sunday, march 6th, 2007

If this cake does not add bliss to the day than nothing will. Served warm, topped with a cloud of whipped ginger cream and garnished with a candied red basil leaf, it's already incredibly enticing. Once the spoon breaks through its crispy chocolate shell and a river of boozy pomegranate laced chocolate oozes forth, there's no going back. This is the country called Ecstasy. What makes this decadent celebration of chocolate almost too good to be true is just how easy it is to prepare. If that's not enough, it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until its ready to be popped in the oven. As I said, bliss on a plate.

The recipe was created by the pastry chef, cookbook author and culinary instructor Nick Malgieri. The only modification I made was to add a few tablespoons of Pama, the pomegranate liqueur that only recently arrived in the United States. I suspect this cheeky, garnet-kissed liqueur will talk its way into many libations and meals, both savory and sweet. Tangy and intense, it upped the ante on both the cake and the drink recipe that follow. And let's face it; it's gorgeous. A little seductive too.

The candied red basil is easy to make but prepare it ahead of time as it requires a few hours to dry. The basil, while sweet, retains its savory note and adds dimension to a dessert that might otherwise induce a chocolate coma. While I was tempted to splash a bit of Pama into the whipped cream, I opted for ginger in order to provide an additional element of texture and flavor.

The cocktail is a simple combination of Pama, vodka, a splash of sweet and sour, soda water and squeeze of kumquat juice which gives this come-hither drink a kick in its ruby tinted pants.

Both the dessert and the cocktail would make lovely additions to a Mother's Day table. Each is a celebration and a festive way to honor the woman who first let us lick the chocolate bowl.

 
Molten Chocolate Pomegranate Cake With Ginger Cream & Candied Red Basil Leaves

7 large basil leaves
sugar, for dipping

1 cup whipping cream
1/8 cup confectioner's sugar, or to taste
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh, finely grated ginger

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
5 ounces unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Pama Liqueur
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
5 ounces sugar
2 ounces all-purpose flour

7 4-ounce aluminum molds or ramekins, buttered and floured 

For the basil leaves

1. Gently brush each basil leaf with water. Place face-down in sugar. Dry on a sheet pan, sugar side up for two to three hours.

For the ginger cream

1. Combine whipping cream, sugar, vanilla and ginger and whisk until stiff peaks form, about ten minutes. Cover and chill until ready to serve. 

For the cake

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

2. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. Combine chocolate and butter in a heat proof bowl and place over the hot water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir in Pama Liqueur until fully incorporated.

3. Whisk eggs and yolks together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk in sugar, then butter and chocolate mixture. Mix for a minute at medium speed. Fold in flour.

4. Fill the molds to within a quarter inch of the top. Bake for 10-12 minutes (unfold one to test the center). Remove from oven and invert onto warm plates. Serve warm with ginger cream and garnish with a candied basil leaf.

Yield: 7 cakes

Notes

The batter can be made ahead of time, poured into the molds, wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled until ready to bake. If chlling the batter, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before baking or it will not hold its external shell properly when inverted onto the plate.

 
Pomegranate Fizz

1 part Pama Liqueur
2 parts vodka
splash sweet & sour
squeeze of kumquat, lime or lemon juice
1 part soda water 

1. Combine all ingredients except the soda water and shake with ice. Strain into an ice filled glass and add soda water. Garnish with a kumquat, lemon or lime wedge.

Yield: 1 drink