Warm Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Almond Brittle Food

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and cook, stirring once, until toasted, about 10 minutes and set aside.
• Lay a silicone baking mat on a rimmed baking sheet (or line the pan with aluminum foil and lightly butter). Spread the butter on the underside of a large offset metal spatula. Whisk the cocoa and baking soda together in a small bowl.
• Put the sugar, corn syrup and 3/4 cup water in a deep medium saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the side. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, just until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and boil the mixture until it reaches 310 degrees F or hard-crack stage.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully whisk in the cocoa mixture until combined. Stir in the toasted nuts with a wooden spoon. Working quickly, pour the hot brittle onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it as thin as possible with the buttered spatula. Cool for 5 minutes, then loosen the brittle from the pan with the spatula. Cool completely and then break into pieces. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMOND BUTTER BRICKLE

Steps:

• Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter. Place almond butter in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, covered, at 50% power 30-60 seconds or until softened, stirring once. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 teaspoon water. Set aside almond butter and baking soda mixture., In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. Cook until a candy thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage), stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add remaining butter; cook until candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), stirring frequently, about 5 minutes longer. , Remove from heat; stir in the softened almond butter, almond extract and dissolved baking soda. (Candy will foam.) Immediately pour into prepared pan. Spread to 1/4-in. thickness., Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand until chocolate begins to melt. Spread evenly; sprinkle with almonds and coconut, pressing slightly to adhere. Cool slightly. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set. , Break candy into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

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 ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease a 15x10x1-in. metal baking pan; set aside. In a 1-1/2-qt. microwave-safe bowl, combine the sugar, corn syrup and salt. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2-1/2 minutes. Stir in almonds; cook on high for 2-1/2 minutes. Add the butter and vanilla; cook on high for 1 minute., Stir in baking soda. As soon as the mixture foams, quickly pour onto a greased metal baking sheet. Cool completely. Break into 2-in. pieces. , Melt chocolate coating in a microwave. Dip 1 side of brittle int chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden. Store in an airtight container.

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.

WARM CHOCOLATE CAKES

Steps:

• Make the ganache: Place 2 ounces chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour cream into a small saucepan, and heat until bubbles appear around the edge. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let stand several minutes, and whisk until smooth. Pour the ganache into 6 squares of a plastic ice-cube tray. Freeze until solid.
• Butter and flour six 6-ounce ramekins, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, taping out the excess flour; set aside.
• Melt butter and the remaining 12 ounces chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and the vanilla. Beat until thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Add the chocolate-butter mixture, and thoroughly combine. Fold in the ground almonds.
• In a clean mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low speed until frothy, 2 to 3 minutes, then on medium-low until the whites are foamy and begin to thicken, just before soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the egg yolk-chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold the remaining egg whites into the mixture. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the batter into each ramekin. Removed the frozen ganache cubes from the freezer. (You may need to dip the bottom of the tray in hot water to get them out.) Place a cube in the center of each ramekin. Spoon the remaining batter into the ramekins, being careful to keep the ganache cubes in the center, and cover them completely. Freeze the filled ramekins until solid, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the center. Take the baking sheet from the freezer. Wrap any cakes to be saved, and replace in the freezer; leave the rest on the sheet. Bake until the batter has set, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. To unmold, cover one hand with a clean kitchen towel, and invert the cake into hand, removing ramekin, then invert again onto a serving plate, and dust with confectioners' sugar, if using. Serve hot.

ALMOND CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GANACHE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350, grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
• sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl, add the almonds, combine with a whisk and set aside.
• With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter for about 1 minute, or until the butter is lighter in color.
• Slowly add the sugar, about 2 Tbls at a time.
• When all of the sugar is added, continue to beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed; the mixture will look fluffy like something between mayonnaise and whipped cream.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 10 seconds between each addition.
• Add the melted chocolate and honey and beat for a few seconds until smooth.
• With a rubber spatula, fold the sifted ingredients into the batter in 3 segments, alternating with the buttermilk which is added 1/2 cup at a time.
• Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture looks smooth.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool the cake on a wire rack.
• Ganache:.
• Heat the cream on the stove until just under a boil.
• Pour the heated cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds.
• Stir until the chocolate is all melted and thouroughly combined into the cream.
• Frost the top of the cake only with the ganache while the cake is still warm.
• Serve at room temperature.

DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ALMOND CREAM CHEESE FR

Steps:

• Oven@ 350 degrees.
• Combine the cake ingredients and mix with a whisk.
• Pour into 2 round 8 or 9-inch cake pans which have been lined with greased aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Bake for 28-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
• Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out.
• Meanwhile combine the frosting ingredients and beat until fluffy with a hand-mixer.
• When cake layers are completely cool, frost the top part of the bottom layer.
• Place second layer over the frosted layer.
• Finish by frosting top layer and sides of cake.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED SMOKED ALMOND BACON BRITTLE

Steps:

• Cut bacon into bite-size pieces. Place pieces in large saute pan and cook over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Coarsely chop smoked almonds and set aside. Line baking sheet with silicone liner or waxed paper.
• In large saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook mixture on medium-high heat about 4 minutes or until sugar turns thick and syrupy. Slowly add softened butter and continue stirring until mixture emulsifies. Keep cooking and stirring until mixture is golden brown, about 4 minutes longer.
• Remove pan from heat. If mixture is not smooth, whisk until it is. Stir in baking soda, salt, peppercorns, crispy bacon bits and almonds. Quickly but carefully pour brittle onto prepared baking sheet. When cool and hard, break brittle into bite-size pieces.
• Melt chocolate in microwave in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between intervals, until mixture is entirely melted but not hot. Cool chocolate to room temperature, then either dip pieces of brittle in the chocolate or drizzle the chocolate on top. Chill brittle until chocolate is set. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 week.

WARM CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with foil. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Pour chocolate into prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle almonds over chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Break brittle into irregular shapes. (Brittle can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Mix in cornstarch, espresso powder and salt. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time. Mix in melted chocolate. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl with 1/3 cup sugar until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until set and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Cool cake completely on rack (cake may fall and appear cracked). Refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake cake uncovered just until warm, about 20 minutes. Cut around cake to loosen. Release pan sides. Cut warm cake into wedges. Garnish cake with pieces of brittle and serve.