Warm Chocolate-Chipotle Cakes with Cinnamon-Caramel Sauce
- 4 dried chipotle chiles
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened prune juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon freshly-ground cinnamon (preferably Mexican canela)
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cinnamon-Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground cinnamon (preferably Mexican canela)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- (makes 1 1/2 cups)
- Prepare a medium heat fire (350F) in a wood-fired oven or cooker.
- Butter eight 4-ounce ramekins and dust with sugar, knocking out the excess sugar.
- In the wood-fired oven or cooker, toast the chiles in a dry skillet, turning as they toast, for about 2 minutes.
- Discard the stems, seeds, and ribs, then soak the chiles in hot water to cover until softened, about 30 minutes.
- Drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
- Puree the drained chiles in a food processor or blender, adding enough soaking liquid to form a paste.
- Force the paste through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the solids.
- Set aside 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chile paste and freeze the remainder for another use.
- Bring the prune juice and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the hot sugar syrup over the chocolate in a large bowl, stirring until the chocolate is melted.
- You may need to place it over a simmering water bath to melt completely.
- Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the 1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste, the flour, cinnamon, and salt.
- Place the ramekins in a baking pan; divide the batter among the sugar-lined ramekins and place in the oven or cooker.
- Fill the pan with 1/2 inch hot water and bake, uncovered, until the cakes are firm and crusted, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Check after 20 minutes for doneness, as each oven is different.
- The cakes need to be moist, not dry.
- If using a Big Green Egg, put the plate setter in place with the grate on top, creating an oven.
- Place the sheet pan on the grate, fill with hot water, and close the lid.
- Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Unmold the warm cakes directly onto serving plates, crusty top side up.
- Drizzle with the caramel sauce and serve.
- Combine the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Increase the heat to medium-high; boil without stirring until the syrup becomes a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling the pan.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the ground cinnamon until completely combined.
- Gradually add the cream and stir over low heat until the sauce is smooth.
- Remove from the heat and let stand until cool and pourable, about 30 minutes.
- Store in a plastic squeeze bottle and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 month.
chiles, unsweetened prune juice, sugar, bittersweet chocolate, butter, eggs, flour, freshlyground cinnamon, kosher salt, cinnamoncaramel sauce, sugar, water, freshly ground cinnamon, heavy cream
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/warm-chocolate-chipotle-cakes-with-cinnamon-caramel-sauce-391851 (may not work)