Chocolate Almond Dessert Recipes

Steps:

• Make the sugared cranberries: Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them; let sit 1 hour. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the cardamom in a large bowl. Drain the cranberries, add to the spiced sugar and toss to coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, rerolling the cranberries in the sugar occasionally until dry, 2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl; set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate large bowl. Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan until almost simmering; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until just combined. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; lightly tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made 1 day ahead; let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the side of the bowl, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and almond liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Halve 1/2 cup of the sugared cranberries. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then sprinkle with the halved cranberries. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top with the remaining sugared cranberries.

Steps:

• Arrange half of the cake cubes in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish; set aside. In a large saucepan, whisk milk and pudding mixes. Add candy bar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened., Pour half of the pudding over cake cubes. Sprinkle with half of the almonds; cover and refrigerate. Transfer remaining pudding to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until chilled., Arrange remaining cake cubes over dessert. Whisk chilled pudding; fold in whipped cream. Spread over top and sprinkle with remaining almonds. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares.

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute before stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth and combined. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add the powdered sugar and whip to soft peaks with a hand mixer.
• In a second medium bowl, whisk the ricotta and amaretto until smooth and combined. Gently fold in half of the chocolate whipped cream to incorporate. When just a few streaks remain, add the remaining chocolate cream. Continue to fold until completely combined.
• Spoon the mousse into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag and massage it toward one corner. Snip off the corner. Insert the snipped tip of the bag into the middle of a cannoli shell and gently squeeze to fill the shell, pulling out as you go. Repeat on the opposite end of the shell. Dip each end in the chopped almonds, then press a cherry into both ends. Repeat with the remaining shells.
• Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to an hour. Sift some powdered sugar over the top before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 inch, square baking pan with heavy-duty foil, folding the foil over the edges of the pan.
• Put butter in pan and melt in oven. Add brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla; stir to mix.
• Add cereal and stir with a spoon, then mix with fingers until thoroughly coated. Place waxed paper on top and press down gently but firmly.
• Bake for 25 minutes until entire surface is bubbly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and let stand for chips to soften.
• Spread chips, then sprinkle with almonds, pressing gently into chocolate. Let cool until just warm, then refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before cutting.
• Using foil as a lifter, remove from pan and, without inverting (almond would peel off), peel off foil. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Trim edges if needed to form a 10-inch square, and fold each edge in to form a 1-inch crust. Prick middle of dough all over with a fork. Brush edges with eggwash, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Freeze for 15 minutes.
• Transfer baking sheet to oven, and bake until pastry ispuffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove fromoven, and cover center evenly with chocolate. Drizzle withhoney, and sprinkle with salt. Return to oven, and bake untilchocolate melts, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds,and cut into 4 squares. Serve with ice cream if desired, anddrizzle with more honey.

Steps:

• Whipped Creme Fraiche: Whisk cream with vanilla and salt until thickened and silky but not yet forming peaks. Add sugar and creme fraiche; whisk to soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 8 hours; stir before using.
• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Add almond flour and salt; beat to combine. In a separate bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and beat to soft peaks, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff but not dry peaks form, about 1 minute more. Stir one-third of egg-white mixture into batter until no streaks remain. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture just to combine (do not overmix). Transfer to prepared pan; gently smooth top with an offset spatula.
• Bake until puffed slightly and set along edges but still slightly wobbly in center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely, about 2 hours. Remove sides of pan. Using a spatula, gently lift cake from pan; slide onto a cake plate. Lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges; serve with creme fraiche and raspberries.

Steps:

• Mix the almonds and flour in a bowl until well-combined.
• Combine corn syrup, sugar, butter and chocolate in a small, heavy saucepan.
• Over low heat, stir mixture constantly, until it just comes to a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and stir until fully blended.
• Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the buttered baking sheet, leaving at least 3 inches on all sides to allow room for spreading (no more than 4 shells on the sheet).
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F until they spread out and are lacy, 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes.
• Using a thin metal spatula, lift the still-soft rounds from the baking sheet and drape each over an inverted coffee cup.
• Let them cool completely, then carefully lift off the shells and set aside.
• Repeat process with the next half of the dough.
• Serving: Place the shells on small dessert plates, then fill with ice cream/sorbet of your choice and garnish with chocolate glaze, citrus zest, chopped toasted nuts etc.
• Serve immediately (The shells can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days).

Steps:

• Line bottom of 9" square pan with cake slices, cutting and piecing slices to fit.
• Pour milk into large bowl.
• Add pudding mixes.
• Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended(mixture will be thick.).
• Gently stir in 1 cup of whipped topping that has had 1/2 the amount of chopped almonds mixed in with it.
• Spread over cake slices.
• Chill for 2 hours until set.
• Top with remaining 1 cup whipped topping, raspberries and almond pieces just before serving.
• Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
• Store leftover dessert, if there is any, in refrigerator.
• Enjoy!