Berry Topped Chocolate Torte Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the bases of two 23cm cake tins with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave; leave to cool. Stir in the vanilla and coffee powder.
• Whizz the almonds in a food processor until finely ground, then add flour and salt, and transfer to a bowl. Whisk the eggs with an electric mixer for 5 mins, until doubled in volume. Slowly add the sugar, whisk for 1 min more. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture until just combined. Sprinkle over half the flour mixture and fold in, then the other half. The mixture will be rather runny.
• Divide between the two tins and bake for about 15 mins until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached - the sponges should be slightly undercooked. Cool in tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.
• Choose the less perfect of the two, then set it on a serving plate. Mash 12 raspberries and stir in the jam. Spread on the base, then top with the other cake.
• For the glaze, bring the cream to the boil, pour it over the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Leave for a few mins until starting to thicken, then spread over the top and sides to cover. Decorate with raspberries. Chill for up to 24 hrs. Remove from fridge 1 hr before serving, dust with icing sugar, and serve with vanilla cream.

Steps:

• Grease a 9" springform pan and line with parchment paper. In small bowl, combine almonds, flour and salt. Set aside.
• Melt butter in saucepan and stir in cocoa and sugar.
• In large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick; gradually blend in cocoa mixture. Stir in almond mixture.
• In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar. Fold whites into chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of torte and remove sides of springform pan. TORTE WILL FALL IN MIDDLE. Don't worry, you can fill it with whipped cream.
• Drizzle 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier over cake. Cool completely and wrap with plastic wrap. This can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.
• Whip cream and fold in Grand Marnier. Spread on torte and decorate with berries and chocolate curls. To make chocolate curls, choose good quality chocolate, store at room temperature and shave with a vegetable peeler.