Chocolate Grand Marnier Torte Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. Combine the chocolate and 1 1/2 sticks butter in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until melted and combined. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let cool slightly.
• Combine the eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Gently fold half of the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until just combined, then gently fold in the rest. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top is no longer shiny and barely jiggles and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan. Remove the springform ring and transfer to a platter; dust with cocoa powder.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a chilled large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until very cold., For filling, in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over orange juice concentrate; let stand 1 minute. Stir in sugar. Heat and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup Grand Marnier and orange zest. Let filling stand at room temperature just until spreadable, stirring occasionally. (If mixture becomes too firm, warm in microwave to soften, about 10-15 seconds.), Meanwhile, using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Brush layers with remaining Grand Marnier. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with one-third of the filling. Repeat twice. Top with remaining cake layer., To frost cake, cut a hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag and insert #829 or other large star pastry tip. Gently stir whipped cream; spoon into bag and pipe onto top and sides of cake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Steps:

• Coat a large straight sided porcelain baking dish or souffle mold (about 8-inches diameter and 4- deep) with the softened butter. Alternatively, you can use eight individual straightsided porcelain ramekins. Coat evenly and generously all the way to the top, making sure to get the corners. Sprinkle in some sugar and toss around to coat the bottom and sides of the mold or molds. Place molds in the refrigerator to chill (if using individual molds, place them on a cookie sheet first.)
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Find a medium metal bowl that completely covers the top of a small saucepan. Place 3 inches of water in the saucepan and bring to the simmer. Turn off the heat. Place cut up butter and chocolate in the bowl and place bowl over pan of hot water. Let sit for 2 minutes then stir. It should be completely melted; if not, remove the bowl, bring the water back to a simmer, turn off the heat and replace the bowl. Stir until smooth. Stir in the Grand Marnier. Set aside to let cool to room temperature. Place egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip. Beat egg yolks at medium speed until opaque and lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add to cooled chocolate mixture.
• Bring medium pot of water to a boil. Clean mixer bowl and whip well, and dry them. Place egg whites in bowl and whip at high speed 2 minutes, then reduce speed to medium and add the cream of tartar. Whip until soft peaks form then slowly add the granulated sugar down the side of the bowl while continuing to whip until firm peaks form. Take 1/3 of the whites and whisk into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining whites with a large rubber spatula, trying not to deflate the whites. Fold gently but thoroughly until no white streaks remain. Remove coated molds from the refrigerator. Fill mold or molds with souffle mixture, up to 1/2-inch from rim. Run your thumb around the inside of each mold to form a shallow groove all around. When all molds have been filled transfer to the oven and bake until risen and top is evenly dried, about 10 minutes for individual soufflJs and about 25 minutes for a large. Serve immediately.
• Classic souffle technique: egg yolks combined with flavoring base, lightened with whipped egg whites and baked until risen. Very important that all equipment used for beating whites be scrupulously clean. Running thumb around mold encourages an even rise.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment or wax paper and grease again. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in medium-sized bowl, stirring until well-blended and no lumps appear.
• In large mixing bowl, beat butter until very creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy - at least 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time and then add vanilla and beat until blended.
• Turn mixer to low and beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk, beating only until mixed after each addition. Beat in another 1/3 of flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk and then remaining flour mixture. Beat only until evenly blended - overbeating will toughen cake.
• Divide batter evenly between pans, then bang pans on counter several times to remove air bubbles. Bake in centre of 350 degree oven until centre of cake springs back when lightly touched and sides of cake start to pull away from pan. This should take between 30 and 35 minutes. Let cakes cook in pans on rack for 10 minutes before turning out. Remove paper and cool cakes completely on racks. When ready to assemble cake, slice each half horizontally so you will have 4 layers.
• Filling: Combine frozen concentrate, sugar, gelatin in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar and gelatin are disolved - about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange peel and 1/4 cup of the liqueur. Press sheet of waxed paper into surface of orange mixture and refrigerate just until it no longer feels warm to the touch - about 20 minutes.
• In large mixing bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in icing sugar until combined. Fold in liqueur mixture until evenly blended.
• To Assemble: Place a layer of cake, cut side up on a serving plate, Brush with 1 Tbsp of liqueur. Spoon a scant 1/5 of filling onto middle of layer and gently spread almost to edge. Top with a cake layer, brush with 1 Tbsp liqueur and then spread with scan 1/5 of filling. Repeat until all layers have been added. Use remaining frosting to frost top and sides of cake. Refrigerate immediately for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight, so flavours blend. Serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• Stir 1/4 of egg whites into chocolate mixture; fold in remaining egg whites.
• Pour batter into a buttered 9\" springform pan lined with waxed paper.
• Bake at 350 on bottom rack for 45-50 minutes or until center is firm.
• Cool on rack.
• Cake will sink slightly in the center.
• Remove pan and liner.
• Top with Chocolate Ganache Glaze and Grand Marnier Whipped Cream Decoration.
• Chocolate Ganache Glaze: Finely chop chocolate.
• Heat cream until hot and on very low heat add chocolate, stirring until smooth and thick.
• Remove from heat and stir in liqueur.
• Turn torte, top side down, onto serving plate.
• Arrange strips of waxed paper under cake edge to catch excess glaze.
• Pour glaze over top and sides of cake.
• After a short time, run excess glaze up sides of cake.
• Cover sides of cake with nuts and remove waxed paper strips.
• Chill cake while preparing topping.
• Grand Marnier Whipped Cream Decoration: Whip cream with sugar and liqueur until it holds a shape--do not overbeat.
• Pipe rosettes or form a ring of whipped cream around top of chocolate glazed torte.
• With a sharp knife cut peel from orange and slice into circles; cut into quarters.
• Place oranges around cake on top of whipped cream.
• If preferred, sprinkle grated orange rind over whipped cream.
• Cake should be stored in a cool place until served.
• Torte: Melt broken chocolate in double boiler, stirring constantly, or microwave on medium for about 3 minutes.
• Set aside and in the small mixer bowl, cream butter, gradually adding 1/2 cup of the sugar; mix until very fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, liqueur and vanilla; beat until creamy.
• Transfer to larger bowl.
• Fold melted chocolate into creamed mixture.
• Use a food processor or blender to chop pecans to a coarse powder.
• Combine nuts with crumbs and fold into chocolate mixture.
• Beat egg whites with salt, gradually adding remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat until soft peaks form.