running through the middle. After the cake is made and chilled (no baking involved), it’s inverted onto a cake plate, ready for your finishing touches. A dusting of powdered sugar? A sprinkling of cocoa powder? If not, chocolate curls or a satiny ribbon of dark chocolate sauce also make an elegant statement.
¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
¾ cup light rum About 32 ladyfingers (two 7-ounce packages)
5 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs, separated and divided
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the dish
1 large egg white
Unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered sugar for dusting
Chocloate Curls for garnish
Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish. Cut a circle of parchment to fit the bottom and press into place. Cut a strip of parchment the same width as the height of the soufflé dish. Fit it around the sides and press into place.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine ½ cup of the sugar and ¾ cup of the water and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Let cool slightly. Dip (do not soak) enoughladyfingers in the sugar syrup, one at a time, to stand, side-by-side, around the inside of the soufflé dish. To line the bottom of the dish (which will be the top of the cake once it is unmolded), dip and coat 4 to 5 ladyfingers in the syrup, cutting their ends at an angle to make them fit. (Remember, they form the cake’s top so you will want an attractive placement.) Reserve the remaining rum mixture.
Place the chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons water in a medium heatproof bowl and set in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 or 5 times, and let it melt completely. Stir until smooth. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Add the 2 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the ½ cup butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, stirring until each addition is melted. When all is combined, remove from the heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the 3 egg whites until foamy. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Do not overbeat. Gently fold one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites until just incorporated and no large streaks of egg white remain.
Spread half the chocolate mixture into the prepared dish. Dip and coat 4 to 5 more ladyfingers in the syrup and cut to fit, creating a middle layer. Spread the remaining chocolate mixture over the ladyfingers. Dip and coat the final 4 to 5 ladyfingers to cover the top and gently press into place. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, invert the dish onto a serving plate. The cake will slip out of its lining. Carefully peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake. To garnish, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, cocoa, or a combination of both. For added panache, cap the top with a crown or garland of chocolate curls.
Mom’s Frozen Fudge Pops
makes 6 frozen pops
EVERY SUMMER MY MOM MADE THESE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD fudgy frozen pops for my brother and me. The recipe is almost identical to that for Mom’s Real Chocolate Pudding, except here she uses cocoa powder instead of chocolate, and rich whole milk instead of the evaporated kind.
3 cups 3.5% milk or a combination of whole milk and half-and-half, divided
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
First, have patience, and don’t try to hurry the process. In the top of a double boiler, combine 2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and salt and place over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk is hot.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup milk, the cocoa, and cornstarch until thick and
¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
¾ cup light rum About 32 ladyfingers (two 7-ounce packages)
5 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs, separated and divided
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the dish
1 large egg white
Unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered sugar for dusting
Chocloate Curls for garnish
Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish. Cut a circle of parchment to fit the bottom and press into place. Cut a strip of parchment the same width as the height of the soufflé dish. Fit it around the sides and press into place.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine ½ cup of the sugar and ¾ cup of the water and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Let cool slightly. Dip (do not soak) enoughladyfingers in the sugar syrup, one at a time, to stand, side-by-side, around the inside of the soufflé dish. To line the bottom of the dish (which will be the top of the cake once it is unmolded), dip and coat 4 to 5 ladyfingers in the syrup, cutting their ends at an angle to make them fit. (Remember, they form the cake’s top so you will want an attractive placement.) Reserve the remaining rum mixture.
Place the chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons water in a medium heatproof bowl and set in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 or 5 times, and let it melt completely. Stir until smooth. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Add the 2 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the ½ cup butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, stirring until each addition is melted. When all is combined, remove from the heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the 3 egg whites until foamy. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Do not overbeat. Gently fold one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites until just incorporated and no large streaks of egg white remain.
Spread half the chocolate mixture into the prepared dish. Dip and coat 4 to 5 more ladyfingers in the syrup and cut to fit, creating a middle layer. Spread the remaining chocolate mixture over the ladyfingers. Dip and coat the final 4 to 5 ladyfingers to cover the top and gently press into place. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, invert the dish onto a serving plate. The cake will slip out of its lining. Carefully peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake. To garnish, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, cocoa, or a combination of both. For added panache, cap the top with a crown or garland of chocolate curls.
Mom’s Frozen Fudge Pops
makes 6 frozen pops
EVERY SUMMER MY MOM MADE THESE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD fudgy frozen pops for my brother and me. The recipe is almost identical to that for Mom’s Real Chocolate Pudding, except here she uses cocoa powder instead of chocolate, and rich whole milk instead of the evaporated kind.
3 cups 3.5% milk or a combination of whole milk and half-and-half, divided
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
First, have patience, and don’t try to hurry the process. In the top of a double boiler, combine 2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and salt and place over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk is hot.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup milk, the cocoa, and cornstarch until thick and
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