Dark Chocolate Torte With Spiked Blackberry Coulis Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 9-inch-diameter springform pan with margarine; line bottom with parchment. Stir 1 2/3 cups chocolate chips and 3/4 cup margarine in medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Whisk in cocoa and espresso. Cool 10 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl on high speed until thick, about 6 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake torte until dry and cracked on top and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 42 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 1 hour (center will fall). Using spatula, press raised edges so top is level. Cut around pan sides; remove sides. Place plate atop torte and invert onto plate. Remove pan bottom; peel off paper, and cool torte completely.
• Stir remaining 1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate and 1/4 cup margarine in small saucepan over low heat until smooth (do not overheat). Whisk in 2 tablespoons blackberry coulis. Cool glaze 15 minutes. Pour glaze into center of torte. Smooth top with spatula, allowing some of glaze to drip down sides. Refrigerate uncovered until glaze is set, about 1 hour. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Cut torte into wedges; spoon coulis alongside. Garnish with mint and berries, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of a 23cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin. Put the butter and chocolate into a pan and gently melt together until smooth. Meanwhile, using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 mins until billowy and about the thickness of old-fashioned custard.
• Pour the chocolate and butter mix into the whisked egg and sugar, then fold it in very carefully using a large metal spoon. Mix the flour, almonds and ¼ tsp salt together, then fold into the mix until even. Spoon into the tin and bake for 35-40 mins until evenly set with a slight crust all over the top. Leave the cake to cool until warm, then release from the tin. Dust with cocoa, then cut into wedges.

Steps:

• -----TOMAKE THE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM-----.
• Place the cornstarch in a small nonstick saucepan.
• Whisk in ¼ cup of the milk until smooth, and then whisk in the remaining ¾ cup milk.
• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan, and then add the bean.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg, egg yolk, and sugar.
• Beating constantly add a small amount of the milk mixture to the egg mixture to temper it.
• Beating constantly, add the egg mixture to the milk mixture in the saucepan.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until the mixture has thickened.
• Strain through a very fine sieve into a clean bowl.
• Mix in the grated chocolate.
• (NOTE: In other recipes, the sauce may be used/served warm or chilled. Store any extra, unused sauce, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days).
• -----TOMAKE THE WARM CHOCOLATE TORTE-----.
• Spray 4 (4-oz.) ramekins with nonstick spray.
• Lightly dust the interior of the ramekins with confectioners’ sugar.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Place the egg whites in a medium bowl.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy.
• Gradually add 3 tablespoons of superfine granulated sugar and beat on high speed until the whites are stiff and shiny.
• Fold in the pastry cream.
• Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
• Pipe the mixture into the prepared ramekins, piping in a spiral motion to fill the ramekins halfway.
• Divide the berries over the meringue.
• Pipe 2 additional circles of meringue over the berries.
• Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meringue is just set.
• Serve warm.