Chocolate Almond Torte Recipes

ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with a circle of wax paper.
• Whisk flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, egg, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add hot coffee and beat to blend. (The batter will be quite thin.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan, peel off the wax paper and let cool completely. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar before slicing.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet until lightly golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground, but not pasty.
• Melt 12 tablespoons butter and the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter and coat with the breadcrumbs, tapping out the excess.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Combine the 6 egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest, rum and salt, then beat in the melted chocolate until smooth. Mix in the ground almonds until just combined.
• In a clean bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with a mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in the reserved 2 tablespoons granulated sugar on high speed until almost stiff. Stir one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold in the rest. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until the top is firm and cracked (a toothpick inserted into the cake will be fudgy), 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the ring. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and whipped cream, if desired.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and extracts; mix well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. , Pour into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. , For frosting, cream butter, sugar and extracts in a small bowl until smooth. Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over cake. Decorate with almonds.

ALMOND CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Set aside 1 tablespoon almonds for garnish. Chop remaining almonds; sprinkle into a greased 9-in. springform pan. In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Beat into cream cheese mixture. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. , Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved almonds. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and side of 9- or 10-inch springform pan with shortening; lightly flour. Place almonds on ungreased cookie sheet; bake 4 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Reserve 2 tablespoons almonds for garnish. Place remaining almonds in food processor or blender. Cover; process until almonds are ground; set aside.
• In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating on high speed after each addition until smooth and blended. Add milk, liqueur, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the flour mixture and ground almonds; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in 6 ounces white chocolate. Spread batter in pan.
• Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched and top is evenly browned. Cool 15 minutes; remove side of pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat 4 ounces white chocolate and boiling water over low heat, stirring constantly, just until chocolate is melted. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla; cool to room temperature. In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in cooled white chocolate mixture and powdered sugar until smooth.
• Run long knife under cake to loosen from pan bottom; transfer to serving plate. Spread frosting over side and top of torte. Garnish with reserved toasted almonds.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Combine almonds and 1/3 cup sugar in processor. Blend until almonds are very finely ground. Transfer almond mixture to medium bowl; do not clean processor. Add chocolate and 1/3 cup sugar to processor. Blend until chocolate is finely ground but not beginning to clump, about 45 seconds; stir into almond mixture. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl until mixture falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in almond extract and lemon peel. Fold in chocolate-almond mixture, then butter.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into chocolate batter in three additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.) Cut around pan sides to loosen; release sides. Sift powdered sugar over cake.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with baking spray and line with parchment. Grease the parchment.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add in ¼ cup of the sugar into the egg whites and beat until stiff shiny peaks form. Set aside
• In a large bowl, whip together the egg yolks, remaining sugar and butter. Beat until fluffy. Stir in the flour, almond meal and baking powder.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold in half of the egg whites in the batter. Once loosened, add the last half of egg whites and gently fold into batter completely.
• Spoon half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Drizzle half of the chocolate on top of the batter and swirl using a toothpick or butter knife. Pour in the rest of the batter on top of the swirled chocolate. Finally top with another drizzle of chocolate. Swirl again.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Let torte cool completely in pan before turning over onto a wire rack. Be sure to flip it right side up again.
• Serve immediately with just a dusting of powdered sugar.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients of the crust together. Add the softened butter and mix thoroughly.
• Pat into the bottom of a pie dish. It should have the consistency of a graham cracker crust.
• Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. It should be lightly brown. Remove from over and let cool.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler, or very carefully in a thick bottomed pot. Add cream and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Beat the butter into the mix.
• Pour into prepared crust.
• Refrigerate until set.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE-ALMOND TORTE WITH CHERRY PRESERVES AND KIRSCH MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Whisk together cocoa and boiling water until cocoa dissolves and mixture is smooth. Stir in kirsch.
• Beat butter and 1 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl between additions. Add cocoa mixture and almonds, and beat until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Whisk egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the clean bowl of a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With machine running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold one-quarter of the whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites.
• Pour batter into pan, and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and cover cake with parchment-lined foil. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 45 minutes. Run a knife or an offset spatula around edge of cake to loosen, and release sides of pan to remove.
• Make the meringue: Whisk egg whites and sugar in a clean heatproof bowl of a mixer set over a pan of simmering water until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form. Whisk in kirsch. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
• Spread cherry preserves on top of cake. Spread meringue over preserves using an offset spatula, making decorative swirls. Caramelize peaks of meringue using a handheld kitchen torch or under the broiler.

PASSOVER DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan and dust with 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Melt chopped chocolate squares and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks and vanilla extract together in a large bowl.
• Gradually whisk chocolate and butter mixture into egg yolk mixture until well blended.
• Beat egg whites in a separate bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat sugar into egg whites until sugar dissolves and egg whites hold stiff peaks.
• Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture until just blended and batter is smooth and fluffy.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center, about 25 minutes.
• Let torte cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the sides of pan.
• Place chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave on full power for 1 minute. Stir the chips. Continue to heat in 15-second intervals, stirring after each time, until the chocolate chips have melted and are warm and smooth. Do not overheat.
• Drizzle melted chocolate chips onto torte. Sprinkle crushed almonds and a dusting of confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, or as needed, onto the torte before serving..

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease the sides of the springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Combine the almonds, chocolate, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a food processor and pulse until the almonds and chocolate are very finely chopped but not completely pulverized. Set aside.
• Use a mixer and large bowl to beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft, moist peaks are formed. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Add one third of the nut mixture to the egg whites and fold in with a large rubber spatula until nearly incorporated. Fold in half of the remaining nuts, then fold in the rest of the nuts.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake until the torte has risen and is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, or with just a little melted chocolate, approx 25-30 minutes.
• Set the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the bottom of the pan and then the parchment liner. Turn the cake right side up and cool completely. Cover or wrap tightly, and store for up to 3 days at room temperature.
• To serve, transfer cake to a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder and serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

CHOCOLATE TOASTED ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Bake cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack positioned in middle.
• Grease spring-form pan and line bottom and sides with parchment (greasing pan will help parchment stick).
• Arrange almonds in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven until deep golden in color, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• While nuts cool, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Cool chocolate to warm.
• Place cooled almonds with matzoh cake meal, potato starch and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. (Be careful not to grind to a paste.)
• Whisk yolks, coconut milk, and vanilla into chocolate until smooth, then whisk in half of almond mixture until combined (mixture will be slightly grainy).
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium high and add sugar in a slow steady stream, beating, until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.
• Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Sprinkle remaining almond mixture over the top and fold in gently but thoroughly until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until cake is firm to the touch and begins to pull away from sides (center will appear moist but will set once cool), 45 to 50 minutes.
• Transfer to a rack and cool 30 minutes, then remove sides of spring-form and parchment and cool completely. Invert cake on rack and remove bottom and parchment, then reinvert cake onto a serving plate.
• Make powdered sugar while cake cools:
• Grind sugar and potato starch together in coffee/spice grinder until powdery.
• Just before serving, sprinkle top with sliced almonds (if desired) and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy with berries alongside.