Chocolate Prune And Almond Cake Recipes

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.

CHOCOLATE, PRUNE AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 20 cm square cake tin. Melt 225 g of the chocolate and all the butter together in a heavy-based pan over a low heat. Spread the nuts on a grilling tray and toast until the skins begin to blister. Rub the nuts with a cloth, discarding the skins, then return the nuts to the grill til golden brown. When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and stir in the nuts, prunes and eggs. Spoon the mixture into the lined cake tin and leave to set in the fridge overnight.
• When completely set, remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl over a pan of genly simmering water then pour the chocolate over the cake and return the cake to the fridge to set. With a large heavy knife, cut the cake in half. Then cut each half into 6 slices making 12 slices in total.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE & ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and line the base of a 20cm springform tin with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Stir, then leave to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, tip the eggs and sugar into a second bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 4-5 mins, or until thick and creamy. Add the mascarpone or soft cheese and vanilla, and continue to beat until everything is combined. Lightly fold in the cooled melted chocolate mixture until everything is one even colour, then fold in the almonds. Sift over the cocoa powder and a small pinch of salt, and fold in to combine.
• Scrape the cake batter into the prepared tin. Put the tin on a baking tray and bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is puffed up and has cracked on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30-40 mins - it will deflate as it cools. Serve warm as a chocolate pudding, or leave to cool completely and enjoy as a fudgy brownie cake. Dust with extra cocoa powder before serving.

ALMOND PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan cook prunes and 80 ml prune juice on low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and about 2 tablespoons are left. Cool.
• Pour the prunes and 2 tbs of prune juice into a food processor, add the remaining prune juice (120 ml), olive oil and vanilla extract. Mix until the ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
• Whit a hand held mixer whisk the eggs with sugar until frothy, 3-4 minutes.
• Mix the ground almonds, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and add to the egg mixture. Stir to combine.
• Add the prune mixture and stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
• Pour the batter into a 23 x 33 cm baking pan greased with olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

PRUNE & CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Put the prunes and brandy in a small bowl and leave to steep for about 30 minutes until most of the brandy has been absorbed.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C. Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed cake tin or springform tin. Put the cocoa, chocolate, butter and 140g/5oz of the sugar in a pan, add 100ml/31⁄2fl oz hot water and gently heat until the mixture is smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. Sift the flour and cinnamon over and gently fold in with a metal spoon, until almost combined. Add the chocolate mix and fold in until evenly combined.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and arrange the prunes over the top (they will sink into the sponge during baking). Sprinkle over any remaining brandy and bake for about 30 minutes until just firm. Serve with cream or crème fraîche.

ALMOND CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cake, pudding mix, water, oil, eggs and extract; beat until combined. Stir in 2 cups chocolate chips. , Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. , In a small saucepan, combine the creamer and remaining chocolate chips. Cook over low heat until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Cool for 45 minutes. Drizzle over cake. Garnish with almonds.

HELEN NASH'S CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with margarine. Line the pan with parchment paper, and grease the parchment. Dust pan with 1 tablespoon potato starch; shake out excess.
• Fill a small saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow water to simmer. Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl, and set over saucepan. Stir chocolate until melted, and set aside to cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream 1 cup margarine on medium speed, and add sugar gradually until the mixture is pale and bubbles appear, about 10 minutes.
• Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Lower the speed, and beat in cooled chocolate and orange juice. With a large rubber spatula, mix in cocoa powder, cognac, 1 1/2 teaspoons potato starch, lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla, and ground almonds.
• In a clean dry bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff. Fold half of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. Repeat with another quarter of the egg whites, then reverse the process, pouring the batter over remaining whites. Gradually fold together until egg whites are completely incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out slightly sticky, about 1 hour. Cool completely, and refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, run a small, sharp knife around sides to loosen, and carefully remove springform ring. Transfer to a serving plate, dust with Passover powdered sugar, and garnish with sliced almonds. Note: This recipe has been adapted from Helen Nash's original to make one cake. To make two smaller cakes, prepare two 9-by-1 1/2-inch round cake pans, and divide the batter between them.