Chocolate Raspberry Bavarian Cake

Photo: Jo Ann

Ingredients

Ingredients for Raspberry Syrup:

1/4 cup sugar

cup water

1/4 cup raspberry liqueur

Chocolate Filling:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into ¼-inch pieces

2 tablespoons (¼ st ick) un salted butter

Raspberry Bavarian:

2 packages (10 ounce) frozen raspberries

3/4 cup sugar

cup raspberry liqueur

1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 (9-inch) round Chocolate Genoise, baked and cooled, see recipe below

Finishing:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Chocolate shavings, using vegetable peeler

1 (1/2-pint) raspberries

confectioners' sugar

Chocolate Genoise:

cup cake flour

cup cornstarch

1/4 cup alkalized (Dutch process) cocoa powder

3 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

Preparation

For the syrup, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil and cool. Stir in the liqueur.

For the chocolate filling, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and allow to stand 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter until smooth and cool

To make the Bavarian, combine the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Use a food mill or a fine sieve to puree and strain away seeds. Cool. Combine the liqueur and gelatin in a small, heatproof bowl and soak 5 minutes. Place bowl over simmering water to make liquid again, then whisk into cooled puree. Whip cream and fold it in.

Slice Genoise into two layers and place one in the bottom of 10-inch springform pan. Moisten with half the syrup. Whip cooled chocolate filling to lighten and spread half of it over cake layer; pour on half the Bavarian. Repeat with remaining cake layer, syrup, chocolate filling, and Bavarian. Chill to set.

To unmold, run a small knife between dessert and mold and lift off side of pan. Whip the cream and spread over sides of dessert. Press some of the chocolate shavings into cream. Arrange raspberries on top in two concentric circles around the top rim, then sprinkle center with shavings and confectioners' sugar.

Inch) round layer pan, or a 9-inch springform pan, buttered and the bottom lined with a disk of parchment paper

Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Sift together the cake flour, cornstarch, and cocoa through a fine-meshed strainer over a piece of wax paper to break up any small lumps in the cocoa. Set sifted ingredients aside with the strainer.

Whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and continue whisking gently until the mixture is lukewarm, about 100 degrees. This should take only a minute or two.

Whip with the electric mixer on high speed until the mixture is cooled and increased in volume, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove bowl from mixer and sift in dry ingredients, in three additions, gently folding each third in with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and the top even with a spatula.

Bake the layer about 30 minutes, until it is well risen and the center is firm to the touch.

If necessary, loosen the layer from the side of the pan with a small knife or spatula and invert the cake onto a rack. Place another rack on the cake and invert again. Remove the top rack, so that layer cools right side up, still on the paper.