Dayrecipe Food Community

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan bring water, corn syrup, and sugar to a simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, swirling pan to submerge chocolate in hot syrup. Let chocolate stand in syrup 2 minutes and whisk until smooth.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 10-cup bundt pan or other tube pan.

In a food processor pulse hazelnuts until finely ground.

In a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and cool chocolate slightly.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy and beat in chocolate. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in hazelnuts and flour.

In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites with salt at medium speed until white, opaque, and beginning to hold their shape. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating at high speed until whites hold soft (not stiff), slightly glossy peaks.

Stir one fourth whites into chocolate mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly until no streaks remain.

Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Bake cake in middle of oven 35 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Invert cake onto a rack. After 5 minutes remove pan but leave cake on rack until cooled completely. With cake on rack set over a pan (to catch the drips), pour chocolate glaze over cake, allowing it to drip down outside and center.

While glaze is still wet (to avoid cracking), transfer cake to a platter. When glaze is set, cover cake loosely with plastic wrap or keep under cake dome at room temperature until ready to serve.

If cake is kept more than 1 day (before or after serving), it should be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil or butter a 9- by 2-inch round springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper or foil.

In a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolates and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and stir in bourbon or rum.

In a food processor pulse pecans with 3/4 cup sugar until finely ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in flour.

In another bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with salt at medium speed until white, opaque, and beginning to hold their shape. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating at high speed until whites hold soft (not stiff), slightly glossy peaks. Stir in pecan mixture with a spatula until well blended and fold in chocolate mixture until no streaks remain (batter will deflate).

Pout batter into pan and smooth top. Bake cake in middle of oven 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen and invert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

Remove parchment or foil and transfer cake to a platter. Cake may be wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled 1 week or frozen 1 month. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

Just before serving, dust cake with confectioners’ sugar.

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water blanch carrots 1 minute. Add snow peas and cook mixture 10 seconds more. In a colander drain carrots and snow peas and rinse under cold water. Drain carrots and snow peas well.

In a bowl stir together vinegar, mustard, and honey and add carrots, snow peas, and bell pepper, tossing to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Serves 2.

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl whisk together ingredients and salt to taste. Vinaigrette may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.