Chocolate And Almond Cake Food

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet until lightly golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground, but not pasty.
• Melt 12 tablespoons butter and the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter and coat with the breadcrumbs, tapping out the excess.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Combine the 6 egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest, rum and salt, then beat in the melted chocolate until smooth. Mix in the ground almonds until just combined.
• In a clean bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with a mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in the reserved 2 tablespoons granulated sugar on high speed until almost stiff. Stir one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold in the rest. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until the top is firm and cracked (a toothpick inserted into the cake will be fudgy), 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the ring. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and whipped cream, if desired.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Make the sugared cranberries: Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them; let sit 1 hour. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the cardamom in a large bowl. Drain the cranberries, add to the spiced sugar and toss to coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, rerolling the cranberries in the sugar occasionally until dry, 2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl; set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate large bowl. Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan until almost simmering; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until just combined. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; lightly tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made 1 day ahead; let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the side of the bowl, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and almond liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Halve 1/2 cup of the sugared cranberries. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then sprinkle with the halved cranberries. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top with the remaining sugared cranberries.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE & ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and line the base of a 20cm springform tin with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Stir, then leave to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, tip the eggs and sugar into a second bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 4-5 mins, or until thick and creamy. Add the mascarpone or soft cheese and vanilla, and continue to beat until everything is combined. Lightly fold in the cooled melted chocolate mixture until everything is one even colour, then fold in the almonds. Sift over the cocoa powder and a small pinch of salt, and fold in to combine.
• Scrape the cake batter into the prepared tin. Put the tin on a baking tray and bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is puffed up and has cracked on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30-40 mins - it will deflate as it cools. Serve warm as a chocolate pudding, or leave to cool completely and enjoy as a fudgy brownie cake. Dust with extra cocoa powder before serving.

CHOCOLATY ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, beat cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar and cocoa, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Spread about 2 tablespoons jam over each cake layer. , Place one cake on a serving plate. Spread with 1-1/2 cups whipped cream mixture; drizzle with remaining jam. Top with remaining cake layer; spread the remaining whipped cream mixture over top and sides of cake. Press almonds onto sides and top of cake. Garnish with raspberries and mint. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE & ALMOND MARBLED BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Thoroughly brush a 1.5 litre bundt tin with melted butter.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the almond extract.
• Mix together the baking powder, flour and ground almonds. Beat in one egg at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour mixture in between. Repeat until all three eggs have been added, then fold in the remaining flour mixture and stir in the milk.
• Spoon half of the cake batter into a separate bowl and mix in the cocoa paste. Add the chocolate chips to the other half of the mixture. Add spoonfuls of each of the batters alternately to the tin and drag the handle of a teaspoon through the mixture to create a marbled effect.
• Bake for around 40 minutes and then test the cake to see if a skewer inserted into the deepest part comes out clean. The cake will take 40 - 50 mins, depending on the proportions of your bundt tin.
• Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Once cooled, dust the cake with a little icing sugar.

CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND CAKE (GLUTEN FREE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with the rum and coffee on top of a double boiler.
• Put the butter, almonds and icing sugar into a pan and stir over "low" heat until the butter melts and the ingredients are well-mixed. Stir in the chocolate mixture.
• Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the egg yolks thoroughly ( if the mixture is not cool enough the eggs will separate) and then fold in the egg whites.
• Turn into a 9" springform pan that you have coated with cooking spray. Bake @ 350* for 45-60 minutes. The cake will still be moist in the middle when done, and is very "fragile" due to the absence of flour.

CHOCOLATE, PRUNE AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 20 cm square cake tin. Melt 225 g of the chocolate and all the butter together in a heavy-based pan over a low heat. Spread the nuts on a grilling tray and toast until the skins begin to blister. Rub the nuts with a cloth, discarding the skins, then return the nuts to the grill til golden brown. When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and stir in the nuts, prunes and eggs. Spoon the mixture into the lined cake tin and leave to set in the fridge overnight.
• When completely set, remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl over a pan of genly simmering water then pour the chocolate over the cake and return the cake to the fridge to set. With a large heavy knife, cut the cake in half. Then cut each half into 6 slices making 12 slices in total.