Amaretti Chocolate Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI

Steps:

• Crumble almond paste into a food processor; add sugar and pulse until evenly combined. Add egg whites and process until incorporated. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa; gradually add to almond mixture and mix well., Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° until tops are cracked, 17-20 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CAKE WITH AMARETTI COOKIE CRUMBS

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and preheat to 350. Butter an 8-inch cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust the interior with cocoa powder; tap out the excess.
• To make the cake: Put the almonds, amaretti, sugar, cocoa and salt into a food processor, and process in short spurts, until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Add the butter and eggs, and process, scraping the bowl occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is homogeneous. Add the melted chocolate a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Scrape the bowl, and then pour the batter into the pan. Standing back (to avoid being showered by cocoa powder), rap the pan against the counter a few times, to break the largest bubbles in the batter.
• Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out streaky; the top of the cake will look dry and perhaps cracked. If the top has erupted in a couple of places - it happens - use a spatula to press down the bumps as best as you can. Let the cake rest on a rack for 15 minutes.
• Run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto the rack, peel off the paper and turn right side up; cool to room temperature.
• When you're ready to glaze the cake, place the rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil - the drip-catcher.
• To make the glaze: Put the chocolate in a heatproof measuring cup with a spout or in a bowl. Bring the cream, sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan (or do this in the microwave). Pour the cream over the chocolate, and stir gently until you have a smooth glaze.
• Pour the glaze over the cake, and use an offset spatula or knife to spread it over the top. Sprinkle over the crushed amaretti. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set the glaze (which will always be soft). Serve the cake slightly chilled or at room temperature (my preference).

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan the nonstick spray. Refrigerate. Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor. Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add the grated orange peel and pulse briefly, until incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Blend until the eggs are incorporated. Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again. Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate. Pulse until blended. Clean the sides of the bowl. Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a platter. Sift the cocoa powder over and serve with orange zest, chocolate shavings or freshly whipped cream if desired.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan the nonstick spray.
• Refrigerate.
• Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor.
• Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground.
• Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl.
• Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth.
• Add the grated orange peel and pulse briefly, until incorporated.
• Add the eggs 1 at a time.
• Blend until the eggs are incorporated.
• Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again.
• Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate.
• Pulse until blended.
• Clean the sides of the bowl.
• Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a platter.
• Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.

CHOCOLATE-AMARETTO LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Combine cake mix, 1 1/3 cups water, eggs, oil, 3 tablespoons amaretto, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Run knife around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. Brush each cake layer with 2 tablespoons amaretto.
• Combine butter and cream in medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until butter melts and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 cups chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Mix in remaining 3 tablespoons amaretto. Cool until barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and remaining 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, then powdered sugar. Refrigerate frosting just until thick enough to spread, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Press nuts around bottom 2 inches of cake. Chill 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled.)

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch spring-form pan with nonstick spray and refrigerate.
• In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine the almonds and cookies, and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl. Add the butter, sugar, and orange zest to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time. Add the nut mixture and the melted chocolate. Pulse until blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter, sift the cocoa powder over, and serve.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE (RACHEL ALLEN)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
• Line the base of a 20cm-diameter springform tin with greaseproof paper and butter the sides.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Place the amaretti biscuits, almonds, sugar and orange zest in a food processor, then whizz until the biscuits and almonds are almost finely ground .(not too fine).
• Add the butter and eggs, whizz until blended, then add the melted chocolate and briefly whizz again until well combined.
• Pour into the prepared tin and pop straight in the oven.
• Cook for 35-45 minutes until the cake is puffed and slightly cracked around the edges.( test with a skewer after 35 minutes, it should come out clean)
• Remove and leave to sit for 15 minutes before carefully transferring to a plate.
• The top is quite crisp, and cracks easily, dust it with lots of icing sugar or cocoa powder before serving, to hide any imperfections.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
• Line the base of a 20cm-diameter springform tin with greaseproof paper and butter the sides.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Place the amaretti biscuits, almonds, sugar and orange zest in a food processor, then whizz until the biscuits and almonds are almost finely ground. I like to leave them a bit gritty. Add the butter and eggs, whizz until blended, then add the melted chocolate and briefly whizz again until well combined.
• Pour into the prepared tin and pop straight in the oven. Cook for 35 minutes until the cake is puffed and slightly cracked around the edges. Remove and leave to sit for 15 minutes before carefully transferring to a plate. The top is quite crisp, and cracks easily, so I dust it with lots of icing sugar or cocoa powder before serving, to hide any imperfections.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper and butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess.
• Melt the chocolates in the top of a double boiler over hot water or in a bowl in a microwave and set aside.
• Place the amaretti and almonds in a food processor and pulse several times, until the mixture is evenly ground. Turn out onto a sheet of waxed paper and reserve.
• Put the butter, sugar and eggs into the processor bowl and process until the mixture is satiny smooth and no longer grainy, about 3 minutes. Stop to scrape the bowl occasionally.
• Add the amaretti and almond powder and the melted chocolate. Pulse until well combined. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven, on the center rack, for 25 to 30 minutes. The top will look dry and perhaps cracked; the center will be moist. Cool on a cake rack for 30 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edge of the pan and turn out the torte. Peel off the wax paper, invert and cool on a rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar or cocoa.
• Slice thinly and serve at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AMARETTO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 10 inch non-stick Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, pudding mix, 1/2 cup of cold water, oil, 1/2 cup amaretto and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Blend well for approximately 3 minutes.
• Pour batter into prepared 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove cake from oven, and use an ice pick or skewer to make as many holes as possible into the cake. Apply glaze while cake is still warm. Slowly and patiently drizzle glaze over cake, including the edges and center of Bundt pan. Allow cake to cool in the pan for at least 2 hours.
• To make the glaze: Combine butter, sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 cup amaretto in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Topping: Lightly toast slivered almonds in the oven. This will take 5 to 10 minutes. Stir frequently and be careful not to burn. Heat 1/4 cup of the prepared frosting in the microwave for 10 seconds, to soften. Place the cake on serving dish and use a spoon to drizzle the softened frosting over the cake. Scatter toasted almonds over cake before frosting cools.