- 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.