rich chocolate cake with nuts and dried fruit / torta ricca con frutta secca e disidratata

By stancec44

Ingredients

• CAKE
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups mixed nuts, including roasted unsalted cashews, roasted unsalted almonds, Brazil nuts and/or pine nuts 8 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (65% cocoa)
• 10 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup mascarpone
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup 1/4-inch cubes dried pineapple
• 1/3 cup 1/4-inch cubes dried papaya
• 1/3 cup candied ginger, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 ounces candied cherries for garnish (optional)
• ICING
• 5 1/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (65% cocoa)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

FOR CAKE: Heat oven to 325º with rack in middle. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
Spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until fragrant and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack (leave oven on); let nuts cool, then finely chop.

Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches water; bring water to a simmer. Put chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over (but not touching) the simmering water; stir until chocolate is melted. Remove bowl from heat.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed, 10 minutes. Add mascarpone and yogurt; beat to combine. Add melted chocolate, flour, egg yolks, cocoa powder and rum; beat just to combine, then fold in nuts, cranberries, pineapple, papaya and ginger.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form; fold egg whites into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan; set pan on a baking sheet. Bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until edges begin to pull from sides of pan and a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely, then release cake from pan.

FOR ICING: Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches water; bring water to a simmer. Combine chocolate, butter and cream in a medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over (but not touching) the simmering water; stir until chocolate is melted and ingredients are well combined. Remove bowl from heat and let icing cool 10 minutes, then pour over cake, spreading with an offset spatula.

Serve cake garnished with candied cherries, if desired.