Chocolate Cups:

36 oz. 65% Cocoa
5 oz. Dried Tart Cherries

Chocolate Mousse:
16 oz. 65% Cocoa
9 Large Eggs
2 cups Organic Sugar
2 cups Whipping Cream
1/2 stick Butter
1/2 cup Water
1 cup Frangelico
2 cups Whipping Cream

Cherry Sauce
2 lb. Cherries
2 cups Sugar
Dark Rum

 

Directions:

Cups:

1. Chop cherries into little bits.

2. Place coarsely chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add the chopped cherries. Remove the top part of the double boiler from the bottom.

3. Fan out the baking cups slightly and the, while the chocolate is still hot, spoon a large dollop into the center of the miniature baking cup. Ease the chocolate up the sides of the baking cup a bit with the edge of the spoon.

4. Repeat 200 times. Refrigerate cups overnight.

Chocolate Mousse:

1. Heat a saucepan one-third full with hot water, and in a bowl set on top, melt together the chocolate, butter and half of the Frangelico, stirring over the barely simmering water, until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.

3. In a bowl large enough to nest securely on the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the yolks of the eggs, the other half of the Frangelico and the ¾ cup sugar together vigorously for a couple of minutes. When it is very hot (about 150 degrees) remove from the simmering water and place the bowl of whipped egg yolks within the bowl of ice water and beat until cool and thick. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.

4. In a Kitchen-Aid bowl fitted with a whip, place the egg whites. Set aside.

5. In a small saucepan combine the 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar and water and bring to a boil.

6. Boil without stirring for a minute or so. Begin whipping the egg whites in medium speed. When the syrup has boiled for a couple of minutes, pour it immediately along the edge of the bowl into the egg whites. Whip vigorously until soft peaks hold their shape. Set aside.

7. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don't overdo it or the mousse will lose volume. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

8. Whip the heavy cream in the kitchen-aid mixer until soft peaks form. Fold the freshly whipped cream into the chocolate/egg-white mixture. 9. Refrigerate the mousse for at least six hours (preferably overnight).

Cherry Sauce:

1. Pit all cherries. Slice them all in half.

2. Place all cherries in large pot and cook at medium heat, stirring frequently. Add one cup of sugar. Cherries will cook down slowly. Take a potato masher and mash the cherries every once in a while to help them break down.

3. After twenty minutes, pour reduced cherry solution into a blender (in parts if you have to) and liquefy. Return the sauce to the pot and continue cooking.

4. Add the second sup of sugar and a healthy splash of rum. Cook for twenty more minutes and refrigerate.

Layer the top of the individual chocolate cups with a small helping of the chocolate mousse, place a cherry delicately in the center, then spoon on some of the cherry sauce as a glaze. If you care to, garnish with roasted hazelnuts, toasted coconut or whipped cream. Enjoy with ’07 ZD Cab and slip away into eye-rolling ecstasy!

 

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