I have recently made two different chocolate cakes. These two different chocolate cakes combine additional flavours such as cinnamon, apple, or plum, chestnut. Interestingly both have dark rum.
One is a rich dense flourless chocolate cake with flavours of chestnuts and prunes and dark rum, the other one is a light chocolate mousse cinnamon, apple and dark rum dessert.
Gateau Mozart
This is a recipe from Pierre Hermé “Le Larousse du Chocolat“. Pierre Hermé is a famous french pastry chef, most famous for his macarons. His cookbook Le Larousse du Chocolat gathers good chocolate recipes across France and some of Pierre Hermé as well.
I had not done the Gateau Mozart for some time (recipe HERE). Imagine three very thin disks of sweet shortcrust pastry with a subtle cinnamon flavour alternating with a light chocolate mousse which contains apples cooked in butter, a pinch of cinnamon and have been flambé !
Flourless chestnut, chocolate and rum cake
I found this recipe a while ago in the Delicious Magazine. I had cut out the recipe and placed in my cookbooks. This recipe intrigued me because of the combination of chestnut and prune and rum. With chestnut puree, you retain a lot of moisture and the flavour is undeniable. Years ago, I made up a chestnut steamed pudding. It is such a nice dessert. My curiosity was picked.
This chocolate prune brownie is a recipe from Bourke St bakery (the Ultimate Baking Companion). the brownie is deliciously moist. if you have a very sweet taste and love very strong chocolate brownie, keep the recipe as such. Otherwise , use half to 2/3 of the sugar and only 200 g of chocolate.
A couple important comments :
- Respect the cooking time
- You may have to decrease the oven if the brownie starts to darken on the top for the last 1/2 h or so.
Serves 32 (because it is so sweet and so strong in chocolate!)
A recipe from Bourke Street Bakery.
Ingredients
- 300 g pitted prunes, halved
- 200 ml brandy, cognac or hot black tea
- 55 g plain flour
- 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 300 g good-quality dark chocolate (55% cocoa)
- 80 g unsalted butter
- 300 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 4 eggs
- 100 g sour cream
- 145 g dark chocolate melts (buttons) (55% cocoa)
Method
1. Place the prunes in a bowl and pour over the brandy, cognac or tea. Cover and set aside to soak for 3 days.
2. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325F/Gas 3). Grease a 20 x 30 x 4cm rectangular cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
3. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar into a stainless steel bowl and sit over a saucepan of simmering water – making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has melted. Allow to cool.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder into a separate bowl.
5. Transfer chocolate mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the flour mixture, mix to combine, then add the sour cream, chocolate melts and prunes with the remaining soaking liquid and mix until just combined.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until just set. Place your hand on top of the brownie in the centre and wobble to feel if it is set.
8. Allow to cool completely before turning out of the tin. Use a hot knife to cut into squares.
The brownies can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored for up to 4 days at room temperature.
