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Chocolate Cranberry Torte
Sauce
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Chambord (black raspberry liqueur)
Torte
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/3 cup Chambord
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze

1 cup whipping cream
10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Chambord

Fresh mint leaves

To make sauce

Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; cook until cranberries burst, about 5 minutes. Transfer to processor; puree. Strain puree into bowl; discard seeds. Mix in Chambord. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight (sauce will thicken).

Torte

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Stir 3/4 cup cranberries and Chambord in small saucepan over medium heat until liqueur simmers, about 1 minute. Cool to room temperature. Drain cranberries; reserve liqueur and cranberriesseparately.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until beginning to bubble at edges. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in sugar, then eggs 1 at a time (batter will look grainy). Whisk in reserved liqueur. Add flour and salt; whisk gently until blended. Stir in reserved cranberries; transfer to prepared pan.

Bake torte until top is puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with moist (not wet) batter attached, about 1 hour. Cool completely in pan on rack

Glaze

Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in Chambord. Let stand until glaze is thick but still pourable, whisking occasionally, about 2 hours.

Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; place cake rack in center. Cut around torte to loosen; remove pan sides. Place 8-inch-diameter cardboard round or 8-inch tart pan bottom on top of torte. Holding cardboard and springform pan bottom, turn torte over and place on rack. Remove pan bottom; peel off paper. Pour 1 1/2 cups glaze over torte. Using icing spatula, smooth glaze over top and sides (re-apply any glaze from foil if necessary). Freeze torte until glaze is set, about 10 minutes. Pour remaining 1 cup glaze over torte and smooth evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup dried cranberries around top edge. Freeze until glaze is firm, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to platter. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

Arrange fresh mint leaves between cranberries at top edge of torte. Cut into wedges and serve with sauce

Learn more about this author, Patti Williams.
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