Chocolate Chip and Currant Pound Cake

1 c Dried currants

4 tb Cognac or armagnac

2 c Flour

2 ts Baking powder

3/4 ts Cinnamon

1/2 ts Salt

8 tb Half and half

1 1/2 ts Vanilla

7 oz Semi-sweet chocolate

Cut into 1/4 inch pieces 2 3/4 tb Flour

1 c Unsalted butter

4 Eggs

Cognac glaze (see recipe) 1 c Powdered sugar (10x)

2 tb Butter

1 1/2 tb Cognac

1 1/2 ts Whipping cream

Recipe by: CATHIE COPPOLINO Heat currants in Cognac in a small saucepan until just warm. Cover mixture and let stand one hour. Preheat oven to 350*. Butter an 8 cup fluted tube cake pan. Dust with flour. Sift 2 cups of flour with the baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Measure out the half and half into a small dish and drain the soaking liquid from the currants into the half and half. Add the vanilla. Pat the currants dry with paper towelling. In another small bowl combine the chocolate pieces, the currants and the 2 3/4 TBL flour. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Then mix the flour and half and half mixtures alternately into the butter. Begin and end with the flour. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate mixture, Spoon into prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven until springy to the touch, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto the rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle glaze over the top allowing it to run down the sides. Glaze: To make glaze blend sugar, butter, cream and Cognac in processor until fluffy. -----