BLACK CHOCOLATE WOMEN RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease and flour THREE 8 inch cake pans
• In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk for 1 minute to blend.
• Add softened butter a few pieces at a time while the mixer is on low speed. Mix until the dry ingredients look like coarse sand and the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, milk , oil and vanilla until blended.
• Method is important when using the Reverse Creaming Method. With the mixer on low speed, SLOWLY add approximately 1/2 of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 1/2 minutes at medium speed. Don't mix above medium speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating for 20 seconds after each pour. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl.
• Slowly add the cup of hot coffee and mix another 30 seconds until blended. The batter will be very runny. Don't worry!
• Pour into 3 prepared 8" pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool the cakes 10 minutes on a rack and then turn out of the pans.
• Drain the cherry syrup into a measuring cup...the juice/syrup will be about 1/2 cup or so. Add water to the syrup to reach the 1 cup mark. Set the cherries to the side and pour the one cup of liquid into a sauce pan.
• In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons cornstarch with a few tablespoons of the cherry syrup mixture stir until well combined. When combined add it back to the saucepan of cherry syrup and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Keep in mind that it will thicken further as it cools. Gently stir in the drained, sliced cherries and Kirsch.
• Chill a glass/metal mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 10 minutes, if using a stand mixer use the whisk attachment
• Beat the heavy cream on high speed until it begins to thicken (to around the soft peak stage), then gradually add the confectioners sugar, continuing to beat until the stiff peak stage -- this can happen quickly so keep an eye on it. (Peaks hold their shape when the mixer is pulled from the bowl). Don't over-beat or you will wind up with butter! I like to do this step with a hand mixer but if you'd prefer, you can do it with the whisk attachment of your stand mixer.

Steps:

• Line the base and sides of a 20.5cm (8”) round springform cake tin with baking parchment. Make the base: whiz the biscuits in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs (alternatively put them in a sealed plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin). Mix in melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the base of the tin with the back of a spoon. Chill. Melt the chocolate orange slowly in a heat-proof bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally and making sure that the base of the bowl does not touch the water.  Allow to cool for a couple of mins.  Beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar until smooth. Add double cream and continue to beat until smooth and fully combined.  Tip the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture, folding to combine and marble, then tip into the tin and spread to level. Chill for at least 6 hours. Set aside 12 Chocolate Orange Minis then melt the remainder in a heat-proof bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally and making sure that the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Allow to cool slightly for a few mins. Whip the cream and icing sugar to stiff peak. Remove the cheesecake from the tin and peel away parchment. Dot the melted chocolate over the cake and create swirls with the back of a teaspoon. Sprinkle the orange zest over the cake then decorate the edge with 12 piped cream swirls each topped with a Chocolate Orange Mini. Chill immediately to set. When ready to serve, slice into 12 equal portions