Bourbon Soaked Chocolate Cake and Honey Bourbon Glazed Croissant Pudding

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More at my blog,The Realistic Housewife


Bourbon Soaked Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Quality Bourbon (or Espresso/Coffee, if you so choose) plus 1/4-1/2 Cup for Soaking
• 5 Ounces Baking Chocolate
• 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 3 Eggs, Separated
• 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
• 1 1/2 Cup Sifted Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Take a metal bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water and whisk together half of the sugar and the egg yolks, when hot, remove
3. Beat on medium until it ribbons (you'll see it, it folds into itself)
4. Melt butter and chocolate in another metal bowl over the same simmering saucepan until melted, set aside to cool
5. Add whiskey to chocolate/butter mixture
6. Add yolk mixture to the bourbon/chocolate mixture
7. Beat in egg whites and the other half of the sugar
8. Add honey
9. Slowly beat in sifted flour, baking soda and salt
10. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans or one bundt pan, bake for about 50 minutes
11. Let cool and pour 1/4-1/2 cup bourbon over top

Honey Bourbon Glaze
Ingredients:

• 1/4 Water 
• 3 Tablespoons Quality Honey (I used Ames Farm)
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup Cream
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 6 Tablespoons Butter Cut into Small Pieces
• 1/4 Cup Bourbon

Directions:

1. Dissolve sugar and honey into water in small saucepan, stirring
2. Caramelize it until it turns a dark amber color, careful not to burn, do not stir
3. Remove from heat and add butter, cream and salt, stirring
4. Add bourbon and refrigerate for at least one hour (it will thicken as it cools)

Amazing Cake/Croissant Pudding
Ingredients:

• 1/2 Bourbon Soaked Chocolate Cake Cut into Chunks
• 4 Large Croissants Cut into Chunks
• 1/2 Cup Honey Bourbon Glaze
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 1/2 Cup Milk
• 2 Cups Cream

Directions:

1. Pour glaze over croissant chunks
2. Toast cake and croissant chunks to dry out
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4. In large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, yolks, milk and cream
5. Place a mixture of croissant and cake chunks into 2 8x8 glass pans, or 2 similarly sized casserole dishes
6. Pour mixture of eggs and cream over chunks evenly, let soak in
7. Bake for 1 hour until top puffs up and is golden

Well, that was one big mouthful. Trust me, this recipe is seriously worth it. The Bourbon Soaked Chocolate Cake on its own can move mountains. Smooth and velvety, the smokey whiskey flavor just melts through. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top to pretty it up a bit, and there you have it. Actually, each aspect of this recipe can be used in a variety of ways. Try the Honey Bourbon Glaze drizzled over ice cream or even use it as a sauce for a pear tart. Or go crazy and top the chocolate cake with some ice cream and a drizzle of the glaze!