Desserts recipes |
Breton Chocolate pound cake |
5 squares unsweetened chocolate |
Combine chocolate and water in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts; cool until lukewarm. Sift flour, sugar, and salt into large bowl of electric mixer; cut in butter or margarine with a pastry blender to make a crumbly mixture. Add cooled chocolate mixture. Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Chill batter in bowl for at least 1 hour. Return bowl to mixer. Beat at medium speed 1 minute. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Add aromatic bitters and vanilla and beat 2 minutes. Add baking powder and beat 2 minutes more. Pour batter into a greased 8-cup fancy tube pan which has been lightly dusted with dry cocoa (or a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan). Bake in slow oven (300°F) 1 our and 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan or wire rack 10 minutes; loosen around edges with a knife. Turn cake out of pan on a wire rack and cool completely. Frost with chocolate glaze and garnish with sliced almonds, if you wish. |