Chocolate and cherries are star-crossed lovers. They each bring out the best in the other: good chocolate has a natural fruity tang, and perfectly ripe bing cherries have a deep, rich, cocoa flavor. I believe this cake is like a really sexy romance. It’s deep, rich, tasty, and at times messy. But the messy is what makes it delicious. The secret to plating this dessert is timing. Keep your ice cream cool right up until it is time to serve, and bake the cakes at the last possible moment. The results, like true love, will be magical.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Double Molten Chocolate Cake batter
- 2½ cups (600 ml) TahitianVanilla Bean Ice Cream
- 1 recipe Bing Cherries Braised in Syrah & Star Anise
- 30 pistachios, halved
How to Make It
- Prepare the cake batter. The batter can be made and held in the refrigerator up to 5 days in advance. If you do pre-mix the batter, pull it out and set it on the counter at least 1 hour ahead of baking.
- When the batter is ready to be baked, remove the ice cream from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the ice cream to come to a firm but creamy consistency.
- While the ice cream is softening, bake the cakes according to the recipe directions.
- Scoop the ice cream into each serving dish, just a bit off-center. Then use an offset spatula to scrape a flat surface across the top. This will make it look like a small, turned-out pint of ice cream.
- Place each warm cake in the center of a serving dish. Spoon 8 to 10 braised cherry halves around the cakes, as well as some of the braising liquid. Sprinkle the pistachio halves around the cherries and serve.