hen Alice Medrich's excellent book 'Cocolat'
first came out I had never tasted, let alone baked, a chocolate torte.
After making one of these European style cakes I found it had a wonderfully
intense chocolate flavor and moist texture that was very different from the
butter cakes I grew up eating. What makes these cakes so different is that
they contain little or no flour. They use good quality chocolate and
butter and their volume comes from the beating of the eggs (yolks and whites
separately) with sugar. While the cake rises during baking, don't worry
when it collapses as it cools, leaving a crust that is cracked and sunken.
This is how it should be and all you need to do is to press the pieces back into
the cake as it cools.
The recipe
I have chosen to feature here takes your basic chocolate torte one step further
by adding hazelnuts. Hazelnuts and chocolate
are, of course, wonderful together and are enjoyed around the world.
Testament to their popularity is the fact that Nutella (that popular spread made
with sugar, vegetable oil, hazelnuts, and cocoa powder) "out sells all the
world's brands of peanut butter put together" ('The Chocolate Connoisseur' by
Chloe Doutre-Roussel). While this cake can be eaten plain, I like it with
a coating of ganache. For the uninitiated, Ganache is a
French term referring to a smooth mixture of chopped chocolate and heavy cream.
When poured over a cake it gives it a lovely smooth and shiny glaze. The
important thing to remember is to use a good quality chocolate, both for the
cake and ganache, but make sure it is one you would enjoy eating out of hand.
The reason I mention this is because some of the bittersweet chocolates that are
highly recommended by chefs and food writers may be a little too bitter tasting
for some people's palates. So taste and compare a few brands for a flavor
you like before making the cake. Now, this is the perfect cake for a
celebration or dinner party as it can be made several days in advance. In
fact, it is better after a day or two when the flavors have had time to soften.
This will definitely become a favorite.
To toast nuts:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until nuts are
brown and fragrant and the skins start to peel away from the nut. Remove from oven and place
the nuts in a
clean dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts 'steam' for about five minutes
and then rub the nuts to remove the skins. Let cool.
To make ground hazelnuts:
Once the hazelnuts have completely cooled, place in a food processor, along with the flour
and salt, and process until
hazelnuts are finely ground. Set aside.
To make Torte:
Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line the bottom of an 8 x 3 inch (20
x 9 cm) round cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper.
Separate
the eggs while they are still
cold, placing the yolks in one bowl and
the whites in another. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to
come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes).
Meanwhile,
in a heatproof bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and
butter. Remove from heat
and set aside.
In the bowl of
your electric
mixer, beat the egg yolks with 1/2
cup (100 grams) sugar until pale and thick (about 3 - 5 minutes). (When you raise
the beaters the mixture will slowly fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.)
Beat in the vanilla extract. With
a rubber spatula gently fold in the warm chocolate mixture and the nut and flour
mixture. Set aside while you
whip the egg whites.
In a clean bowl, with
the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, at medium speed, until foamy and then
add the
cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually
add the
remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar, beating at high speed until
stiff but not
dry. With a large spatula or whisk,
fold a small amount of the whites into
the chocolate batter to lighten it.
Quickly fold in the remaining whites. Do not over mix
or the batter will deflate. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth
the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center
of the cake shows moist crumbs.
Cool the torte completely in
the pan on a wire rack. It will rise and then fall in the center, leaving a
higher rim of cake around the sides and there will also be some cracking. Once
the torte has cooled completely level the top of the torte and then remove from
pan. For ease of handling, if possible, place on an 8 inch (20 cm) corrugated cake circle. The
torte may be completed to this point, wrapped and kept in the refrigerator for a
few days, or else frozen for a couple of months.
To Prepare Chocolate
Ganache:.
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside.
Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring
just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow
to stand for 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. If desired, add the liqueur.
Place the
chilled torte on a wire
rack and then put the rack onto a baking sheet. In this way if the chocolate ganache drips
it will end up on the baking sheet, which makes clean up easier. Brush any loose crumbs
from the torte and, with a cake
spatula, frost the top and sides of the torte with about 2 tablespoons of the ganache. This will
seal in any cake crumbs so that your cake will have a smooth finish when the
ganache is poured on the cake.
Refrigerate the cake for 5 minutes to set the crumb coat. If you have any air
bubbles or crumbs in your ganache, pour it through a strainer. Pour the
remaining ganache into the center of the cake. Working quickly, spread the
ganache with a
spatula, using wide strokes to push the ganache over the sides of the cake, to
create a nice even coating of ganache. If there are any bare spots on the
sides of the cake, touch up with the ganache that has dripped onto the baking
sheet. Cover and refrigerate. I find this cake is better served the
next day so the flavors have time to
soften and blend.
Any
leftover ganache should be strained, to remove crumbs, and then it can be used
to make truffles to decorate the top of the torte.
To make
Truffles: Chill the ganache and then form small balls of chocolate, using
your hands or a small spoon. If desired, the truffles can be rolled in cocoa
powder, powdered sugar or toasted chopped nuts. Truffles can be refrigerated
for a couple of weeks or else frozen for a couple of months.
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