Bittersweet Chocolate Almond Cake With Amaretti Cookie Crumbs Recipes

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.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE AND TOASTED ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• To make the cake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring, over high heat. Meanwhile, combine the chocolates and the butter in a medium bowl. When the sugar mixture boils, pour it over the chocolates and stir until blended. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the 11/2 tablespoons sugar and the eggs. Using a mixer set at high speed, whip the eggs and sugar until the mixture falls back onto itself in a slowly dissolving ribbon-like pattern when the beater is lifted. Add 1/3 of the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and fold in with a spatula to lighten. Fold in the remaining egg mixture.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Spray 6 (6-ounce) ramekins or 6 (2 by 3-inch) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and place them in a roasting pan just large enough to hold them. Divide the batter among the ramekins, place the roasting pan in the oven, and add enough water to the pan to come three-quarters of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it, about 30 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate and cream and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted. Cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Bring cream and almonds to a boil and store refrigerated for 24 hours. Strain, add vanilla and whip.
• PLATING: Dust plates with cocoa. Invert the ramekins onto the plates and add a scoop of the almond cream to each. Drizzle the chocolate over the cake and cream, sprinkle with chocolate curls, if using, and serve.

ALMOND CHEESECAKE WITH AMARETTI CRUST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F Wrap foil around outside of 9 1/2- or 10-inch springform pan to prevent leaks while baking.
• In food processor, combine toasted almonds and 2 tablespoons sugar; pulse until finely chopped. Add amaretti crumbs and melted butter; pulse to mix. Press crumb mixture evenly over bottom of pan. Set aside.
• In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, flour and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add sugar mixture; beat until smooth.
• In medium bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks. Add egg yolks, sour cream, almond extract and vanilla to cream cheese mixture. Beat on medium-low speed just until well blended and smooth, scraping down bowl occasionally.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Slowly add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Gently fold whites into cream cheese mixture; pour into springform pan.
• Place springform pan in large, shallow roasting pan or broiler pan. Fill with enough hot water to come halfway up sides of springform pan.
• Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until edges are puffed and top looks dull and is dry to the touch. Center should be less set than edges and will move when pan is tapped. It should not ripple as if liquid. Turn oven off; leave cheesecake in oven with door closed 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Let stand in water bath 1 hour. Remove from water bath; cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours; cover and store in refrigerator up to 3 days.**.
• Just before serving, press almonds around side of cake.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool mixture to lukewarm.
• Finely grind 1/2 cup almonds, flour and salt in processor. Using electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until thick, about 2 minutes. Fold in almond mixture, then chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (center will fall). Press edges down with fork to level top. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Cut around cake; remove pan sides. Beat cream in large bowl to firm peaks. Mound cream atop cake; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup almonds.

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

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.