Best Chocolate Cake With Armagnac Ice Cream Recipes

WHISKEY- AND BITTERS-INFUSED CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH BITTERS-ORANGE MARMALADE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• For the bitters-orange marmalade ice cream: Combine the cream, milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a small bowl until well blended.
• When the milk mixture reaches 140 degrees F, whisk in the eggs and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the temperature reaches 170 degrees F. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Whisk in the marmalade, bitters and orange zest. Refrigerate until chilled, 2 to 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Freeze the cold base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Hold in the freezer until ready to serve.
• For the cherry-orange sauce: Combine the cherries, orange zest and juice, sugar, bitters and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then puree in a blender until completely smooth.
• For the candied orange zest: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the oranges and cut into very fine julienne. Blanch the zest in the boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon, discard the water and bring a fresh batch of water to a boil. Blanch the orange zest a second time.
• Meanwhile, combine the sugar, whiskey, bitters and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, stirring to make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved.
• After blanching the zest a second time, transfer it to the simmering simple syrup. Simmer until translucent, 20 to 30 minutes.
• For the bitters salt: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Combine the salt and bitters in a plastic container with a lid and shake well until the salt is completely coated. Pour the salt on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until dried, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• For the cake: Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Spray two 6-cavity 4-ounce pyramid molds (or an 8-inch springform pan) with baking spray
• Heat the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted, then stir in the sugar and mix until well combined. Whisk in the eggs until just mixed. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared molds and bake for 20 minutes (20 to 25 minutes for the springform pan). The cakes will not look done, but will firm up on cooling.
• For the whiskey-bitters spray: While the cakes are baking, combine the whiskey and bitters in a clean spray bottle.
• As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, spray the tops with the bitters spray. Let the cakes cool slightly, 3 to 5 minutes, then remove them from the molds and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Spray the cakes 3 more times as they cool. Dust the cooled cakes with cocoa powder
• Place the cakes onto serving plates and sprinkle each with some of the bitters salt. Spoon some cherry-orange sauce onto each plate next to the cake, then place some of the candied orange zest next to the sauce. Serve with the bitters-orange marmalade ice cream.

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Cakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep); line with parchment. Butter parchment, then dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. Repeat process with a 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt on low speed until just combined. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; beat to combine. Add water; increase speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer 1 cup batter to prepared cake pan and remaining batter to prepared jelly-roll pan, spreading both batters evenly with an offset spatula. Bake until set and a tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes from pans; reinvert onto racks and let cool completely.
• White Chocolate Ganache: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium; pour over chocolate. Let stand 3 minutes. Gently stir with a spatula until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until set but still spreadable, about 1 hour. If ganache is too firm, let stand at room temperature or beat with a mixer until softened.
• Trim edges of rectangular cake. Top with ganache; spread evenly to edges. Using a ruler, cut cake evenly into quarters; stack on top of one another, gently pressing down to adhere layers. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Using a ruler, cut cake lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip in half (they should be about 3 1/2 to 4 inches tall).
• Transfer 9-inch cake to a 10-inch springform pan. Place cake strips around perimeter of cake, flush with edge of pan.
• Spread ice cream over cake in pan; cover and freeze overnight. Just before serving, remove cake from freezer; unlatch pan, remove cake, and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a greased and floured 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Cool completely., For filling, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar and flour. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool. , In a large bowl, beat the butter and shortening until fluffy. Beat in milk mixture and vanilla until smooth. Split cake into two horizontal layers; spread filling over bottom cake layer. Top with remaining cake layer., For glaze, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Gradually add water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla until glaze is smooth. Cool to lukewarm. Spread over top of the cake. Let stand until set. Refrigerate leftovers.