Johns Chocolate Truffle Torte Recipes

Steps:

• Get your equipment ready (see tips below). Break the chocolate in small pieces into a large heatproof bowl. Spoon in the syrup and pour in about a quarter of the cream. Stand the bowl over (not in) a pan of hot water over the lowest possible heat and leave until the chocolate has melted, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir to combine. Leave until barely warm - dip your little finger in to check.
• Get your cake tin ready. Do this while you are waiting for the chocolate to melt and cool so you're not hanging around. Cut open the plastic folder along the bottom, then cut out a disc to fit in the bottom of the tin and 3 strips to line the sides. (See step 2).
• Pour the rest of the cream into a very large bowl and tip in the coffee and cinnamon. Whip with a balloon whisk until the cream looks like step 3. When you shake the bowl the cream should wobble like a thick milkshake, and when you dribble some cream from the whisk, the trail it leaves in the cream below should disappear in 1-2 seconds.
• Fold the two together. Pour the cooled chocolate into the bowl containing the cream. With the largest metal spoon you've got, fold the cream and chocolate together in a figure-of-eight motion. Don't be nervous - keep going until they are evenly and smoothly mixed and the mixture has a soft, pillowy, downy texture - you will see and feel it thicken as you fold.
• Set the torte. Pour the chocolatey cream into the tin and level the surface with the back of the spoon. Put the tin in the fridge and leave to firm up. This can happen in under an hour, but you may need to leave it longer, depending on the coldness of your fridge (you can leave it overnight if this is more convenient).
• Unmould and serve. Unclip and remove the side of the tin, then remove the pieces of plastic around the sides. Invert a serving plate over the torte and turn the torte upside down on to it. Lift off the tin base and peel away the plastic. Dust all over with cocoa (including the plate if you wish to be fashionable) and serve in thin slices.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble a 9-inch springform pan with the raised side of the bottom part facing down; secure side. Butter pan; line side with a long strip of waxed or parchment paper. Butter paper. Wrap bottom and side of pan with aluminum foil (to prevent water from seeping in); do not tuck foil inside pan. Set a kettle of water to boil for step 5.
• In a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate. Remove bowl from pan, and let cool to room temperature.
• In another large bowl, using an electric mixer on high, beat eggs, sugar, salt, and rum until mixture is thick, foamy, and forms a ribbon when you lift the beater, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Stir half the egg mixture into the cooled chocolate to lighten. Fold in remaining egg mixture, then whipped cream. Spoon batter into prepared pan, and smooth top.
• Place springform pan in a roasting pan; carefully pour hot water from the kettle to come halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until torte is set and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer springform pan to a wire rack; remove foil and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate torte in pan until well chilled, about 3 hours. To serve, release side. Using a knife dipped in warm water, cut torte into thin slices. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper. In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in flour until smooth. Stir in egg yolks until well blended.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until soft peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites. Fold in toasted hazelnuts. Spread in pans.
• Bake about 25 minutes or until tops of cakes appear dry and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around side of each cake to loosen; remove from pan to cooling rack. Remove waxed paper. Cool completely.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 cups chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted; remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently, just until thick enough to mound and hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. (If filling becomes too thick, microwave on High 10 to 15 seconds to soften.)
• Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Reserve 2 tablespoons filling. Frost side and top of cake with remaining filling. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons reserved filling. (If filling is too thick to drizzle, microwave on High 5 to 10 seconds to soften.) Garnish with hazelnuts.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan with parchment; grease paper., In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, mix pecans and flour., In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy; gradually add sugar, beating 4-5 minutes or until mixture triples in volume. Gradually beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Fold in pecan mixture. Transfer to prepared pan., Bake 30-35 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan; remove rim from pan. Invert cake onto a wire rack; carefully remove pan bottom and parchment. Cool completely., For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in butter. Refrigerate until mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes., Place cake on a serving plate. Pour ganache over cake and quickly spread to edges., Fill a food-safe plastic bag with melted white chocolate; cut a small hole in one corner of bag. Pipe thin horizontal lines 1 in. apart over ganache. Use a sharp knife to draw right angles across the piped lines. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap a sheet of foil over bottom of springform pan (in case of leaks). Lightly butter side of pan.
• Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined, then pat mixture evenly onto bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side. Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Make filling while crust cools:
• Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined well.
• Assemble and bake tart:
• Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until filling 1 inch from edge is set and slightly puffed but center trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as it cools.)
• Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours. Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa to serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease a 25cm springform tin, then line the base and sides with baking paper. Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and thick.
• Sift the flour and cocoa together onto the mixture, then gently fold in, followed by the butter. Pour into the tin, ease to the edges, then bake for 8-10 mins until risen and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin.
• Meanwhile, beat the chestnut purée and egg yolks until as smooth as possible. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water with half the cream. Remove from the heat, then beat into the chestnut mixture.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl, whip the remaining cream until it holds its shape. Fold into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the egg whites. Drizzle the brandy, if using, over the sponge base, then pour the chocolate mix on top. Level the surface and chill for 5 hrs or overnight until firm. Chill for 2 days, or freeze for 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• To serve, carefully remove from the tin, strip off the paper and slide onto a cake stand. Dust heavily with cocoa.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 3. Butter and line the base of a 20cm springform tin. For the torte, break the chocolate into a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, and add the butter. Heat until melted, than take off the heat and stir until smooth. Cool for about 5 mins.
• Stir in the egg yolks and ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then start to add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stir a spoonful or two of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to slacken it, then carefully fold in the rest.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 mins until risen and just firm. Cool in the tin before turning out - don't worry if it cracks and sinks a bit. Peel off the lining paper.
• For the ganache, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream to just below boiling point, then pour onto the chocolate, stirring. When the chocolate has melted, add the butter and stir until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Cool slightly. Cut the cake in half and sandwich together with a third of the ganache. Use the rest to cover the top and sides of the cake.
• To decorate, melt the milk and white chocolates separately, either in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water or on medium in the microwave in 30 sec bursts. Drizzle alternately on top of the torte. The torte will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Line outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Combine sugar and hot water in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in espresso powder. Melt 1 pound chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch almost simmering water (bowl should not touch water). Let stand until chocolate is almost melted, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from heat; stir until melted and smooth. Stir in espresso mixture. Let cool until slightly warm, not hot. Whisk in eggs one at a time, just until blended. Whisk in 1 tablespoon rum. Pour into springform pan. Place in large shallow roasting or broiler pan; add enough hot tap water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until cake is set and center does not move when pan is tapped. Remove pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Run thin knife around edge of pan before releasing sides. Meanwhile, heat cream in small saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles form around edge. Add 6 ounces chocolate; remove from heat. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted; whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon rum. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until frosting is of spreadable consistency, stirring occasionally. Spread frosting over top of cake, swirling to decorate. Refrigerate until frosting is set. (Torte can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve at room temperature.