- Chocolate Raspberry Torte

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TORTE


Cake and Filling:

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
¾ c unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp instant espresso powder
1¾ c sliced almonds, lightly toasted
¼ c unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp table salt
5 large eggs
¾ c sugar
½ c fresh raspberries, plus 16 individual berries for garnishing cake
¼ c seedless raspberry jam

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

5 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/5 c plus 1 T whipping cream

Cake:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Spray (with Pam) and line bottom of two 9 inch round cake pans (see note) with parchment paper. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in vanilla and espresso powder.

Process ¾ c almonds in food processor until coarsely chopped, six to eight 1 second pulses; set aside to garnish cake. Process remaining cup of almonds until very finely ground, about 45 seconds. Add flour and salt and continue to process until combined, about 15 seconds. Transfer almond-flour mixture to medium bowl. Process eggs in now-empty food processor until lightened in color and almost doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. With processor running, slowly add sugar until thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Using whisk, gently fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture until some streaks of egg remain. Sprinkle half almond-flour mixture over chocolate-egg mixture and gently whisk until just combined. Sprinkle in remaining almond-flour mixture and gently whisk until just combined.

Divide batter between cake pans and smooth with rubber spatula. Bake until centre is firm and toothpick inserted into center comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer cakes to wire rack and cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto cooling rack and remove parchment paper. Using a cardboard round, re-invert 1 cake so top side faces up; slide back onto cooling rack.

Place ½ c raspberries in medium bowl and coarsely mash with fork. Stir in raspberry jam until just combined. Place cooled layer that is top side up on cardboard round and spread raspberry mixture onto that layer. Top with second cake layer, leaving it bottom side up. Transfer assembled cake, still on cardboard round, to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.

Ganache:

Melt chocolate and cream in a medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and gently whisk until very smooth. Remove from heat and gently whisk until very smooth. Pour glaze onto centre of assembled cake. Use offset spatula to spread glaze evenly over top of cake, letting it flow down sides. Spread glaze along sides of cake to coat, evenly.

Using fine-mesh strainer, sift reserved almonds to remove any fine bits. Holding bottom of cake on cardboard round with 1 hand, gently press sifted almonds onto cake sides with other hand. Arrange raspberries around circumference. Refrigerate cake until glaze is set, at lease 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Transfer cake to serving platter, slice and serve.

Notes:

1. I used Callebaut chocolate (from the bulk foods section of my grocery store);
2. I used two 8 inch pans and cooked the cakes for about 5 minutes longer;
3. This is very rich and worth every moment of the preparation.

- Thank You

There have now been over 1000 visits to my blog and I hope that everyone is enjoying the recipes that I have tried and posted!

Cath

- Hamburger Soup

HAMBURGER SOUP


1½ lbs. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 28 oz. can of tomatoes
2 c water
3 cans consommé or beef broth
1 can tomato soup
4 carrots, chopped fine
parsley to taste
½ tsp thyme
pepper to taste
8 T pot barley

Brown the meat and onions. Drain well. Combine all ingredi¬ents in large pot. Simmer covered for at least 2 hours.

Notes:

1. This is a reproduction from my cookbook because I still think it is one of the best and easiest soups.

- Carrot Cake

CARROT CAKE WITH
CREAM CHEESE/WHIPPED CREAM ICING


Cake:

2½ c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp coarse salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1½ c unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 c packed brown sugar
½ c white sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ c water
2¾ c grated carrots
2 cups of either chopped pecans or raisins


Icing:

1 c mascarpone (cream) cheese
2 c whipping cream
4 T icing sugar
4 T piping gel
1 tsp clear vanilla

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Butter (2) 8inch cake pans. Spray pans with Pam and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 3 minutes. Add vanilla, water and carrots. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture, then pecans/raising.

Divide batter between the pans. Bake until golden brown about 40 minutes (testing with a cake tester that comes out clean). Let cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan and turn cake out onto racks to cool completely.

Icing:
Combine whipped cream and sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Add gel and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the mascarpone cheese.

Place 1 cake on a plate with the bottom side down, ice the top of that cake and then place the other cake top side down. Ice the rest of the cake and refrigerate until about 45 minutes before you are ready to serve it. Allow iced cake to sit out for that 45 minutes or until you are ready to serve.

Notes:

1. This is a dense carrot cake and combined with this light icing it makes for what I think is a perfect combination.
2. Don’t be scared off by the piping gel and clear vanilla. They can be bought at any store that sells cake decoration supplies and if there is a Michael’s craft store nearby they have them for sure.

- Almost Back

After hosting 2 showers, 5 birthday parties, food for 1 stagette, 3 weddings involving 1 wedding cake and 600 cupcakes I am now ready to post a few new recipes and promise that they will be up within the week!