Cake, flourless Choc with Hazelnuts and brandies cherries

By á-7856

Start cherries ahead, soak in brandy for a week and then in syrup for at least two days. Covered with ganache

Ingredients

• Brandied Cherries;
• 1 750 ml brandy
• 1 1/2 c dried tart cherries
• Cake
• 10 oz bitter sweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 1/2 sticks butter, diced
• 10 egg yolks
• 1/2 c plus 6 T sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 9 lg egg whites
• Ganache
• 8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 c heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 c hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• whipped cream

Preparation

Step 1

Cherries;
Soak cherries in brandy with a container plus lid. let soak at room temp for 1 week.

Boil water and sugar. Remove from heat and cool syrup. Drain brandy from cherries and add sugar syrup to cherries and stir to blend. Soak at room temp for at least 2 days.

CAKE:
350°

Butter 10 inch springform pan. Line with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate and butter. Cool to lukewarm, 10 min.

Beat yolks and 1/2 c sugar until very thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Gently fold chocolate mixture into yolk mixture. Beat egg whites and remaining 6 T sugar in lg bowl until peaks form. Fold 1/3 beaten whites into chocolate. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs about 45 min. Cake will be puffed and souffle like while baking. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Cake will fall. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Press edge of cake down to make level with center. Remove pan sides and cool completely. Can be made one day ahead.

Ganache;
Melt chocolate and cream until smooth, cool slightly but still pourable, about 5 minutes

Place cooled cake on rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/2 c ganache over top of cake. Spread quickly and evenly over top and sides. Freeze cake 3 minutes. Working quickly pour remaining ganache over cake gently tilting pan allow ganache to flow evenly over top and down sides of cake. smooth. Press hazelnuts onto side of cake to adhere. Chill at least one hour. Can be made one day ahead, covered with cake dome and refrigerated. let stand at room temp for 45 minute before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and brandied cherries along side.