chocolate pomegranate torte

How To Make chocolate pomegranate torte

• 1

  Make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease the sides of a 9x2 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. Finely grate 2 ounces of the chocolate and set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining chocolate and combine with the butter and 3 tablespoons water in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in a skillet of barely simmering water and stir frequently until the mixture is melted and smooth. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt until thick and lightened in color.
• 2

  In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium high speed until soft peaks have formed, about 2 minutes. With the motor running, gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating to stiff peaks, 1-2 minutes more. Whisk the warm chocolate and the flour into the yolk mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold one quarter of the whites into the chocolate batter. Scrape the remaining whites into the chocolate mixture and sprinkle the grated chocolate on top. Fold together. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
• 3

  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out smudged with a few moist crumbs, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto another rack. Remove the pan and parchment and invert the cake onto the first rack (it's normal for the cake to have a crusty exterior that may crack with handling). Let cool completely.
• 4

  Make the pomegranate jelly: Grate enough of the apple (including the peel) to yield 3/4 cup. In a medium saucepan, bring the grated apple, pomegranate juice, sugar, and cranberries to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, covered, until the apple is softened and the mixture has thickened a little, about 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally at first and then constantly towards the end, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes.
• 5

  With a rubber spatula, press the pulp through a medium mesh strainer into a bowl until you can't get anymore juice out of the pulp. Scrape all of the juice clinging to the bottom of the strainer into the bowl and discard the pulp in the strainer. Brush away any loose crumbs and easily detachable crusty pieces from the sides and top of the cake. Transfer the cake to a cardboard round or tart pan bottom. Stir the jelly to blend it, scrape it onto the cake, and spread it evenly over the top. Let the jelly cool until it's set, about 1 hour. At this point, the cake may be covered with an inverted cake pan, wrapping in plastic (the pan keeps the plastic from touching the cake), and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• 6

  Make the glaze and finish the cake: Put the chocolate, butter, honey, and salt in a heat proof bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water. Stir gently until the chocolate melts and the mixture is perfectly smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons cool water. Let cool at room temperature without stirring. If not using right away, cover and store at room temperature. Set the cake on a rack over a baking sheet. With an offset spatula, spread 1/3 cup of the glaze around the sides of the cake and on top of the jelly (be careful not to disturb the jelly) to smooth the surfaces and glue on any crumbs. Rewarm the remaining glaze gently to 90F in a skillet of barely simmering water-the glaze should have the consistency of thick pour-able cream.
• 7

  Scrape all of the glaze onto the top of the cake. Spread the glaze over the top and all around the sides. For the shiniest glaze, work quickly and use as few strokes as possible. Scoop up any excess glaze from the baking sheet and use it to cover bare spots. Garnish with pomegranate seeds (if using) and let the cake rest on the rack for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cake plate and let sit at room temperature until set, 15-30 minutes, or up to several hours before serving.
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