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Italian Fruitcakes with Frangelico Chocolate Sauce

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Italian Fruitcakes with Frangelico Chocolate SauceRichard Eskite

Italian fruitcakes with Frangelico chocolate sauce If you don't have the mini Bundt molds called for, oversize muffin cups (about one-cup capacity) can be used instead. Begin preparing this at least a week ahead.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 12

Ingredients

cakes

3 cups hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
12 ounces diced Calimyrna figs
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
2 cups (or more) Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

sauce

12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup Frangelico
Whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

  1. For cakes:

    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter and flour 12 miniature Bundt molds or 12 oversize muffin cups (each about 1-cup capacity). Toss nuts, figs, chocolate and ginger in medium bowl to blend.

    Step 2

    Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1/4 cup Frangelico and orange peel (mixture may look curdled). Sift both flours and salt over batter; mix in. Stir in nut and fruit mixture.

    Step 3

    Divide batter among molds. Bake cakes until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes (about 55 minutes if using muffin cups). Turn cakes out onto racks; brush with 1/4 cup liqueur. Cool cakes completely.

    Step 4

    Cut out twelve 10-inch cheesecloth squares. Pour 1 1/2 cups liqueur into small bowl. Dip 1 square into liqueur; squeeze out some but not all liqueur. Wrap 1 cake in liqueur-soaked cheesecloth, then in foil. Repeat dipping and wrapping with remaining cakes, adding more liqueur if needed. Chill at least 1 week and up to 2 weeks. Bring cakes to room temperature before serving.

  2. For sauce:

    Step 5

    Stir chocolate, 2/3 cup cream and liqueur in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and sauce is smooth.

    Step 6

    Arrange 1 cake on each plate. Drizzle with sauce. Pipe or spoon whipped cream alongside, if desired, and serve.

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