Orange Scented Chocolate Almond Cake Kirkgaard Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush bottom of 10-inch-diameter springform pan generously with margarine. Blend almonds and 1/4 cup sugar in processor until almonds are finely ground. Add chocolate; blend until chocolate is finely ground, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally.
• Whisk cocoa, orange juice, and orange peel in small bowl until smooth. Combine egg yolks and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Using electric mixer, beat until yolk mixture is very thick, about 4 minutes. Beat in cocoa mixture. Fold in ground-almond mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold whites into chocolate batter in 3 additions. Transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil; store at room temperature.)
• Cut around cake in pan; release sides. Cut cake into wedges. Transfer to plates. Place scoop of sorbet alongside.

Steps:

• Wash the oranges and simmer them, unpeeled, in water to cover for 2 hours. Cool, cut them open and remove the seeds. Puree the oranges, including the peel, in a food processor.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat the eggs in a food processor or large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, including the orange puree, and mix thoroughly. Pour into a buttered and floured cake tin, with a removable base if possible.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before turning out.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) in strips from oranges. Coarsely chop enough peel to measure 1/2 cup. Combine flour, 1 cup almonds, baking powder and salt in processor; blend until finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl. Place 2 cups sugar and orange peel in processor; blend until peel is finely minced.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until blended. Add sugar mixture and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix milk and both extracts in small bowl. On low speed, beat flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each. Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Boil 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice and remaining generous 1 tablespoon sugar in small saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Brush warm juice mixture over tops of cooled cakes.
• Place 1 cake layer, orange syrup side up, on cake platter. Spread 1 cup Chocolate Icing over. Top with second cake layer, then 1 cup icing. Top with third cake layer, syrup side up. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.) Arrange additional almonds, orange triangles and mint leaves around top edge of cake. Slice cake and serve.

Steps:

• In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water combine chocolate and cream, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Remove double boiler or bowl from heat and cool mixture. Chill filling 1 hour. Filling may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a buttered 8-inch round cake pan with wax paper and butter paper. Dust pan with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• On a baking sheet bake bread in oven until dry, about 5 minutes, and cool bread. In a food processor grind bread fine.
• In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and 1/2 stick butter, stirring occasionally until smooth, and remove double boiler or bowl from heat. In a bowl whisk together bread crumbs, ground almonds, and cocoa powder.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together remaining 1/2 stick butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate mixture, zest, and bread crumb mixture until batter is smooth.
• In another large bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium and beat until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat on high speed until stiff and glossy. Stir one fourth meringue into batter to lighten and fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake in middle of oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.
• In cleaned bowl with cleaned beaters beat filling until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water combine glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth.
• Cut cake in half horizontally. On a cake plate spread filling between layers. Spread glaze over cake. Chill cake at least 1 hour and up to 4 before serving.