RECIPE: Chocolate Pecan Cake


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The Savvy Grapes 'Rules of Thumb' Our Favorite Matches Back to Recipes Need help selecting wine for a party or a function? SHARE YOUR RECIPES Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to post? Send it to us! BE SAVVY Send us your email to be included on the invitee list for *The Savvy Grapes* upcoming food & wine events. Cheers!	Chocolate Pecan Cake *with Wine Suggestions* One of the 'Savvy Team' members, Accredited Sommelier, Patti Petty loves to cook. Here is a favorite to serve with a glass of port or a big wine like Katnook Founder's Circle Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia. Cake & red wine? Why not! Cake 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces ¾ cup granulated sugar; divided 4 eggs separated 1 cup ground toasted pecans 2 tbsp. flour ¼ tsp cream of tartar Glaze 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped ½ cup whipping cream 2 oz. white chocolate (used to decorate top if desired) Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a deep 9” round cake pan or spring form pan and line bottom with a round of parchment. Butter lightly again. To make cake, melt chocolate and butter together in a bowl over gently simmering water. In a large bowl beat ½ cup of sugar with egg yolks until light. Stir in warm chocolate/butter mixture. Mix in pecans and flour. In a separate bowl beat egg whites with cream of tartar until mounds begin to form. Slowly beat in remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Beat until stiff but not dry. Stir 1/3 of egg whites into chocolate base to lighten it. Fold in remaining whites lightly. Spoon mixture gently into prepared pan. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but not runny. Cool cake in pan. Cake will be puffy and then fall (but don’t worry). For the glaze, place chocolate and whipping cream in a bowl over simmering water. Heat until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly (it should be pourable). When cake is cool, gently push edges down so top is flat. Turn cake out onto a serving platter that has a slight lip and is at least 2” larger than cake) The top of the cake is now on the bottom. Brush off any crumbs. Pour one-quarter of the glaze on cake and spread over top to crumb coat the cake. Pour remaining glaze over cake. Rotate slowly so glaze coat top and sides and excess runs off onto the platter (don’t want to waste it!). Melt white chocolate if using. Pipe chocolate through paper cone with fine tip or a squeeze bottle in concentric circles on top. With the end of a chopstick or dull knife, swirl the white chocolate and glaze into small circles to create a pattern. ~ OR ~ Top with fruit, berries of choice. I prefer a mix of raspberries and blackberries. Tuck mint leaves and edible fresh flowers amongst berries for a beautiful presentation.	HAVING A PARTY? Trying to figure out which wines to serve? The Savvy Grapes will help you! Send us your menu & we will select wines to complement each course. The best part...there is no charge. Cheers! *The Savvy Grapes, Inc.* Accredited Sommeliers Contact us on: (613) 851-1785 or email Copyright © 2004 *The Savvy Grapes Inc.* All rights reserved. OUR PRIVACY POLICY: The Savvy Grapes will not sell or distribute your contact info.