Individual Chambord Chocolate Curl Cakes

The tanginess of the crème fraiche and the sweetness of the raspberries and chocolate blend perfectly together to melt in your mouth. This cake not only looks spectacular, but it tastes even more amazing. Enjoy!

Serves eight 3" individual cakes or one 10" cake. Prepare in a 10" cake pan. This would serve 16-20.

The Chocolate Genoise--10-15 min at 325 degrees
6 large eggs
6 egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup cake flour
2/3 cup good quality Dutch Cocoa (Valrhona, Droste and Pernigotti are my brands of choice)

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the six eggs, six yolks, 1/8 teaspoon salt and the sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
3. Fill the bottom of a medium saucepan with approximately two inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place the mixing bowl with the egg mixture over the pan of simmering water.
4. Continuously whisking, heat the egg mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch. Be careful to not cook the eggs.
5. When the mixture is hot, bring the bowl over to the electric stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment.
6. Whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and has tripled in volume.
7. Onto a large piece of parchment paper, sift the cake flour, cornstarch and cocoa together.
8. Add two or three large spoonfuls of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in. Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well blended.
9. Pour into the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet.
10. Spread out evenly with an offset spatula.
11. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
12. Set aside to cool with the parchment paper still attached.
13. Using the 3" ring mold, cut out as many disks of cake as you can. Keep the scraps left over for later use.

This cake can be made ahead of time.

Storage
This chocolate genoise can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to several days or double wrapped and stored in the freezer for up to a month.

Special Equipment and Additional Ingredients
8 3" ring molds
acetate paper - resembles thick plastic wrap and is available at an art supply store
ruler
exacto knife or scissors
offset spatula
2 baking sheets
sifter
pastry brush
vegetable peeler
2 5-ounce tubs raspberries - reserve 8 perfect ones for decoration
confectioner's sugar -for dusting

The Chambord Simple Syrup
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons Chambord (Raspberry liqueur)

1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring sugar and water to a low simmer, stirring dissolve the sugar completely. 2. Remove from the heat and cool. 3. Stir in the Chambord. Set aside.

Crème Fraiche Fillings
6 cups crème fraiche, cold - keep refrigerated until ready to use
4 teaspoons vanilla
8 tablespoons of sugar

Note before you start: It is extremely important that the crème fraiche, the bowl and the whisk attachment be very cold. This will ensure proper whipping. Place the bowl of an electric stand mixer and its whisk attachment in the refrigerator or freezer to quickly chill.

1. Place the crème fraiche and vanilla in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
2. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken.
3. Gradually sprinkle in the eight tablespoons of sugar. Continue whipping on medium speed until thickened. Do not over beat.
4. Remove 1½ cups of the mixture for the chocolate filling. Set the rest aside.

Chocolate Filling
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1. Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolate.
2. Place the chocolate in a medium sized glass mixing bowl. Melt in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, scraping down the bowl every 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
3. Only when you are ready to assemble the entire cake proceed with the following:
Fold in ½ cup crème fraiche from the mixture that had been set aside. Fold in the remaining 1 cup. Quickly, before it hardens, spread evenly over 1/3 of the cake.

Assemble
1. Place all eight ring molds on a parchment lined baking sheet. 2. Place one chocolate genoise disk in the bottom of each mold.
3. Using a pastry brush, brush on a generous layer of Chambord simple syrup.
4. Cover with a layer of chocolate crème fraiche filling.
5. Break up cake scraps and place cake scraps in an even layer to form a second cake layer.
6. Brush on a layer of Chambord simple syrup.
7. Place an even layer of raspberries.
8. Spread the sweetened crème fraiche over the raspberries, lightly pressing down to fill in the cracks between the raspberries.
9. In one hand, moisten a third cake layer with Chambord simple syrup. Place moist side down over the raspberry and sweetened crème fraiche layer.
10. Place the baking sheet with the assembled cakes in the refrigerator to set 10 minutes or longer.
11. When ready to wrap with chocolate, use a blow dryer to slightly heat the sides of each ring mold to release them from the cake.

Decorate
Chocolate Wraps
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1. Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolate. In a heatproof glass bowl, melt the chocolate in 30-second increments in the microwave. Stir until completely smooth.
2. Cut the acetate paper in 3" high strips that will wrap around each individual cake.
3. Place each acetate strip onto a large piece of parchment paper.
4. Pour an even layer of melted chocolate onto each. Spread with an offset spatula.
5. Quickly pick up the chocolate wrap, and wrap each around the individual cakes.
6. Pop in the refrigerator to set 10 minutes.
7. Once hard, carefully peel away the acetate paper and you will have a beautiful chocolate wrapped cake.

Chocolate Curls
1 16-ounce block bittersweet chocolate

1. Holding the block of chocolate in one hand, use a vegetable peeler to scrape curls from the block of chocolate.
2. Place the curls across the top of each cake, leaving a spot in the center for a single raspberry.
3. Using a sifter, dust confectioner's sugar over the curls.
4. Garnish with a single raspberry in the center of each cake.

Serve
Serve at room temperature with a hot cup of coffee.

Storage
Once the cake is completely assembled it should be consumed that same day. It can be stored in the refrigerator until the next day. Any longer period of time would cause the crème fraiche to break down.