Joli's fool-proof Chocolate Cranberry Torte

I love to bake. Even more so, I love to eat. So, it should be no surprise that my favorite and most used iPhone app is from Epicurious.com. It is a great resource, not only for fancy-pants recipes like my favorite pumpkin risotto, but also the basics like homemade pie crusts or whipped cream. The best part of the site is the ratings and reviews left by other users. I always read them before dciding to use the recipe and invariably tweak it based on other users' suggestions or my own intuition.

I first discovered the recipe below when I was planning an important holiday dinner. My parents were traveling from twelve hours away. I invited my in-laws to join us and began planning an elaborate four course meal sure to impress them all. Most of my recipes came from Epicurious. Just in case you are wondering, the menu included:

-Appetizer: PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps (which I actually serve without the lettuce in little wonton cups).

-First course: Marinated Shrimp with Champagne Buerre Blanc.

-Second course: Wedge salads with cherry tomatoes and blue cheese crumbles.

-Main course: Standing Rib Roast with Roesemary-Thyme Crust, steamed green beans, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

At this point in the meal, everyone was pretty sated. But the piece de resistance was dessert--a decadent rich chocolate creation which is surprisingly fool-proof. I have made it many times since and it is always a huge hit. In addition to the sauce, I usually serve it with homemade whipped cream, both of which balance out the richness of the torete quite well. According to my husband, the torte makes an excellent meal any time of the day, including breakfast!

Chocolate Cranberry Torte Recipe from Epicurious.com

Sauce

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons Chambord (black raspberry liqueur)

Torte

1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

1/3 cup Chambord

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate chopped (i use dark chocolate)

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze

1 cup whipping cream

10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped (again, I use dark chocolate)

1/4 cup Chambord

Fresh mint leaves

Preparation

For Sauce

Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; cook until cranberries burst, about 5 minutes. Transfer to processor; puree. Strain puree into bowl; discard seeds. Mix in Chambord. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight (sauce will thicken).

For torte:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Stir 3/4 cup cranberries and Chambord in small saucepan over medium heat until liqueur simmers, about 1 minute. Cool to room temperature. Drain cranberries; reserve liqueur and cranberries separately.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until beginning to bubble at edges. From from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in sugar, then eggs 1 at a time (batter will look grainy). Whisk in reserved liqueur. Add flour and salt; whisk gently until blended. Stir in reserved cranberries; transfer to prepared pan. Bake torte until top is puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with moist (not wet) batter attached, about 1 hour. Cool completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

For glaze:

Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in Chambord. Let stand until glaze is thick but still pourable, whisking occasionally about 2 hours.

Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; place cake rack in center. Cut around torte to loose; remove pan sides. Place 8-inch-diameter cardboard round or 8-inch tart pan bottom on top of torte. Holding cardboard springform pan bottom, turn torte over and place on rack. Remove pan bottom; peel off paper. Pour 1 1/2 cups glaze over torte. Using icing spatula, smooth glaze over top and sides (re-apply any glace from foil if necessary). Freeze torte until glaze is set, about 10 minutes. Pour remaining 1 cup glaze over torte and smooth evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup dried cranberries around top edge. Freeze until glaze is firm, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to platter. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hours before serving.)

Arrange fresh mint leaves between cranberries at top edge of torte. Cut into wedges and serve with sauce.

-Joli

Director of Development