Cherry is in season. In California, their season is short and ending soon (perhaps our climate is too hot and dry), yet our local cherries look very pretty, fruit are plump and juicy, and flavor and taste are pristin delicacy. Normally our local varieties available on market are Bing and Rainier. Bings are large black-red color, very rich and sweet. Rainiers are yellow with red blush color and have a good balance of sweetness and acidity…very delicately delicious. Both cherries are just pick and eat, rinse with cold water and refigerate til ready to eat. And sometime I cook with a littel sugar and red wine to comport them if I cannot finish to eat all fresh cherries I have got.
Cherry Mousse and Chocolate Cake – Cerises Mouse et Gâteau au Chocolat
Make one 8 x 8-inch cake about 10 pieces
■Gâteau au chocolat\ Mold size 20×20cm (8-inches square)
60g Bittersweet chocolate (60%)
3 tablespoons (40g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (50g) heavy cream
10g golden syrup or corn syrup
2 whole eggs (100g)
1 egg yolk (20g)
¼ cup sugar (55g)
¼ cup cake flour (25g), sifted
¼ cup (20g) cocoa powder, sifted
20 cherries (150g) cut in a half and pitterd
■Mousse de cerises (Make a day before)
7 ounces 200g bing cherry, pitted, diced
1/2 vanilla beans or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (55ml) red wine (such like pinot noir or ganache)
¼ cup (60g) sugar
5g gélatine powder
25 ml water
⅓ cup (130g) heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
Cooking cherries:
In a small cup, mix the gelatin and water well and refrigerate it.
Beat the heavy cream with sugar until soft peak and refrigerate it.
In a small saucepan, mix the cherries, vanilla, red wine and sugar well, and bring to simmer over medium low heat, cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cherries absorb the wine, and liquid has come syrupy. Transfer to clean container and cool completely. Cove with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Making chocolate cake:
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Butter and flour the cake pan. Refrigerate until use.
In a heat proof mixing bowl, melt chocolate, butter, cream and syrup over a double boiler. Remove from the heat. The chocolate mixture should not be hot. Add the eggs, egg yolk and sugar mix well. Gently fold the flour and cocoa powder to the chocolate mixture. Pour the batter to a prepared pan. Place cherries over the batter nicely , and evenly. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and cool completely. (You may bake the cake day before.)
Warm the gelatin mix to liquid in microwave oven and mix into cooked cherry, mix well, and then gently hold the whipped cream to make mousse. Pour the cherry mousse over the chocolate cake, smooth on top on the mousse and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Serving:
Decorate the cake with whipped cream and place the stemmed cherries on top.
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