Bittersweet Mocha Torte Food

MOCHA MOUSSE TORTE (FLOURLESS)

Steps:

• Tools: 10" springform pan.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cook first 5 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly till smooth.
• Remove from heat and let cool (about 15 minutes).
• Whisk in beaten eggs slowly until fully incorporated.
• Pour into a greased and floured 10" springform pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let cool completely in pan before removing sides.
• Cover and chill at least 6 hours.
• Garnish with fresh fruits, powder sugar, or chocolate ganache.

LAYERED MOCHA CREAM TORTE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend ground cookies and coffee powder in processor. Set aside 3/4 cup cookie crumb mixture. Add butter to remaining crumb mixture and process until crumbs are moist. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until just firm to touch, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Make fillings:
• Stir chocolate, butter and 1 teaspoon coffee powder in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Set chocolate mixture aside while preparing meringue.
• Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil syrup without stirring until candy thermometer registers 240°F, tilting pan to submerge bulb, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks.
• Gradually beat hot syrup into whites. Continue beating until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold 1/3 of meringue into lukewarm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining meringue. Set chocolate meringue aside.
• Combine 1/4 cup cream and 5 teaspoons coffee powder in large bowl; stir to dissolve. Add 2 1/2 cups cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat until firm peaks form. Fold 1 1/2 cups coffee whipped cream into chocolate meringue, forming mocha mousse.
• Spoon half of mocha mousse over bottom of crust. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons reserved crumb mixture over mousse. Spoon half of coffee whipped cream over crumbs. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons crumbs. Repeat layering with remaining mocha mousse, crumbs, coffee whipped cream and crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep refrigerated.) Run knife around pan sides to loosen torte. Remove pan sides and serve.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• Make mousse: Put chocolate in a large bowl, and set aside. Heat 1 1/2 cups cream over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan until cream is steaming and small bubbles form on edges.
• Pour cream over chocolate. Stir until mixture is smooth. Let cool completely.
• Put remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture, one-third at a time.
• Assemble torte: Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on sides. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) over bottom of pan to cover. Arrange 5 cookies on top in a single layer to cover, breaking them to fit as necessary. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) on top to cover; smooth into an even layer. Repeat process with remaining cookies and mousse until pan is full.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto surface, and refrigerate torte until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
• Remove plastic wrap from surface. Invert torte onto a serving plate; unmold, using overhang to coax it out. Remove plastic wrap. Dust with cocoa.

DARK MOCHA TORTE

Steps:

• first make the pastry. sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and icing sugar into a bowl. Rub in butter until crumbly. Quickly mix in the eggs until everything comes together with the blade of a knife. Wrap in cling film. Chill for 30 mins. Roll out pastry and line a 21cm fluted loose-bottom tart tin. Chill for 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• line the pastry case with parchment paper, fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15 mins. Remove beans and cook for a further 5 mins. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
• To make the filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave on High for 1-2 mins, then cool. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs, yolk, nuts and flour. Fold in the chocolate and coffee, pour into the case and bake for 25-30 mins, until crumbs cling to an inserted skewer (the middle of the torte won't have set completely; it will continue to firm up out of the oven). Serve cut into thin slices, topped with crème fraîche or cream.

MOCHA BROWNIE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Grease and flour 2 round layer pans (9").
• Blend brownie mix (dry), water and eggs.
• Stir in nuts.
• Spread in pans.
• (This will look skimpy but persevere.) Bake 20 minutes. Be careful not to overbake. Check at 15 minutes.
• Cool 5 minutes in pans; remove from pans and place layers on wire racks to cool thoroughly.
• In chilled bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken.
• Gradually add sugar and coffee; continue beating until stiff.
• Fill layers with 1 cup of the whipped cream mixture.
• Frost with remaining whipped cream mixture.
• Sprinkle with shaved chocolate or chocolate curls.
• Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Grease the top of the paper, too.
• In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt together chocolate and butter. Heat in 30-60 second increments and stir well after each to avoid overcooking the mixture. Cool for 5-8 minutes.
• Pour butter mixture into a large mixing bowl and add chocolate. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Stir in flour, cinnamon, cayenne and salt, followed by the pecans and chocolate chips.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 38-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, with a few crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a serving platter. Remove parchment paper and cool completely.
• Before serving, whisk together 2 tbsp cocoa powder with 1 tsp cinnamon. Sift over the top of the torte.

MOCHA BROWNIE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly grease 2- 8 inch round cake pans.
• Line each with a wax paper circle and grease again.
• Combine brownie mix, eggs and water and mix well.
• Stir in pecans.
• Spread batter evenly in the prepared pans.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
• Cool for 5 minutes and remove from pans to cool completely on racks.
• Peel waxed paper from layers.
• Beat whipping cream until foamy.
• Gradually add sugar and coffee, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Spread whipped cream mixture on bottom brownie layer.
• Top with remaining layer and finish frosting sides and top with whipped cream mixture.
• Chill until serving time.