Fudge Cakes With Jasmine Tea Whipped Cream

• 6 large prunes, cut into 1/4-in. dice
• 1/4 cup cognac (or other brandy)
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 heaping tsp. jasmine pearl tea
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70%-74% cacao), coarsely chopped
• 5 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• About 3 tbsp. store-bought or homemade plum jam, for topping
• 3 tablespoons toasted salted hazelnuts or almonds, coarsely chopped

1. Put the prunes in a small bowl and pour in cognac. Cover and chill overnight.
2. In a microwave-safe small bowl or glass measuring cup, microwave cream until barely simmering (do not let boil). Add tea, cover, and let steep off the heat 30 minutes. Strain into a bowl and set bowl in a larger one of ice and cold water. Once cool, cover and chill at least 1 hour.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat butter with ginger just until butter melts. Cover and let steep 30 minutes.
4. Strain ginger butter into a bowl, pressing ginger against strainer. Discard ginger. Put 6 tbsp. ginger butter and the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. In 10-second bursts, microwave until two-thirds melted. Whisk to melt fully.
5. Preheat oven to 325u0b0. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, and salt together. Strain prunes (save cognac for cocktails).
6. Whisk chocolate-butter mixture into eggs and sugar. Stir in prunes.
7. Spoon batter into four 4-oz. ramekins or coffee cups, dividing evenly, then transfer to a small roasting pan. Carefully pour enough hot water into pan to come half-way up sides of ramekins. Cover pan tightly with foil.
8. Bake cakes until just set (when you gently touch center of a cake, your finger should come away clean), about 35 minutes. Let cakes cool on a rack until barely warm. Meanwhile, whip jasmine cream into soft peaks.
9. To serve, spoon some plum jam onto cakes and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted hazelnuts.
10. Make ahead: Jasmine cream through step 2, up to 1 day, chilled. Cakes, up to 2 days, cooled and then chilled. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
11. Wine pairing: A moderately sweet fortified red like Roxo 2011 Metodo Portugues "Ruby Tradicional" (Paso Robles; $48). --Sara Schneider
12. Total time: 2 hours plus overnight for cognac prunes

prunes, cognac, whipping cream, jasmine pearl tea, unsalted butter, fresh ginger, bittersweet chocolate, sugar, eggs, kosher salt, storebought, almonds

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fudge-cakes-jasmine-tea-whipped-cream (may not work)