Chocolate Demerara ▶

To make the cake: Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stop the machine and add the cocoa powder. Mix at low speed and slowly add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until smooth. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt together. Add all at once to the cocoa mixture and mix until smooth at low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Slowly add the warm water. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake is firm and springy to the touch. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely. If not using right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To make the rum cream: In the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate. Remove from heat. Puree the bananas in a blender or food processor. In a deep bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold one third of the whipped cream into the warm chocolate. Fold 1/4 cup of the rum and the banana puree into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream and set aside.

To assemble: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place eight 2-inch-diameter ring molds or 2-inch-diameter rings of PVC pipe on the paper. Cut eight 4-inch-by-6-1/2-inch strips of flexible plastic and line each mold with a strip of the plastic. With a serrated knife, carefully split the cake layer in half horizontally. With a pastry cutter or one of the molds, cut circles from the cake and press into the bottoms of the molds. Sprinkle with the remaining rum. Place the rum cream in a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip and pipe the filling into each mold. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, until firm. Place each mold on a small inverted glass and press gently to remove the desserts from the molds. In the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate.. Spread the chocolate on a 3-inch-by-6-1/2-inch strip of plastic wrap. Let cool slightly until the sheen has dulled, then lift and wrap around one of the desserts. Repeat with all desserts and chill.

To serve: In a deep bowl, whip the cream with the sugar until it stands in stiff peaks. Place the cream in a pastry bag fitted with a medium fluted tip. Spoon caramel sauce onto eight dessert plates. Place one Chocolate Demerara on each plate and carefully pull off the plastic wrap. Pipe whipped cream on each dessert. Slice the bananas and garnish each plate with banana slices, a sprig of mint, and chocolate sticks.

Chocolate Sticks

In the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate. Place a sheet of flexible plastic or parchment over a heat-proof work surface. Pour the chocolate onto the plastic or parchment and spread into a very thin rectangle with a spatula. Pull a coarse masonry comb or other serrated scraper through the melted chocolate, leaving wavy “sticks.” Refrigerate until set. When ready to use, gently peel the backing from the curved chocolate sticks.

Place the sugar and water in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, swirling occasionally. Cover the pan, raise the heat to high or medium-high, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the liquid gives off large, thick bubbles. Remove the cover and cook, swirling the syrup, until it turns golden brown.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter with a wooden spoon., Add the cream, stirring constantly, then add the vanilla. Return the pan to low heat and stir constantly until any lumps have melted and the syrup is smooth. Serve warm, or pour into a jar, cover, and refrigerate for up to one week.