Heavenly Chocolate Raspberry Torte Food

BEST CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TORTE

Steps:

• Line three 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease and flour the pans and paper. Set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 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, in a small heavy saucepan, melt chips and butter over low heat. Transfer to a large bowl; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth., For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add the preserves, sugar and liqueur; beat until stiff peaks form., Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup filling. Top with another cake layer and spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers. Top with another cake layer, 1/2 cup filling and remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake., For drizzle, place chips and butter in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Place mixture in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe a lattice design over top of cake, allowing some drizzle to drape down the sides. Decorate with chocolate curls and raspberries as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Spray 9-inch round pan with cooking spray; cover bottom with waxed paper. Microwave 4 oz. chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in dry gelatin mix and sugar until well blended. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in flour and nuts until well blended. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 40 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan 5 min. Run small knife around side of pan to loosen edge. Invert onto wire rack; remove waxed paper. Cool cake completely.
• Meanwhile, melt 4 oz. of the remaining chocolate as directed on package; spread onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 min.
• Microwave remaining chocolate in large microwaveable bowl as directed on package. Whisk in COOL WHIP until well blended. Transfer cake to plate; frost with COOL WHIP mixture.
• Use sharp knife to cut chocolate on baking sheet into 1-1/2- to 2-inch irregular-shaped pieces. Arrange on cake. Top with raspberries and powdered sugar.

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY ANGEL FOOD TORTE

Steps:

• Split cake horizontally into four layers. In a large bowl, beat the cream, confectioners' sugar and cocoa until stiff peaks form., To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with a third of the raspberry jam. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill until serving. Just before serving, garnish with raspberries and mint leaves.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the bases of two 23cm cake tins with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave; leave to cool. Stir in the vanilla and coffee powder.
• Whizz the almonds in a food processor until finely ground, then add flour and salt, and transfer to a bowl. Whisk the eggs with an electric mixer for 5 mins, until doubled in volume. Slowly add the sugar, whisk for 1 min more. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture until just combined. Sprinkle over half the flour mixture and fold in, then the other half. The mixture will be rather runny.
• Divide between the two tins and bake for about 15 mins until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached - the sponges should be slightly undercooked. Cool in tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.
• Choose the less perfect of the two, then set it on a serving plate. Mash 12 raspberries and stir in the jam. Spread on the base, then top with the other cake.
• For the glaze, bring the cream to the boil, pour it over the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Leave for a few mins until starting to thicken, then spread over the top and sides to cover. Decorate with raspberries. Chill for up to 24 hrs. Remove from fridge 1 hr before serving, dust with icing sugar, and serve with vanilla cream.

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• For Chocolate Cake: Mix granulated sugar, sour cream, whole milk, instant espresso, vegetable oil, whole eggs and vanilla extract in a standing mixer on low speed for approximately 2 minutes or until combined. Scrape the bowl and add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt. Mix another 2 to 3 minutes until cake batter is smooth. Pour into sprayed and parchment lined 10-inch cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
• For Chocolate Mousse: Melt chocolate and set aside (keep warm). In a separate dish add powdered gelatin to cold water, set aside. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a saucepan. Put on a medium flame and cook until 165 degrees F. Be careful not to over cook and curdle the mixture. Pour egg-milk mixture through a strainer into the melted chocolate. Melt the gelatin and water. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Let chocolate mixture cool to room temperature. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold into the chocolate mixture.
• For the Ganache: In a saucepot combine heavy cream, sugar and unsalted butter. Bring to a boil. Take off flame. Add chopped chocolate to boiled cream let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined. Over-mixing will cause bubbles in the ganache. Only stir until chocolate is incorporated. Set aside.
• For Chocolate Buttercream: In a saucepan combine granulated sugar and just enough water to moisten the sugar. Bring to a boil, washing down the sides as you go with a brush dipped in water. Bring to 240 degrees F. As sugar is cooking, begin whipping the egg whites in a mixer on medium speed.. Increase speed, as sugar gets closer to a soft peak. Mix the unsalted butter, shortening and salt together. When sugar reaches temperature pour into whipping egg whites. Continue to whip on high speed until the mixing bowl is just warm to the touch. Quickly add the unsalted butter, shortening and salt. Continue to whip for 5 minutes or until buttercream comes together and is smooth. Add melted chocolate and cocoa powder. Whip until combined. Set aside.
• For Assembly: Slice 10-inch cake horizontally into 2 even pieces. Place first layer of cake in a plastic wrap lined 10-inch cake pan. Spread a thin layer of raspberry marmalade on top of the cake. Spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache on the raspberry marmalade. Spread a 2 1/2-inch thick layer of chocolate mousse on top of the ganache. Top with the second layer of chocolate cake and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and spread a layer of chocolate butter cream on top of the cake. Spread a layer of chocolate ganache on top. Put the cake in the freezer for 1 hour or longer. Remove from the freezer and gently pull cake out of the pan by pulling on the plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated until served.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MERINGUE TART

Steps:

• Make the tart dough: Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add egg and pulse just until a crumbly dough comes together. If the dough seems dry, drizzle in a teaspoon or two of water. Press dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight (or up to 5 days).
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 3/8-inch thickness (about an 11-inch round). Place dough into a 9-inch tart pan, folding the extra dough in over the edges to build up the sides. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork; chill in freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 48 hours. (Cover lightly with plastic wrap if freezing for more than a couple of hours.)
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the tart crust with foil, and fill with baking weights or dried rice or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights and continue to bake until shell is light golden, another 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries and sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until berries break down, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon juice and use a fork or wooden spoon to mash raspberries to a purée.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg. Slowly add 1/4 cup of hot raspberry purée to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Slowly drizzle the egg-raspberry mixture back into the saucepan with remaining purée, whisking constantly to keep eggs from cooking. Turn the heat to medium-low, and add butter and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 7 to 9 minutes.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing hard on the solids, into a bowl. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then whisk briefly to smooth.
• Pour raspberry filling into the tart shell. Bake until filling is set (it should jiggle only slightly in the center), about 14 to 22 minutes. Remove tart from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Start preparing the meringue: Using a blender or food processor, blend the freeze-dried raspberries until you get a fine powder speckled with seeds. (The seeds won't break down so don't even try.) Set aside 1 tablespoon of raspberry powder for garnish. Combine cocoa powder with remaining raspberry powder to use for the meringue.
• Place chocolate in heatproof bowl, and melt in microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth. Set aside. (Or you can melt the chocolate in a pot on the stove over low heat, stirring constantly.)
• Fill a medium pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. In a large metal bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set the mixing bowl with the egg white mixture into the pot above the water, and whisk constantly by hand until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm (160 degrees on an instant thermometer) and has thickened and lightened in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-low speed and gradually increase speed to high, until mixture is thick and fluffy, and stiff peaks form, about 5 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to overbeat.
• Sprinkle raspberry-cocoa mixture on top of meringue. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in mixture 2 to 3 times to halfway incorporate, but remains very streaky. (Do not overmix.) Drizzle melted chocolate into meringue and gently fold until just combined and still streaky. Take care not to deflate the meringue very much. (It will deflate somewhat.)
• Spread the meringue over the hot filling, making sure it meets the edges of the crust. Using a knife or spatula, swirl in a design. Bake until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Allow to cool completely and sprinkle the top with a little of the reserved raspberry powder. (Save the extra to perk up oatmeal, smoothies and peanut butter sandwiches.)

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly spray 9" round cake pan bottom and sides with cooking spray.
• Line bottom with parchment paper and then coat bottom and sides with cooking spray.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips for glaze; place remaining chips in medium microwaveable bowl(or place in top of double boiler).
• Stir in yogurt until chips are coated.
• Microwave on HIGH in 1 minute increments, stirring after each, until chips are completely melted(or heat in double boiler over simmering water, stirring frquently, until melted).
• Stir in crushed granola bars and egg whites until well blended.
• Bake 20-30 minutes or until sides of torte has risen and torte is shiny but firm when touched. (If center rises, torte has OVERBAKED).
• Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave reserved 1/2 chocolate chips and the half & half on HIGH in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
• Cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
• Place wire rack upside down over rack and pan over.
• Remove pan and parchment papaer.
• Pour chocolate mixture over torte; spread over top and serve onto serving plate.
• In small bowl, mix syrup and sugar in small resealable food-storage plastic seal bag, and cut tiny hole in one corner.
• Drizzle over top of torte in spiral pattern; gently run toothpick back through spiral pattern to feather.
• Refrigerate until glaze is set and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.
• Before serving, garnish tray and/or individual dessert plates with raspberries and mint.
• Cut torte into wedges with warm, dry knife cleaning knife between cuts.
• Store in refrigerator.
• *To crush granola bars, unwrap and place in plastic bag, use rolling pin to crush.

FROZEN WHITE CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Finely grind cookie pieces in processor. Add butter; blend until crumbs are moist. Press mixture onto bottom and halfway up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Freeze while preparing mousse.
• For mousse:
• Place liqueur in heavy medium saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over liqueur; let stand until gelatin softens, about 20 minutes.
• Press raspberries firmly through sieve into large measuring cup. Add enough reserved juices to puree in cup to measure 1 2/3 cups berry mixture. Add berry mixture and 1/2 cup sugar to gelatin mixture. Stir over medium-low heat just until sugar and gelatin dissolve, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; stir until melted. Transfer raspberry mixture to large bowl. Chill until thick but not set, stirring often, about 2 hours.
• Beat cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into raspberry mixture in 3 additions. Transfer mousse to crust; smooth top. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 4 days ahead. Cover; freeze.)
• Cut around pan sides; release pan sides. Place torte on platter. Arrange raspberries around top edge of torte. Decorate with Chocolate Leaves.