Chocolate Prune Torte Passover Food

PRUNE & CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Put the prunes and brandy in a small bowl and leave to steep for about 30 minutes until most of the brandy has been absorbed.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C. Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed cake tin or springform tin. Put the cocoa, chocolate, butter and 140g/5oz of the sugar in a pan, add 100ml/31⁄2fl oz hot water and gently heat until the mixture is smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. Sift the flour and cinnamon over and gently fold in with a metal spoon, until almost combined. Add the chocolate mix and fold in until evenly combined.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and arrange the prunes over the top (they will sink into the sponge during baking). Sprinkle over any remaining brandy and bake for about 30 minutes until just firm. Serve with cream or crème fraîche.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with foil.
• Grease the foil.
• Melt the margarine and chocolate over low heat or in the microwave.
• Stir until smooth and let cool.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, about about 2 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, beat together the yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 1 minute.
• Blend in the chocolate mixture and stir in the almonds.
• Fold in the beaten whites, 1/3 at a time, into the chocolate until no streaks of white remain.
• Scrape into prepared pan.
• Place an 8 inch baking pan with 1 inch of water in it on the bottom rack of the oven (to make the torte more moist).
• Bake the torte on center rack at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center.
• Cover the torte loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking.
• Note: Don't worry if the cake cracks because the top will be on the bottom later.
• Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then carefully remove sides of pan.
• Invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.
• You can top with whipping cream or dust with confectioner's sugar if you want.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with foil. Grease foil.
• Melt margarine and chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth and let cool.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat whites until stiff; about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, beat together yolks and sugar until thick and pale; about 1 minute. Blend in chocolate mixture and stir in almonds. Fold in beaten whites, 1/3 at a time, into chocolate until no streaks of white remain. Scrape into prepared pan.
• Place an 8 inch baking pan with 1 inch of water in it on the bottom rack of the oven (to make the torte more moist).
• Bake torte on center rack at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center. Cover the torte loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking. Note: Don't worry if the cake cracks because the top will be on the bottom later.
• Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then carefully remove sides of pan. Invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Stir chocolate and margarine in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool until lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until pale and very thick, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture in 2 additions and beat until well blended. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake torte until crust forms on top and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter and some moist crumbs still attached, about 55 minutes (top may crack). Run small sharp knife around torte to loosen. Cool in pan on rack (torte will fall and crack). Remove pan sides. Invert torte onto platter. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)
• Grind 1/3 cup sugar in blender until fine powder forms. Place doily atop torte. Sift ground sugar over doily; gently remove doily. Garnish torte with raspberries, if desired. Serve with Raspberry Sauce.

CHOCOLATE TORTE WITH PASSOVER FUDGE GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment, and spread hazelnuts on top. Bake until fragrant and toasted, about 10 minutes. Place nuts in a clean kitchen towel, and rub to remove loose skins. Place 1/3 cup nuts in bowl of food processor, and pulse until finely ground; reserve. Roughly chop remaining 1 cup nuts, and set aside.
• Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with margarine; dust with cocoa powder. Whisk together remaining 3/4 cup cocoa powder, ground hazelnuts, and matzo meal; set aside.
• In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat yolks and brown sugar on medium-high speed until mixture holds a ribbonlike trail for 3 seconds when you raise the whisk, about 45 seconds. Fold in 1 cup nut puree from fudge glaze recipe. Transfer to a large bowl; wash and dry mixer bowl and attachment. Place egg whites and salt in mixer bowl; beat with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Fold egg whites and ground-hazelnut mixture into egg-yolk mixture. Fold in melted margarine. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula.
• Transfer to oven; bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Invert pan, and remove cake. Using a serrated knife, slice cake into two layers. Place a 9-inch cake round on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Place bottom layer of cake on round; spread 1/2 cup fudge glaze on top. Place second layer on bottom layer. Pour remaining glaze over cake, using the offset spatula to cover sides. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• When ready to serve, press chopped hazelnuts onto sides.

SINFUL TORTE (PASSOVER ... SPECIAL OCCASION)

Steps:

• 1. I was able to find Parve semi-sweet chips at Wegman's. If making for Passover, adjust as you see fit.
• 2. Use a 9 inch springform pan. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and wrap outside of pan with foil.
• 3. Combine 14 ounces of bittersweet chocolate with your cubed butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on half power for one minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds at a time until chocolate and butter are almost completely melted. Stir until completely melted and incorporated. Cool.
• 4. In a medium bowl, whip egg yolks with half of the sugar (6 tablespoons) until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Fold cooled chocolate into the yolks along with vanilla and rum.
• 5. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar. Continue to whip to medium stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture in thirds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes, until the top of the cake is puffed and cracked. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack. The top will fall.
• 7. Ganache: Pour heavy cream into a sauce pan and heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and stir in remaining pound of chocolate.
• 8. Press down gently on top of cake to make it somewhat uniformly flat. Remove sides from the pan and invert cake onto a plate with edges lined with waxed paper. Remove parchment paper from cake and ladle warm ganache over the top. Spread out to cover the sides of the torte. Let stand until set. You can then remove the waxed paper and have a drip-free plate.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F Have ready an ungreased 10 inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep).
• Beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until very thick.
• Add chocolate, orange juice and rind; beat to combine.
• In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the ground walnuts, cake meal and potato starch. Fold into yolk mixture.
• In a separate bowl with clean, dry beaters, beat whites until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold in chocolate mixture into beaten whites.
• Scrape into pan and bake 55 to 60 minutes, until cake tests done. Invert pan over a bottle neck and let cake cool completely (cake will be upside down).
• Prepare the filling:.
• Melt preserves; stir in orange sections.
• Cool for 5 minutes.
• Prepare the chocolate glaze:.
• Heat orange juice until warm. Remove from heat, add chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
• Run a knife around edge of pan; remove cake from pan.
• Slice cake in half horizontally.
• Spread orange filling over bottom half of cake. Replace top layer of cake. Coat cake with glaze. Garnish with remaining 1 cup nuts and the orange sections.