Gateau St. Honore - brandy

Method

• To plump raisins, heat brandy and raisins over low heat.
• Set aside to soak.
• Chop 9 ounces chocolate in small pieces.
• Melt with butter in top of double boiler over barely simmering water.
• When melted, remove immediately and whisk in egg yolks.
• Add plumped raisins.
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Fold into chocolate-raisin mixture.
• Cover and chill 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll puff pastry into 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick.
• Pierce with fork.
• Let rest 25 minutes.
• Place on baking sheet and bake at 450F (230C) until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Caramelize sugar in heavy skillet until golden brown.
• Do not overbrown.
• Remove immediately from heat.
• Using fork, quickly dip one half of each cream puff into caramel and place on buttered parchment paper.
• When caramel has set, dip uncoated half in caramel.
• Cool.
• Place caramel-coated cream puffs around puff pastry.
• Fill center with chilled chocolate filling.
• Melt remaining 3 ounces chocolate.
• Whip cream until soft peaks form.
• Fold melted chocolate into half of whipped cream.
• Set aside.
• Spoon remaining half of whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with a large round tube.
• Pipe dome-shaped balls in rows over chocolate filling, leaving spaces between rows.
• Repeat, using chocolate whipped cream, filling in spaces between rows of white whipped cream to create stripes.
• Makes one 12-inch cake