Chocolate Almond Dessert Food

DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND ROCKS

Steps:

• Spread almonds in a large skillet; toast over medium heat until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour almonds into a bowl.
• Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides to avoid scorching, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; pour in almonds and stir until evenly coated.
• Drop spoonfuls of chocolate-almond mixture onto a plate lined with waxed paper.
• Chill until set, about 10 minutes.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Whipped Creme Fraiche: Whisk cream with vanilla and salt until thickened and silky but not yet forming peaks. Add sugar and creme fraiche; whisk to soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 8 hours; stir before using.
• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Add almond flour and salt; beat to combine. In a separate bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and beat to soft peaks, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff but not dry peaks form, about 1 minute more. Stir one-third of egg-white mixture into batter until no streaks remain. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture just to combine (do not overmix). Transfer to prepared pan; gently smooth top with an offset spatula.
• Bake until puffed slightly and set along edges but still slightly wobbly in center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely, about 2 hours. Remove sides of pan. Using a spatula, gently lift cake from pan; slide onto a cake plate. Lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges; serve with creme fraiche and raspberries.

ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a nonstick 8-inch cake pan with soft butter. Make sure the pan is truly nonstick. You can also use a well-greased 9-inch ceramoc or glass pie plate.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, and vanilla extract.
• Gradually whisk in the almond flour and cocoa powder.
• Finally, whisk in the salt and baking soda. The batter will be fairly thin.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in it comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Cool the cake on a cooling rack until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes, then slice and serve. Keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to a week.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND DESSERT

Steps:

• Arrange half of the cake cubes in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish; set aside. In a large saucepan, whisk milk and pudding mixes. Add candy bar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened., Pour half of the pudding over cake cubes. Sprinkle with half of the almonds; cover and refrigerate. Transfer remaining pudding to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until chilled., Arrange remaining cake cubes over dessert. Whisk chilled pudding; fold in whipped cream. Spread over top and sprinkle with remaining almonds. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares.

ALMOND VENETIAN DESSERT

Steps:

• Grease the bottoms of three 8-in. square baking dishes.
• Line with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside.
• Place almond paste in a large mixing bowl; break up with a fork.
• Add the butter, sugar, egg yolks and extract; beat until smooth and fluffy.
• Stir in flour and salt.
• In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Stir a fourth of the whites into the dough, then fold in the remaining whites (dough will be stiff).
• Divide dough evenly into three portions, about 2/3 cup each.
• Tint one portion green and one portion red; leave the remaining portion white.
• Spread each portion into a prepared pan.
• Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
• Immediately invert onto wire racks; remove waxed paper.
• Place another wire rack on top and turn over.
• Cool completely.
• Place green layer on a large piece of plastic wrap.
• Spread evenly with 1/3 cup apricot preserves.
• Top with white layer and spread with remaining preserves.
• Top with red layer.
• Bring plastic over layers.
• Slide onto a baking sheet and set a cutting board on top to compress layers.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate.
• Remove cutting board and unwrap dessert.
• Spread melted chocolate over top; let stand until set.
• With a sharp knife, trim edges.
• Cut into 2-in. x 5/8-in. bars.
• Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND SHELLS (EDIBLE DESSERT BOWL/CUP)

Steps:

• Mix the almonds and flour in a bowl until well-combined.
• Combine corn syrup, sugar, butter and chocolate in a small, heavy saucepan.
• Over low heat, stir mixture constantly, until it just comes to a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and stir until fully blended.
• Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the buttered baking sheet, leaving at least 3 inches on all sides to allow room for spreading (no more than 4 shells on the sheet).
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F until they spread out and are lacy, 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes.
• Using a thin metal spatula, lift the still-soft rounds from the baking sheet and drape each over an inverted coffee cup.
• Let them cool completely, then carefully lift off the shells and set aside.
• Repeat process with the next half of the dough.
• Serving: Place the shells on small dessert plates, then fill with ice cream/sorbet of your choice and garnish with chocolate glaze, citrus zest, chopped toasted nuts etc.
• Serve immediately (The shells can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days).

MILK CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND CROISSANTS

Steps:

• Special equipment: pizza cutter or kitchen shears, ruler
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place 1 sheet thawed puff pastry on the work surface like a sheet of paper or portrait (not horizontal or landscape). If the puff pastry is very sticky, very lightly flour the work surface. Using a pizza cutter or kitchen shears, cut the puff pastry in half, widthwise. Using a ruler as a guide, make an indentation at 2-inch intervals (for the base) across the bottom of each puff pastry half. Cut each half into 8 triangles, with the base of each triangle measuring 2 inches. (They will be very long isosceles triangles.) You'll end up discarding the 2 end pieces to get the most out of your puff pastry piece. This sheet of triangles will be reserved for the chocolate croissants. Repeat the cutting for the second puff pastry sheet that will be used for the almond croissants.
• For the chocolate croissants: Place 1 chocolate piece just above the 2-inch edge of 1 pastry triangle, folding the dough over the chocolate as you tightly roll up the dough, enclosing the chocolate. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and chocolate. Place the pastry rolls on the baking sheet, seam-side down. Cover the croissants with plastic wrap and place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the dough firms up. (You can make these croissants 1 day ahead up to this point.)
• Just before baking, remove the croissants from the refrigerator, brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
• For the almond croissants: Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond paste, shaped like a small log, just above the 2-inch edge of 1 pastry triangle, folding the dough over the almond paste as you tightly roll up the dough, enclosing the almond paste. Repeat with remaining puff pastry triangles and almond paste. Place the pastry rolls on a baking sheet, seam-side down. Cover the croissants with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the dough firms up. (You can make these croissants 1 day ahead up to this point.)
• Just before baking, remove the croissants from the refrigerator, brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with sugar and sliced almonds.
• Bake until the pastries are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cook's Note: These croissants are so easy and so good you'll want to stuff them with practically everything. They are perfect as is-chocolate croissants and almond croissants, but if you're feeling a little adventurous combine the chocolate and almond paste (scale back just a touch on the almond paste) in one croissant for a decadent treat. But don't stop there, you can stuff these mouthwatering minis with savory fillings too. Ham and cheese croissants are crazy good!

CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND SLICES RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Grease and line the base of a 20x24cm (8x9½in) shallow cake tin with baking parchment. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Leave until melted, stir and cool for 5 mins.
• Place the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs and ground almonds in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until creamy. Fold in the melted chocolate.
• Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the surface. Bake for 30-35 mins until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and leave to cool completely.
• To make the icing, place all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Leave until melted, then remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Cool until thick enough to spread over the top of the cake. Leave until the icing has just set, then cut into slices.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
• Place a medium saucepot on medium heat and bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a simmer. Place a medium bowl on top of the saucepot and add the semisweet chocolate and coconut oil. Using a heatproof spatula, stir the chocolate until fully melted and combined with the coconut oil, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and set aside. Leave the saucepot with the water on the stove.
• Place the almonds in a food processor and grind until a powdery consistency is reached. Transfer the almonds to a large bowl and add the quinoa, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir to combine the dry ingredients, then add the melted chocolate mixture, coconut milk, vanilla and eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• For the ganache: Reheat the water in the saucepot over medium heat to bring to a simmer. Place another medium bowl over the water and add the semisweet chocolate and coconut milk. Using a heatproof spatula, stir the chocolate until fully melted and combined with the coconut milk.
• Drizzle the ganache over the cake, top with raspberries and serve.