Double Chocolate Almond Torte Food

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CAKE (TORTA CAPRESE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325ºF and set a rack on the lower or middle level. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper.
• Grind the almonds in a food processor with 1/3 cup of the sugar. (Post grinding, your almond-sugar mixture will be about 3 cups).
• In a bowl over simmering water or in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the chocolate and butter together. Set aside.
• Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer until lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in 2/3 cup of the sugar. Add the chocolate mixture, stirring to mix well. Add the ground almonds and stir to incorporate. Add the salt, and the 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier, if using, and stir to combine.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until they form firm peaks. In two additions, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 minutes to an hour or longer - a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or if you have an instant-read thermometer, it should register 205ºF or above.
• Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan, then let cool completely.
• When the cake has cooled, transfer it to a serving platter. Just before serving, sift confectioners' sugar over the top.
• Optional: beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar and a pinch of flaky sea salt until soft peaks form - I do this with my flat-bottomed whisk (which I love: it's the Xlarge Whipper). Taste. Add more sugar and/or salt to taste, and beat lightly again - I love whipped cream that's still soft and billowy in texture and not too sweet. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries, if you have them.

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.

PASSOVER DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan and dust with 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Melt chopped chocolate squares and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks and vanilla extract together in a large bowl.
• Gradually whisk chocolate and butter mixture into egg yolk mixture until well blended.
• Beat egg whites in a separate bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat sugar into egg whites until sugar dissolves and egg whites hold stiff peaks.
• Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture until just blended and batter is smooth and fluffy.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center, about 25 minutes.
• Let torte cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the sides of pan.
• Place chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave on full power for 1 minute. Stir the chips. Continue to heat in 15-second intervals, stirring after each time, until the chocolate chips have melted and are warm and smooth. Do not overheat.
• Drizzle melted chocolate chips onto torte. Sprinkle crushed almonds and a dusting of confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, or as needed, onto the torte before serving..

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.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• Place ½ cup chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground to the texture of gravel.
• Pulse in almond flour, cacao powder and salt and process until well combined, about 10 seconds.
• Add eggs to food processor and pulse again, then add in agave, grapeseed oil and orange zest.
• Pulse all ingredients together until smooth.
• Remove "bowl" from food processor and stir in second ½ cup of chocolate chips using a spoon or spatula.
• Transfer batter into a well oiled 10 inch springform pan.
• Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients of the crust together. Add the softened butter and mix thoroughly.
• Pat into the bottom of a pie dish. It should have the consistency of a graham cracker crust.
• Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. It should be lightly brown. Remove from over and let cool.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler, or very carefully in a thick bottomed pot. Add cream and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Beat the butter into the mix.
• Pour into prepared crust.
• Refrigerate until set.

DREAMY DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Butter a 10-inch springform pan and line with a round of parchment paper.
• Melt bittersweet chocolate with 2 oz milk chocolate and the butter in a large, heavy saucepan set over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and salt, followed by eggs and vanilla. Sift cocoa powder over chocolate mixture, stir until combined.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top has a thin crust and the edges pull away from pan. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert onto a serving plate and remove parchment paper. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup whipping cream in a small saucepan set over low heat. Add remaining milk chocolate; cook, stirring until melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature.
• Beat remaining whipping cream until very stiff. Gently fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream until uniformly combined. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Mound chocolate cream onto centre of cake just before serving. Garnish with chocolate curls or dusting of cocoa powder.

ARMAGNAC CHOCOLATE ALMOND TART

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix flour, ground almonds, sugar and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; press onto bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Place on a baking sheet. For filling, sprinkle slivered almonds over crust. In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over hot water, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in golden syrup, Armagnac, vanilla and salt until well blended. Gradually beat in chocolate mixture. Slowly spoon filling over almonds. Bake until set, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.,

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325. Coat a 9 x 2 inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper cut to fit into bottom of pan; coat with nonstick spray.
• Bring water and sugar for the torte to a boil in a pan to dissolve sugar; remove from heat. Add butter, 1 bag of chocolate chips, espresso powder, and salt. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Whisk in liqueur and almond extract.
• Whisk eggs until whites and yolks are mixed, then whisk into chocolate mixture.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan,and place cake pan inside a roasting pan. Add warm water to roasting pan halfway up the outside of the cake pan. Bake torte until puffed and soft to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven, then remove the cake pan to a cooling rack. Let cool 1 hour.
• Run a paring knife around inside of the cake pan; invert onto a platter. Peel off parchment; cool completely or chill until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Before serving, heat cream for the ganache in a microwave safe measuring cup in a microwave on high until boiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips and let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool Ganache 2 to 3 minutes, then spread over top and down the sides of torte. Sprinkle top with almonds. Dip a knife into hot water and wipe dry for each slice. Serve cake with strawberries.
• Chill any leftover cake.