Chocolate Cappuccino Torte By Lucy Waverman A Matter Of Taste Serves 10 Recipes

CHOCOLATE CAPPUCCINO TORTE, BY LUCY WAVERMAN (A MATTER OF TASTE) - SERVES 10

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F. Butter a 10" springform pan and line base with parchment paper. Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add ½ cup sugar and coffee, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Scrape chocolate mixture into a large bowl. Stir in egg yolks and flour. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in one-quarter of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until edges puff and crack slightly but centre is not completely set. Cake will set as it cools.. Cool in pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. Loosen sides of cake with a sharp knife. Release sides of pan. Whip cream with sugar until cream holds its shape. Spread over top of cake. Transfer cake to platter and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cut into wedges, wiping knife clean between each cut.

CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Whisk cocoa and water until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture. Beat until smooth. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks., In a bowl, beat cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form. Chill until firm., In a saucepan, melt chips and butter over medium heat; stir in cream. Remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar. Chill for at least 1 hour or until completely cooled. Beat with electric mixer to achieve spreadable consistency. , Spread half of the filling over one cake layer; top with second layer and remaining filling. Top with third layer; frost top and sides of cake. Chill for 2 hours before cutting.

CHOCOLATE COFFEE

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, whisk the sugar, cocoa and water until smooth. Cook and whisk over medium-low heat until mixture forms soft peaks when whisk is lifted and resembles thick hot fudge sauce, about 35 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and salt. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate for at least 2 hours., Beat the chocolate mixture. Add 2 cups whipped cream; mix well. Fold in remaining whipped cream. For each serving, place about 1/2 cup chocolate cream in 2/3 cup coffee or milk; stir to blend.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Butter an 8-inch cake pan (I used a springform pan) and line bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and lightly flour (or use cocoa) the pan, shaking out excess.
• In a small, heavy-based saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Set aside.
• Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the eggs, sugar, brewed espresso, ground espresso beans, and salt on medium-high speed until thick and voluminous, at least 8 minutes (I mixed about 10 minutes). Turn the mixer to low and mix in the chocolate-butter mixture. Turn off mixer and sift the flour over the batter and fold until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
• Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Set a plate over the torte and carefully invert the torte onto the plate; peel off the parchment. Flip the torte back onto the rack to cool completely before slicing. (Since I used a springform pan, I let it cool completely in the pan.).

CAPPUCCINO TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar and butter; press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Chill., For ganache, place chocolate chips in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Add butter and corn syrup; stir until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Pour over crust. Chill until firm, about 2 hours., For buttercream, dissolve coffee granules in hot water; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, bring brown sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add a small amount of hot mixture to egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2-5 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in dissolved coffee. Cool to room temperature., In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in cooked sugar mixture. Beat on high for 2 minutes or until fluffy and light caramel-colored. Beat in cooled chocolate until blended. Spread over ganache layer. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight., Several hours before serving, prepare coffee whipped cream. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cream and coffee; stir until coffee is dissolved. Beat in remaining cream until it begins to thicken. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. , Carefully run a knife around edge of springform pan to loosen; remove sides. Frost top of torte with whipped cream; garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE CAPPUCCINO TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9" round pan, line bottom with parchment.
• Mix together ground nuts, flour and instant coffee; set aside.
• Melt butter and chocolate chips together in microwave until chips are melted; whisk until smooth. Cool 15 min's then stir in sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each. Stir in nut mixture.
• Spread into pan and bake (on middle rack) 30-35 min's or until centre in set. Let cool 10 minute then remove from pan to a wire rack and cool completely. (*Note: at this point you can wrap and store the cake in the fridge for up to one week).
• Glaze: melt butter and chocolate chips together in microwave until chips are melted, whisk smooth. Stir in cream amd mix well; cool until slightly thickened.
• To Glaze: Place wax paper under cake on wire rack and pour glaze on top of cake letting it run over the sides to cover.
• Chill at least 8 hours to set glaze.

DEEP CHOCOLATE TORTE WITH COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Make the cake layers:
• Line 2 greased jelly-roll pans, 15 by 10 by 1 inch each, with wax paper and butter and flour the paper, shaking out the excess. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg yolks, add slowly 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, beating, and beat the mixture until it is thick and pale and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted. Add the chocolate and combine the batter well. In another large bowl with clean beaters beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar slowly, and beat the mixture until it just holds stiff peaks. Stir one fourth of the whites into the yolk mixture, fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly, and pour the batter into the pans, spreading it evenly. Bake the cake layers in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pans, covered with kitchen towels, on large racks. Invert the cake layers onto the racks and remove the wax paper carefully.
• Make the buttercream:
• In a small heavy saucepan dissolve the sugar in 1/3 cup water over moderate heat, stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, and boil it until it registers 240°F. on a candy thermometer. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the eggs until they are frothy, add the sugar syrup in a thin stream, beating, and beat the mixture until it is cool. Beat in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, the espresso mixture, and a pinch of salt and beat the buttercream until it is combined well. If necessary, chill the buttercream, covered, until it is firm enough to spread.
• Make the ganache:
• In a large heavy saucepan bring the cream just to a boil and remove the pan from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir the mixture until it is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill it, covered, stirring occasionally, until it is cool and thickened, but do not let it solidify. Beat the mixture until it just forms soft peaks, but do not overbeat it or it will become granular.
• Assemble the torte:
• Transfer the cake layers to a work surface, trim the edges, and halve each cake layer lengthwise. On a serving plate arrange one of the cake layers, spread it with one third of the preserved, strained, and spread one third of the ganache over the preserves. Top the ganache with another cake layer and layer the remaining preserves, ganache, and cake layers in the same manner, ending with a cake layer. Spread the sides and top of the cake with a very thin layer of the buttercream and chill the torte for 30 minutes. Spread the sides and top of the torte with some of the remaining buttercream, reserving about 1/3 cup of it for making rosettes, and with a pastry comb or the tines of a fork score the buttercream lengthwise. Draw the back of a knife crosswise across the scored buttercream at intervals. Transfer the reserved buttercream to a small pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip, pipe rosettes on top of the torte along the long sides, and intersperse the rosettes with the chocolate coffee beans. The torte may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered loosely and chilled. Remove the torte from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.