I was browsing for something easy and good to take to bridge Saturday. This recipe from Bon Appetit should be delicious.
We get together for bridge the second Saturday night of the month, and everyone brings an appetizer or a dessert, and the host and hostess have stuff out too. We had agreed that they would just provide drinks, nuts and chocolate, in addition to tables and cards. Depending on how ambitious they are feeling, though, there may be anything from homemade pizza or barbecued ribs to fancy desserts. Sigh. And I host next month. Some big shoes to fill.
The truth is I only make it about half the time, and I've gotten lazy and been buying whatever it is I decide to bring. This time, I think I want to make something.
So: Dome Cake Filled with Chocolate and Nut Cream
2 tablespoons cherry liqueur
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
2 tablespoons grappa or brandy
1 10.75-ounce loaf pound cake
5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups chilled whipping cream
3/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cups blanched slivered almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts, husked, coarsely chopped
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Moisten a large piece of cheesecloth with water. Squeeze out the excess. Line a 1 1/2-quart bowl with cheesecloth. Mix liqueurs and grappa in a small bowl. Cut pound cake crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice diagonally in half, forming two triangles. Lay cake slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush with liqueur mixture. Line bottom and sides of prepared bowl with cake triangles, (wet sides facing in) in sunburst pattern. Reserve extra triangles for top.
Stir two ounces of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Cool to just room temperature. Beat cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold in three ounces of chopped chocolate and the nuts. Spread half the mixture over the cake, covering completely and creating a well in the center. Fold cooled, melted chocolate into the remaining whipped cream mixture; spoon into center well of filling. Cover filling with remaining cake triangles (wet side down) trimming to fit if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least five hours, and up to a day.
Invert cake onto a plate. Remove cloth. Sift cocoa powder over and serve.
I really must take up bridge if this is the reward for it. Oh my goodness!!!! Your competitors will have won already!
Posted by: LC | March 09, 2007 at 07:45 PM
Wow! That sounds absolutely fabulous. I bet you'll get rave reviews from this recipe.
Posted by: Revka | March 10, 2007 at 04:55 PM