Recipe: Chocolate Ganache Cake with Bay Leaf Sauce

Chocolate Ganache Cake With Bay Leaf Sauce
Yield: 12 Servings
Source: Gramercy Tavern - NYC

7 oz bittersweet chocolate
7 tb soft butter
6 lg eggs; separated
6 tb slivered almonds -ground into fine; powder w/ food processor
6 tb cake flour
1/3 c sugar
12 oz chocolate bar -cut in 12 1 square pieces; with bay leaf sauce
1 c sugar
1/2 c water
1 vanilla bean
4 fresh bay leaves or 1 dried bay leaf with chocolate sauce
1/2 c bay leaf sauce
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
4 oz quality chocolate; chopped
whipped cream for garnish

Spray inside of each oversize (3-1/2-inch diameter) muffin cup with butter-flavored vegetable oil spray; dust each cup with cocoa powder. Set aside. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. Whisk in soft butter. Remove chocolate mixture and whisk in egg yolks, one at a time. Set aside. Whisk ground almonds and cake flour together and fold into chocolate mixture. Set aside. Whip egg whites and sugar with whisk or electric mixer into soft peaks. Whisk 1/3 of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Spoon batter into each muffin cup to a depth of 1/2-inch. Freeze approximately 5 minutes until batter stiffens. Put a 1-inch piece of chocolate in center of each muffin cup on top of cake batter. Spoon in enough cake batter to cover chocolate pieces. Bake at 350 degrees F 20 minutes. Allow cake to rest in pan for 1 minute. Carefully remove cakes to 12 individual dessert plates. Serve with Bay Leaf Chocolate Sauce and whipped cream.
12 servings.

Bay Leaf Sauce:
Boil sugar and water in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vanilla bean and bay leaves. Turn off heat and allow to steep, covered, for at least 1 hour. Remove vanilla bean and bay leaves. Refrigerate sauce until time to blend into chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Sauce:
Bring sauce and cream to a boil in small saucepan. Pour over chopped chocolate in small mixing bowl; whisk until smooth. Serve with ganache cakes. Produces 1-1/2 cups.