GARNISH: Press sliced almonds along sides but not top of cake. Whip cream and sugar in medium bowl to stiff peaks. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe row of rosettes atop cake just above almonds. Refrigerate cake at least 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.
The components of Germany’s famous Black Forest torte—chocolate and cherries—combine in this moist, fudgy cake. It’s baked in a metal bowl and covered with whipped cream, so it resembles a snowball, or boule-de-neige in French. Begin making this dessert at least one day ahead, as the cake needs to stand overnight. Candied violet petals are available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and some cookware shops; they can also be ordered from cheftools.com. 14 servings
CakeNonstick vegetable oil spray
⅓ cup cherry preserves
2 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)
1½ cups dried tart cherries (about 8 ounces)
1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs
⅓ cup unbleached all purpose flour
Whipped Cream
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)
¼ teaspoon almond extract
16 candied violet petals
CAKE: Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 10-cup metal bowl with foil, extending 3 inches over sides. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Stir preserves with kirsch in medium skillet over medium heat until preserves melt. Add dried cherries; bring to boil. Cover; remove from heat. Let cool.
Melt chocolate with butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in flour, then cherry mixture. Transfer batter to prepared bowl.
Bake cake in bowl 30 minutes. Fold foil overhang over edges of cake to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake cake until top is cracked and dry and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 55 minutes longer. Cool cake completely in bowl on rack (cake may fall in center). Press edge of cake firmly to level with center of cake. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
WHIPPED CREAM: Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, kirsch, and almond extract in large bowl until cream holds peaks.
Invert cake onto platter. Peel off foil. Spoon whipped cream into large pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe whipped cream stars over cake, covering completely. Pipe additional stars over top flat center of cake to form dome.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.
Decorate with candied violet petals.
Don’t be alarmed when this cake falls in the center as it cools—it’s the nature of soufflés and flourless chocolate cakes like this one. Whipped chocolate cream cleverly covers the top of the cake, hiding the sunken center and adding a luxurious touch. The cranberries need to stand in syrup overnight, so begin making this a day ahead. 10 servings
Poached Cranberries
2½ cups sugar
1 cup water
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Cake
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
7 extra-large eggs, separated, room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
⅓ cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Topping
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
POACHED CRANBERRIES: Bring sugar and 1 cup water to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries, orange peel, cinnamon, and allspice. Simmer until cranberries pop, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand in syrup overnight. Drain cranberries before using.
CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and sugar 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2½-inch-high sides. Melt both chocolates and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from over water. Combine egg yolks with ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in Grand Marnier on low speed. Add chocolate mixture and stir just until incorporated. Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar; continue beating until mixture is stiff but not dry. Gently fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until top forms crust but inside is still moist, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack (cake may fall while cooling).
DO AHEAD: Cake can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Keep at room temperature.
TOPPING: Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from over water and cool until just warm to touch. Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add melted chocolate to cream and fold together. Fold in Grand Marnier.
Place cake on platter; remove pan sides. Spread top of cake with 1½ cups chocolate cream, leaving ½-inch border around edge of cake. Top with poached cranberries. Spoon remaining cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe cream decoratively around top edge of cake.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Chill. Let cake stand about 1 hour at room temperature before serving.Ingredient Tip: Room-Temperature EggsThis recipe calls for room-temperature eggs. Although it’s easier to separate eggs when they’re cold, you’ll get more volume from egg whites when they’re at room temperature. To take the chill off the eggs, place them in a bowl of very warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and wipe dry before separating the yolks from the whites. Egg whites will form firm peaks rather quickly when whipped, but when sugar is added, the peaks take longer to form. So, to speed along the process, gradually add the sugar when the egg whites have formed very soft peaks.
The bûche de Noël, or yule log, was created in France during the late 19th century by pastry chefs who were inspired by the wood logs that burned on hearths throughout Christmas Eve. A bûche de Noël is basically a jelly roll—a rolled sponge cake with a spiral of buttercream—frosted and decorated with meringue mushrooms to resemble a real tree stump. Sometimes a dusting of powdered sugar is added to resemble fallen snow. Any rolled cake can be decorated to create a bûche de Noël. This one has a chocolate sponge cake, an orange buttercream filling, chocolate frosting, and, of course, all the trimmings. It would look beautiful garnished with the candied rosemary on pages 46-48. 8 servings