make the dark chocolate curls:
Warm the chocolate slightly by placing it on a piece of waxed
paper in a
microwave oven set on MEDIUM (50 percent) power for 20 second
intervals,
until it begins to soften. This can take 3 to 6 tries, depending
on the
wattage of the microwave oven, type and brand of chocolate and
the heat
of the kitchen. The chocolate should soften slightly, not melt.
Alternatively, soften the chocolate by placing it about 6 inches
beneath
the warm bulb of a desk lamp for 5 to 10 minutes, turning it every
couple of minutes, until it begins to soften.
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Grip a square of chocolate
with a
paper towel so your hand does not melt the chocolate. Using a
sharp
vegetable peeler, scrape one side of the square of chocolate in a
downward motion, forming loosely shaped curls. As you form the
curls,
let the curls drop onto the paper-lined baking sheet. (Chocolate
that is
only slightly softened will form tight curls; overly heated
chocolate
will curl very little.) Refrigerate the curls on the baking sheet
until
you are ready to garnish the cakes.
Make the orange compote:
With a sharp paring knife, peel the oranges and cut them into
segments.
Cut each segment into 3 pieces.
In a medium saucepan combine the orange juice and the honey and
bring to
a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the
juice
begins to thicken and turn syrupy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange liqueur. When the
orange juice mixture has reduced, add the cornstarch mixture and
whisk
until the mixture thickens. Simmer for 30 seconds; remove the pan
from
the heat. Fold in the reserved orange segments. Set aside to cool.
Make the milk chocolate glaze:
Place the chopped chocolate into a medium stainless steel bowl.
In a medium saucepan bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a
boil.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream over the
chocolate. Stir
in the almond liqueur. Assemble the cakes:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange six
3-inch-by-1
3/4-inch metal rings on the paper. Place a cake round in the
bottom of
each ring.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (such as Ateco
#5) with
the whipped milk chocolate-orange cream. Pipe a thin layer of the
milk
chocolate-orange cream over the cake rounds. Press another cake
round
into each ring, and repeat with a layer of the milk chocolate
cream.
Place the final cake rounds into the ring and finish the tops
with the
remaining milk chocolate-orange cream. Using a metal spatula,
scrape
across the tops of the rings to smooth and level the cream. Chill
the
cakes for 1 hour or until firm.
Glaze the cakes:
Using a damp (not wet) very hot towel, carefully heat the outside
of the
metal rings and push the cakes up from the bottoms to unmold.
Arrange
the cakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch the
excess
glaze.
Pour the warm milk chocolate glaze over the cakes, coating each
one
completely. Use a metal spatula to touch up any missed spots on
the
sides. When the glaze has set slightly, decorate the tops with
the dark
chocolate curls.
Serve the cakes at room temperature with the orange compote.
– Paige LaCava
Yields
6 servings