TRUFFLES
4 oz Bittersweet or semisweet
-chocolate; cut into small
; pieces
3 tb Heavy cream
1 tb Unsalted butter; (1/2-ounce)
2 tb Flavoring of choice; (grand
-Marnier,
; Amaretto, Raspberry
; liqueur, etc.)
8 Fresh perfect raspberries;
-optional
CAKE
5 oz Bittersweet chocolate; cut
-into small
; pieces
5 oz Unsalted butter; cut into
-small
; pieces (1 1/4
; sticks)
3 Eggs; room temperature
3 Egg yolks; room temperature
1/2 c Sugar
5 Tablespoons; plus 1 teaspoon
; all-purpose flour
Whipped cream; optional
Ice cream; optional
For the Truffles: Combine the chocolate, cream, and butter in a small
heatproof bowl, set over simmering water, and let melt. When almost
melted, remove from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Stir
in flavoring of your choice and refrigerate until thick enough to
mound on a spoon, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Line a baking tray with waxed or parchment paper. Scrape the chocolate
mixture into pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip. Pipe eight 1-inch
mounds onto the prepared tray. Place 1 raspberry in center of each
chocolate mound and pipe a little more of the chocolate mixture to
enclose completely. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
For the Cake: Position a rack in the center of oven and preheat oven
to 350 degrees. Butter, or coat with vegetable spray, 8 oversize
muffin cups (4 inches wide and 2 inches deep) or 1 1/4 cup custard
cups. Line bottoms with rounds of waxed paper. (To cut out the
rounds, place 1 of the cups on waxed paper and trace rounds the
bottom with a pencil. Then cut the 8 circles.) Set aside.
In the top of a double boiler or a small heatproof bowl set over
simmering water, melt together the chocolate and butter. Cool
slightly.
Meanwhile, in the large bowl of an electric mixer. with a paddle or
beaters, on high speed, beat eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until tripled
in volume, about 5 minutes. Scrape in the chocolate mixture and, on
low speed, beat just until combined. Remove the bowl and fold in the
flour, using a rubber spatula. Spoon a little of the batter into each
of the prepared cups top with 1truffle, and cover with the remaining
batter. Arrange cups on a baking tray and bake until edges of the
cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the cups, 12 to 13
minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Invert onto individual dessert plates
and carefully peel off paper.
Serve warm Spoon softly whipped cream or ice cream next to each cake
and, if desired, garnish with a few fresh raspberries. Serve
immediately.
Yield: 8 servings
Yields
1 servings