1 Sponge cake batter, sufficient to fill gem pans (see note)
1 Cream Sauce II (see note)
1 Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, amount to flavor half the sauce
1 Hot water, small amount to dilute melted chocolate
1 Candied cherries, for garnish
1 Angelica, for garnish
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 12-cup gem pan (each cup approximately 2 inches / 5 cm in diameter). Prepare sponge cake batter according to your chosen recipe and fill each cup about two-thirds full.
2. Bake 12-16 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and the edges pull away from the sides of the cups. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan, about 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
3. Using a small paring knife or melon baller, hollow out the center of each sponge cake round to form a shallow basket, leaving a floor and walls of approximately 1/4 inch (6 mm). Reserve or discard the removed crumb.
4. Prepare Cream Sauce II (a vanilla custard sauce; see note). Divide the finished sauce into two equal portions.
5. Melt the chocolate: chop finely and place in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (a double boiler), stirring until fully melted and smooth, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in a small amount of hot water, a teaspoon at a time, until the chocolate is fluid and pourable. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes, until it is no longer warm to the touch.
6. Tempering the sauce into the chocolate (technique: gradually adding a warm liquid to a cool or dense mixture to prevent seizing or curdling): add the chocolate-flavored portion of Cream Sauce II to the cooled chocolate very slowly, stirring constantly, a tablespoon at a time at first, until fully incorporated and smooth. The remaining half of the sauce is left plain (vanilla).
7. Fill half the baskets with the plain Cream Sauce II and the remaining half with the chocolate cream sauce, or fill each basket with both sauces side by side for a two-tone effect in the Neapolitan style.
8. Garnish each basket with candied cherries and small pieces of angelica. Serve immediately or refrigerate uncovered for no more than 2 hours before serving.
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