Almond Chocolate Torte With Chocolate Curls Recipes

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.

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.

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Stir in almonds (mixture will be thin); set aside. , Split each cake into two horizontal layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the chocolate mixture. Top with second cake layer; spread with half of the whipped topping. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with chocolate curls. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine apricots and amaretto; let stand 15 minutes. In another bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and apricot mixture. Beat on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium 2 minutes. , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22-27 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For filling, heat apricot preserves and amaretto on low in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until preserves are melted; set aside. , For glaze, combine cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla., Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Top with another layer; spread with a third of the glaze. Cover with third layer and remaining filling. Top with remaining layer; spread top and sides of torte with remaining glaze. If desired, spread toasted almonds on edges or sides of torte. Refrigerate several hours before slicing.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch- high sides. Combine chocolate, almonds and 1 cup sugar in processor. Process until all ingredients are very finely chopped and mixture appears grainy. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and vanilla in large bowl until pale yellow and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate mixture to yolk mixture and fold together (mixture will be very thick). Using mixer fitted with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl to stiff peaks. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions.
• Pour batter into cake pan. Bake until top is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.) Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Sift powdered sugar over cake. Top with chocolate curls, if desired. Serve with ice cream.

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Coat the bottom of three 9-in. round baking pans with cooking spray; line with waxed paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray and dust with flour; set aside. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together three times. , Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Combine coffee and extracts. Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with coffee mixture. , Spread into prepared pans. Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Gently peel off waxed paper. Cool completely., In a bowl, gently mash the strawberries; stir in almond extract. Fold in whipped topping. Place one cake layer on a serving platter; top with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. , In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa; add to cream. Beat until stiff peaks form. Frost top of cake. Garnish with almonds and strawberries. Chill for at least 1 hour before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.