Cocoa Hazelnut Bites With Bark

Description

Source: DEATH BY Chocolate Cakes - MARCEL Desaulniers

These tantalizing confectionery morsels take a measure of their inspiration from the famed Austrian confection called linzertorte. The more familiar white linzertorte contains no chocolate; however, a lesser known brown linzertorte does. As we tend to be nonconformists, we didn’t see why we shouldn’t work our favorite ingredient into the traditional matrix of ground nuts and red raspberries, and create a mouthful that would transmogrify the venerable classic into a bite with a bit of bark. You can simplify things by transferring the Red Raspberry Tease to a pint-size Ziploc bag. Then snip the tip from a bottom corner of the bag, and pipe about 1 teaspoon of the Red Raspberry Tease on top of each Cocoa Hazelnut Cake. These cakes may be prepared over 2 days. DAY I: Bake the individual Cocoa Hazelnut Cakes. Once they have cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble. (The cakes may be kept covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days before assembly, or frozen for 2 to 3 weeks.) DAY 2: A couple of hours before serving, make the Red Raspberry Tease and the Chocolate Hazelnut Bark. Assemble as directed in the recipe. The Red Raspberry Tease will discolor and get sticky in a relatively short period of time, so the bites should be served within 2 to 3 hours of preparation. While we are breaking some of the rules for classic linzertorte, let’s stray from the norm and offer a raspberry liqueur. The velvety smooth Royale Chambord liqueur, with its unrestrained raspberry flavor and redolent perfume would allow for painless consumption of Bites with Bark.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into ½-ounce pieces; plus 1 teaspoon (melted)
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup skinned hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup fresh red raspberries
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 ounce skinned hazelnuts, toasted
• 4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Make the Cocoa Hazelnut Cakes: Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Lightly coat the inside of each of 24 individual nonstick miniature muffin cups with the 1 teaspoon of melted butter.
3. Flour the inside of the cups with the 2 tablespoons of the flour.
4. Shake any excess flour out of the cups.
5. Set aside.
6. In a sifter combine the remaining ½ cup flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
7. Sift onto a large piece of parchment paper (or wax paper) and set aside until needed.
8. Place ½ cup sugar and 2 ounces butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle.
9. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then beat on medium until soft, about 2 minutes.
10. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
11. Beat on medium for an additional 2 minutes, until very soft.
12. Add 2 egg yolks and beat on medium for 1 minute until slightly fluffy.
13. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
14. Add ¼ cup sour cream and beat on medium for 20 seconds.
15. Operate the mixer on low while gradually adding the sifted dry ingredients; mix until incorporated, about 45 seconds.
16. Add 2 tablespoons buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix on low speed for 15 seconds.
17. Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the chopped hazelnuts, and then use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
18. Portion 1 slightly heaping tablespoon of the cake batter into each muffin cup.
19. Place the muffin tins on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 17 to 18 minutes.
20. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
21. Invert the pans to release the cakes. (If the cakes do not release from the cups, use the tip of a plastic knife to “cut” around the edges of each cake to free them from the pans without tearing the cakes.)
22. Set aside at room temperature while making the Red Raspberry Tease.
23. Make the Red Raspberry Tease: Place 3 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup red raspberries, and 2 tablespoons sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
24. Pulse the ingredients for 15 seconds, and then process for 1 minute.
25. Top each cake with 1 scant teaspoon of the Red Raspberry Tease.
26. Set aside at room temperature while preparing the Chocolate Hazelnut Bark.
27. Prepare the Chocolate Hazelnut Bark: Use a cook’s knife to cut each toasted hazelnut in half.
28. Set aside until needed.
29. Temper 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate.
30. Melt the chocolate in a small glass bowl in a microwave oven set at medium power for 1 minute and 20 seconds.
31. Remove the chocolate from the microwave oven, and use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate until smooth.
32. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piece of parchment paper (or wax paper).
33. Use an offset spatula (or a cake spatula) to spread the chocolate into an 1/8-to-¼-inch-thick 4 × 6-inch rectangle.
34. Sprinkle the hazelnuts evenly over the surface of the chocolate.
35. Set the chocolate aside at room temperature for 10 minutes, until firm.
36. Use a cook’s knife to cut the bark into 24 portions.
37. Cut the bark in half lengthwise across the center.
38. Then cut each half lengthwise in half again.
39. Now make five cuts crosswise on each section to make equal sixths.
40. Place a piece of bark, hazelnut side up, onto the Red Raspberry Tease on each cake, and serve immediately.

YIELD: MAKES 24 BITES