Sour Cherry Chocolate Torte Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour three 8-inch cakes pans and line the bottoms with parchment circles.
• Combine the chocolate and 4 tablespoons of the butter in the top of a double boiler and heat until melted. Stir until smooth, then stir in the milk. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
• Whisk the egg whites in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to firm peaks. In a new mixer bowl, combine the sugar and remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter. Beat with the paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. On medium speed, add the egg yolks one at time and beat until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture and beat just to combine. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until the batter is smooth.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the egg whites and fold with a spatula just to incorporate (there should be no streaks of egg whites, but fold gently so as not to deflate too much). Divide the batter among the prepared pans.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack in the pans for about 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• For the topping: To assemble, set a cake layer on a cake stand flat-side up. Spread 1/2 cup of the jam almost to the edges of the layer. Top with a second cake layer. Spread with the remaining jam and top with the third cake layer, flat-side up. Pour the fudge sauce over the cake and use an offset spatula to cover the top and let it drip down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top to garnish right before serving.

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 350 degrees, butter a 9" spring-form pan dust with ground almonds (or fine, dry unseasoned bread crumbs), shake out extra, set aside.
• Drain cherries, then spread in a single layer on several thicknesses of paper towel, while you continue to prepare the torte.
• Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave, watch carefully, don't allow any water to get in the chocolate or it will seize.
• Cream the butter, add extracts and sugar, beat well; add eggs one at a time beating after each until mixed.
• On low add chocolate, beat until mixed, add almonds, then flour mixing just until incorporated.
• Spread about half or a little more of the batter into the pan (it is thick, using an offset spatula helps) place cherries one at a time over batter in a single layer, they can touch the sides, spoon and spread the remaining batter over the cherries, going slow helps prevent pull up.
• Bake 45 -50 minutes, the cake will be dry and crusty on top and a toothpick will come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes on a rack, then remove sides of the pan, let stand until almost cool ( to serve warm this is about 30 minutes).
• To remove bottom of the pan - cover cake with a rack and flip over, remove pan bottom - you may need to slip a thin spatula between the torte and pan bottom to loosen, cover cake with serving plate and flip back over ( I've been know to serve from the pan bottom, just keep your thin spatula handy).
• Note: Almonds should be finely ground in a blender or food processor, they should be almost powdery). Almond meal or almond flour (fancy names for ground almonds) can be found in some health food stores or at Trader Joes, though it can be very pricey under some labels. I prefer the freshness of grinding the almonds myself.
• Use real whipping cream unless you have dairy issues; a little kirsch added as you whip it is a nice touch.

Steps:

• Make sour cherry jam:
• In a small saucepan stir together the cherry jam, balsamic vinegar, and calvados. Simmer over low heat until the liquid reduces and thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until cooled completely.
• Make shortbread base:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide shortbread base off bottom), then lock on side of pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.
• Pulse hazelnuts with sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add flour, butter, cocoa, and salt and pulse just until a dough forms.
• Press dough evenly onto bottom of springform pan with your fingers. Prick all over with a fork, then bake until just dry to the touch, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer base in pan to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove side of pan and carefully slide out parchment from under shortbread, then reattach side of pan around shortbread base.
• Make mousse while shortbread cools:
• Sprinkle gelatin over water in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat, stirring, just until gelatin is melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in chocolate hazelnut spread until combined and remove from heat.
• Whisk together mascarpone and chocolate hazelnut mixture in a large bowl. Beat together cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in another large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until just combined, then increase speed to high and beat until cream just holds soft peaks. Whisk one third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream until well combined.
• Use a spoon or rubber spatula to spread the jam mixture evenly on top of shortbread, then spoon the mousse layer on top of the jam, gently smoothing top. Chill, covered, at least 3 hours.
• Make ganache and glaze cake:
• Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan and remove from heat. Add chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then gently whisk until completely melted and smooth. Transfer ganache to a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
• Run a warm thin knife around inside of springform pan, then remove side. Slide cake off bottom of pan and transfer to a serving plate. Pour ganache onto top of cake and spread, allowing excess ganache to drip down sides.

Steps:

• For the sorbet, whizz the compote with the sugar until smooth-ish, then tip into a freezer-proof container. Freeze until solid.
• Mix the cherries and the brandy and leave to soak for a few hrs.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the base of a round, 20cm loosebottomed tin with baking parchment. Mix the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking powder, bicarb and xanthan gum in a big bowl. Whisk the oil, rice milk and agave syrup, then add to the dry ingredients and stir in with a wooden spoon. Add the cherries and any brandy, then scrape into the tin. Bake for 35-45 mins until crisp on top but fudgy in the centre. Cool in the tin.
• Carefully lift the torte onto a serving plate. Dust with cocoa and icing sugar, and serve with the cherry sorbet.

Steps:

• To make the torte:
• In a small saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and continue to heat until golden brown with nutlike fragrance. (Bottom of pan will be covered with brown specks.) Cool butter to warm and stir in vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, knocking out excess flour.
• In a food processor finely grind whole almonds with flour, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar gradually, beating until meringue just holds stiff peaks. Fold in nut mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold in butter gently but thoroughly (batter will deflate) and spread in pan.
• Sprinkle top of batter evenly with sliced almonds and bake torte in middle of oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from side of pan and a tester comes out clean.
• Cool torte in pan on a rack 15 minutes and invert onto rack. Flip torte right side up and cool completely. (Torte may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.)
• Serve cake with sauce.
• To make the sauce:
• Working over a heavy saucepan pit cherries. In pan bring cherries, sugar, and water to a boil. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to sauce, stirring. Simmer sauce 2 minutes and cool to room temperature. (Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring sauce to room temperature before serving.) Makes about 3 cups.

Steps:

• Cover the cherries with rum and allow to soak overnight.
• Beat butter, sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add cocoa powder and mix well. Add flour gradually. Beat egg whites stiff and fold into cocoa mixture.
• Pour into two layer pans and bake in 300F oven for 45 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack.
• In double boiler, bring cream and chocolate squares to melting point stirring continuously. When chocolate is melted, remove from heat and allow to cool completely. It will beat better if you refrigerate it for a time. Beat until very smooth and thick.
• Spread one cake layer with thin layer of chocolate frosting and top with drained cherries. Place second layer atop first layer and cover rest of cake with remaining chocolate frosting.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla until blended. Beat in melted butter. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder; gradually add to batter and mix well., Spread into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack., Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Arrange cherries evenly around top edge of brownie; place remaining cherries over top. In a large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, butter and reserved cherry juice until creamy. Spread evenly over cherries., In a large bowl, combine coconut and milk. Sprinkle over cherry layer, carefully smoothing down near edges and pressing gently to form an even layer., Place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Pour over coconut layer. Refrigerate until set. Loosen sides of pan with a knife. Remove rim from pan. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Steps:

• Set aside 1/4 cup crushed cookies for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining cookies and butter; spread into a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the whipped topping mixes, milk and vanilla; beat on low speed until blended. Beat on high for 4 minutes or until thickened and stiff peaks form. Add cream cheese; beat until smooth. , Spread over crust; top with pie filling. Sprinkle with reserved cookies. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours before serving.