French Chocolate Almond Cake With Strawberries Food

FRENCH CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Materials: Wax/Greaseproof paper; 2 8" round cake pans.
• Place cake pan on wax paper and trace 2 circles with a pencil; Cut out.
• Grease bottom only of cake pans and place the wax paper in the pan.
• Combine flour, cornstarch and baking powder; set aside.
• In a bowl, beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer on until fluffy; Add almond extract.
• Sift flour into mixture; and blend well.
• Divide the cake mixture into both cake pans evenly.
• Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes; taking note of your own oven variations.
• Prepare the filling.
• Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.
• Add egg yolks, then cocoa; mix well.
• Stir in almond extract until the mixture is smooth.
• For the glaze: Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over saucepan containing boiling water; Cool.
• Slide a knife around the cake that should be cooling by now and remove it from the pan.
• Remove the wax paper and put on cake plate.
• Spread filling over just the top of the first cake.
• Place 2nd cake on top.
• Drizzle glaze over top of cake and garnish with strawberries, almonds slivers (optional); Sprinkle powdered sugar over top (optional).
• NOTE: This is a bit like a soufflé where you have to make sure you don't open the oven until it is about done; As you can see from my photo this one flopped a bit but was still gorgeous!

CHOCOLATE ALMOND POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until creamy.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in sour cream and almond extract.
• Gradually blend in flour mixture.
• Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with slivered almonds on top of batter.
• Bake for 70 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool 15 minutes, then turn out from pan and cool completely.
• (I love serving this with fresh sliced strawberries or raspberries on top).

FRENCH ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square pan.
• Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Add almonds; beat 1 minute. Add eggs one at a time mixing between each addition. Add baking powder and flavorings. Gently fold in flour; 1 tbsp at a time. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 40-45 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, when cool.

THE BEST FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160C (325F). Generously butter a 9.5 inch (22cm) springform pan, then sprinkle with a little sugar and tap out the excess.
• Set aside 3 tbsp of the sugar. Place the chocolate, butter and remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and let the mixture cool slightly.
• Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture (when cool - otherwise the eggs will cook), beating each in well, then sift in the flour.
• In a clean grease-free bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites slowly until they are frothy. Increase the speed, add the salt and continue beating until soft peaks form. Sprinkle over the reserved sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy. Beat one third of the whites into the chocolate mixture (I use my electric mixer for this), then fold in the remaining whites (with a wooden spoon).
• Carefully pour the mixture into the pan and tap the pan gently to release any air bubbles.
• Bake the cake for about 35 to 45 minutes until well risen and the top springs back when touched lightly with a fingertip. (If the cake appears to rise unevenly, rotate pan after 20 to 25 minutes.) Transfer the cake onto a wire rack, remove the side of the pan and let cool completely. Remove the pan base, dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.
• Enjoy!