Cinnamon-Orange Dark Chocolate Popover Cakes

Categories: chocolate, dessert

Ingredients

• Cakes:
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, plus more for pan
• 4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate (about 65% to 70% cacao)
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 packed cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Cinnamon-Orange Ganache (see below)
• Cocoa powder or cinnamon, for dusting the cakes
• Cinnamon-Orange Ganache
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon orange oil
• 4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate (about 65% to 70% cacao), finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and center one rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Butter all six cups of a popover pan (even if it’s nonstick), and set aside.

3. Place the remaining butter, chocolate, and orange zest in a small saucepan, and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly. When the chocolate pieces are almost entirely melted, remove from the heat and let the chocolate mixture sit for a few minutes. Stir until smooth, and transfer to a mixing bowl.

4. Add the white and brown sugars, chili powder, and cinnamon and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, until the mixture is well combined. Sift the cocoa powder and flour over the batter and whisk it in, slowly at first. When all the dry ingredients have been incorporated, divide the batter between the six popover cups.

5. Bake the cakes for 20 minutes, or until the tops begin to crack. Place the popover pan on a cooling rack.

6. When the pan is cool enough to touch, invert the cakes onto the cooling rack (place the rack on top of the popover pan, invert both, and tap the cakes gently out of their pans), and let the cakes cool to room temperature.

7. (At this point, the cakes can be wrapped and left overnight, if necessary. Make the ganache just before frosting cakes.)

8. Before frosting, place the cooling rack over a baking sheet (to catch the dripping chocolate.) Using a flat spatula or a small knife, spread the ganache over the tops and sides of the cakes. Allow the ganache to dry, then sprinkle with cinnamon or cocoa powder and serve.

9. Ganache is just a mixture of chocolate and cream that, when poured over the

10. cake, gives it a smooth finish. Don’t be scared by the name! You can make it

11. while the cake cools, but don’t let it cool too much before using it.

12. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just barely beginning to bubble at the edges. Remove from heat, wait a minute or two, then add the oil, chocolate, and cinnamon, and stir until the mixture is smooth and uniform. If the chocolate is still too thick to pour, add another tablespoon of cream, and mix again.

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