Chocolate-Raspberry Cake
Crisp phyllo packets open to reveal chocolate cake brushed with Framboise syrup, a dollop of chocolate ganache, and fresh raspberries. More fresh raspberries are used to garnish the plates.
Ingredients
- Cake
- Almond paste - 8 ounces
- Sugar - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon
- Unsalted Butter - 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks), softened
- Cocoa - 1/3 cup, sifted
- Eggs - 4
- Ganache
- Semi-sweet chocolate - 1 pound, chopped
- Grand Marnier - 6 tablespoons (alt.similar liqueur)
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
- Fresh Raspberries - 1-1/2 quarts
- Creme Anglaise (recipe follows) - 1 cup
- Raspberry Puree (recipe follows) - 1 cup
- Mint sprigs - 8
- Creme Anglaise
- Egg Yolks - 4
- Sugar - 1/3 cup
- Milk - 1-1/2 cups, heated
- Vanilla bean - 1, halved lengthwise (alt. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon, at room temperature (optional)
- Raspberry Puree
- Fresh Raspberries - 2 cups
- Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Instructions
Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream to boiling in a small saucepan and pour over the chocolate. Set aside until the chocolate melts. Stir to blend, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the Framboise. Set aside to cool; this is ganache.
Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in the boiling water; add the remaining Framboise and set aside. Melt the butter and set aside.
Spread one sheet of phyllo on a work surface. Brush with some of the melted butter and place another sheet of phyllo over it. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of the sugar. Cut the double thickness of phyllo into 3 equal strips horizontally, each about 5 inches wide. Set aside. Repeat this pattern with the remaining phyllo to make a total of 12 strips. Keep the phyllo under a slightly damp cloth until use.
Place a disc of chocolate cake in the center of each 5-inch phyllo strip. Brush with some of the reserved Framboise syrup and top with a generous spoonful of the chocolate ganache. Place 6 to 8 raspberries on top, then fold the ends of the phyllo over the top, tucking them under and completely enclosing the chocolate and raspberries. Repeat with the remaining strips to make 12 of these phyllo packets. A few raspberries should still be left over. Place the packets on a baking sheet and refrigerate until shortly before serving.
To serve: preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the pastries for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool about 5 minutes. Serve on individual dessert plates, garnished with the remaining raspberries.
