White Chocolate Espresso Torte With Hazelnut Praline Food

CHOCOLATE & HAZELNUT PRALINE TART

Steps:

• Make the pastry. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add flour and almonds. Bring everything together with the egg. If the pastry is very soft, chill for 20 mins. If not, roll out to fit a deepish 23cm fluted flan tin; if the pastry breaks, press scraps of pastry into the gaps, leaving a slight overhang. Chill for 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line the case with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 10 mins. Remove beans and cook for another 10 mins until golden.
• Meanwhile, toast the nuts in a dry pan until starting to brown. Scatter over 4 tbsp of sugar, cook until it caramelises, then tip nuts onto a baking tray lined with parchment. Leave to cool, then roughly chop. Over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, butter and alcohol together, then set aside to cool slightly. Over the same pan, beat the egg, yolks and remaining sugar until pale and fluffy. Take off the heat, then fold in the chocolate mix.
• When case is cooked, remove from oven and turn the heat down to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Scatter most of the hazelnuts over the base, then tip in the chocolate mix, pressing it down slightly. Cook the tart for 15-20 mins until the chocolate has almost set. Leave to cool, then serve scattered with the remaining nuts. Can be made up to 1 day ahead.

HAZELNUT PRALINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast them in the oven until they are fragrant, about 8 minutes. Transfer nuts to a clean kitchen towel, and rub nuts in towel vigorously between your hands to remove the brown skins. Lightly brush an 8-by-12-inch rimmed baking pan with the oil. Spread the peeled nuts in the pan.
• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, brushing down sides of pan with a damp pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals that may form, until mixture is amber, about 9 minutes; do not stir. (Pan may be swirled gently about halfway through to incorporate any uncooked sugar.) Pour directly over nuts to create a thin layer. Set aside to cool, at least 30 minutes.
• Place half the praline in the bowl of a food processor; process until the praline is very fine with no sharp pieces. Cut the remaining praline into small pieces for decoration.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375°F.
• Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch round springform cake pan.
• To make the torte, spread the 1/2 cup hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.
• While the nuts are still warm, place them in a kitchen towel and rub with the towel to remove the skins.
• Do not worry if bits of skin remain.
• Set aside.
• Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over but not touching gently simmering water in a saucepan.
• Stir often until the chocolate melts, then remove from the heat.
• In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, combine the skinned nuts with the 2/3 cup sugar.
• Pulse until finely ground.
• Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until blended.
• Let cool; then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa.
• Stir into the chocolate mixture.
• In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
• Add the 2 Tbs sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold one-fourth of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.
• Then fold in the remaining whites just until no white streaks remain.
• Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out almost clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool.
• To make the glaze, combine the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl set over but not touching gently simmering water in a saucepan.
• Stir often until the chocolate melts, then remove from the heat and stir until smooth.
• Let cool, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes; the glaze will thicken slightly.
• Set the rack over a baking sheet, invert the torte onto the rack and lift off the pan.
• Pour on the glaze, tilting the torte to coat the top and sides completely.
• When the glaze stops dripping, place the 12 hazelnuts around the top of the cake.
• Transfer to a serving plate and serve.
• Makes one 9-inch torte.

CHOCOLATE PRALINE TORTE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and cream. Stir over low heat until butter is melted. Pour into two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside. , Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Carefully pour batter over pecans. Bake at 325° for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; invert onto wire racks to cool completely. , For topping, beat cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff. , Place one cake layer, pecan side up, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the topping. Top with second cake layer and remaining topping. Sprinkle with chocolate curls if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO-NUT TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line the bottom of a greased 9-in springform pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and dust with cocoa. Set aside., Place hazelnuts and brown sugar in a food processor; cover and process until ground. In a second large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 egg yolk at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate, espresso powder, extract and salt. Gradually add hazelnut mixture., In the first large bowl, with clean beaters beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Spread into prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet., Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Remove sides of pan and invert onto a serving plate., Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, about 30 minutes., Spread ganache over top and sides of cake; press almonds onto sides. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

HAZELNUT-PRALINE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over each short side; set aside.
• Whisk nuts and confectioners' sugar in a bowl; reserve 1/2 cup, and set aside. Put yolks and remaining nut mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale, about 3 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.
• Put egg whites and salt into the clean bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high. Gradually add granulated sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla.
• Fold egg whites into yolk mixture in two additions. Whisk flour and remaining nut mixture in a small bowl; fold into egg mixture in two additions.
• Transfer half the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #808). Starting in one corner of a prepared baking sheet, pipe batter in diagonal lines, filling sheet. Repeat with remaining batter in second baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Lift parchment onto wire racks, and let cakes cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife, trim edges of cakes to be straight. Halve cakes crosswise. Place one half on a serving plate. Brush with 1/4 cup hazelnut syrup. Spread 1 1/2 cups caramel cream over top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup praline. Repeat to make two more layers of each. Top with remaining cake half. Refrigerate 2 hours (or overnight). Dust with confectioners' sugar, and garnish with praline.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Butter an 8-inch cake pan (I used a springform pan) and line bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and lightly flour (or use cocoa) the pan, shaking out excess.
• In a small, heavy-based saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Set aside.
• Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the eggs, sugar, brewed espresso, ground espresso beans, and salt on medium-high speed until thick and voluminous, at least 8 minutes (I mixed about 10 minutes). Turn the mixer to low and mix in the chocolate-butter mixture. Turn off mixer and sift the flour over the batter and fold until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
• Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Set a plate over the torte and carefully invert the torte onto the plate; peel off the parchment. Flip the torte back onto the rack to cool completely before slicing. (Since I used a springform pan, I let it cool completely in the pan.).

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT PRALINE TORTE WITH FRANGELICO WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 1/2-inch springform pan (2 inches deep) or other cake pan with same dimensions and line bottom with a round of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• In a food processor pulse praline until ground fine. Reserve 1/4 cup ground praline and transfer remaining praline to a bowl. In food processor pulse chocolate until finely ground and add to bowl of praline.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in vanilla. Stir in praline chocolate mixture (mixture will be very thick).
• In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites until foamy and add a pinch salt and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a steam, beating until meringue just holds stiff peaks. Fold one third meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into pan and smooth top.
• Bake tort in middle of oven 45 to 55 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from side of pan. Cool torte in pan on a rack (torte will fall slightly and continue to set as it cooks) and remove from pan. Torte may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring torte to room temperature before serving.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it just holds soft peaks. Stir in Frangelico and half of reserved praline.
• Top torte with whipped cream and sprinkle with remaining reserves praline. Serve torte immediately.