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Dessert Recipes and More
The leftover seeds from straining raspberries for sauce still have plenty of flavor in them. Add white vinegar to the seeds, letting them brew into a wonderful raspberry vinegar, perfect for salads. See details: Green Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.
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Another Favorite Chocolate Recipe
The Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe uses frozen raspberry juice concentrate; it gets brushed onto a sponge cake for moistness and flavor. A simple frosting recipe using creme fraiche, holds up well and tastes delicious.
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Variations On a Theme
Another sponge cake recipe adds a layer of Pistachio Butter to the center. Check out the Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Recipe for an exciting change of pace.
Chocolate Torte w/ Raspberry Sauce
This rich chocolate torte has a few do-ahead steps, but it's still a fairly simple recipe (as tortes go). Raisins soaked in coffee add extra flavor; finely-chopped nuts make it dense and intense. For the simple frosting recipe, stir chocolate chips into melted butter. For anyone needing a chocolate fix, this should do it. A raspberry sauce using fresh (or frozen) raspberries adds a nice touch. Serves 8-10.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 c. raisins (or substitute chopped dates or dried cherries)
- 1/4 c. whiskey (or substitute coffee)
- Rounded 1 c. chocolate chips
- 3 egg whites
- 1 stick butter, room-temperature
- 3 egg yolks
- 2/3 c. sugar
- 1 stick butter, room-temperature
- 2/3 c. sugar
- Scant 1/3 c. flour
- 1/4 c. butter
- Rounded 1 c. chocolate chips
- 8 oz. bag frozen raspberries
- Approx. 2 TBS. raspberry juice (from strained raspberries)
- 1/4 c. sugar
Soak overnight: > 1/4 c. raisins (or substitute chopped dates or dried cherries) > 1/4 c. whiskey (or substitute coffee)
Microwave 1-2 min.: > Rounded 1 c. chocolate chips
Stir chocolate until melted. Add soaked raisins. Next, whip until soft peaks form: > 3 egg whites
In lg. bowl, fold the melted chocolate/raisin mix into whipped egg whites. Set aside. Meanwhile, beat until thick: > 1 stick butter, room-temp. > 3 egg yolks > 2/3 c. sugar
In food processor, process until fine: > Scant 1 c. blanched almonds (or substitute pecans or toasted hazelnuts)
To food processor, add to chopped nuts and pulse just until mixed: > Scant 1/3 c. flour
Fold flour/nut mix into beaten egg white/chocolate mix. Fold yolk/butter/sugar mix in as well. Butter one 9" pan, lining bottom w/wax paper. Butter again, flour the tin, then pour in batter. Bake at 350� for 25-35 min. Let cool 10 min., then remove from pans. You can invert it, turning it back to right-side-up, if serving without the frosting. Otherwise, let cool, then frost with Double Chocolate Frosting.
Double Chocolate Frosting:
Microwave 30 seconds or so: > 1/4 c. butter
To hot butter, add: > Rounded 1 c. chocolate chips
Stir chips in until melted. Let frosting cool until thick enough to apply, then frost. Let frosting set up for an hour or more. Serve with Raspberry Sauce.
Raspberry Sauce:
This might make extra, but it's great over ice cream if you have leftovers.
Let thaw in bowl: > 8 oz. bag frozen raspberries
Strain seeds out of raspberries (reserve the seeds, add white vinegar, and let steep for weeks/months, for a great Raspberry Vinegar).
Microwave in bowl, 1 min. or so, until dissolved: > Approx. 2 TBS. raspberry juice > 1/4 c. sugar
Stir dissolved sugar-syrup into the rest of strained raspberries. Pour into a pitcher, serving a slice of the cake on top of a pool of the raspberry syrup, with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.