Sue Freeman posted 02-19-99
Chocolate Coffee Toffee Torte
2 cups pecans, at room temp
1/2 cup unsalted buttter at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups heavy cream, divided
9 ounces semisweet chocolate (chips are fine)
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, cold
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
4 to 6 ounces milk chocolate, grated
2 10 inch cardboard cake circles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Using a 9 or 10 inch springform pan as a guide, cut a circle out of a brown paper bag to fit the bottom. Lightly butter the bottom to hold the paper circle in place and then also lightly butter the top of the circle.
Place pecans, butter, sugar in a mixing bowl. Blend on medium speed until mixture appears slightly creamy but the
pecans are not entirely broken up; the mixture should be chunky. Put this mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake
for 20 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Bring one cup of heavy cream to a boil. Pour over the semisweet chocolate. Let stand 3 minutes then whisk until
smooth. If you have a food processor, place the chocolate in the processor and pour the hot cream in and pulse
until smooth.
Pour about 2/3 of the chocolate mixture over the pecan crust. Chill until firm.
In a mixing bowl place the cold butter, brown sugar, instant coffee and vanilla. Cream well. Blend in the eggs one at
a time and mix about one minute after each egg.
If the mixture looks curdled at any time stop adding eggs and mix on medium until the mixture returns to a smooth consistency. Add remaining eggs one at a time. Blend in the
remaining chocolate, mixture should be fluffy.
Set aside 1/3 of mixture and pour the rest over the firm chocolate layer smoothing with a spatula. Chill or freeze
several hours or overnight. (If you freeze it, take it out and let it sit about 30 minutes and then continue it is so much easier) Loosen sides of springform pan and remove sides.
Place a sheeet of plastic wrap over the top of the torte and a cardboard circle over the top of that. Flip torte over.
Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and the paper.
Place the other piece of card board over the bottom and
flip back over so the pecan topping is on top.
Place in refrigerator.
Whip the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Take a little of the left over cream and chocolate
mixture and whip it into the cream. Be careful not to overwhip or it will curdle.
Ice the torte with the cream. Smooth the sides and the top, saving a little cream to decorate with. If you have any of
the cream and chocolate mixture left, warm it slightly
until it liquidfies.
Use a fork or spoon and drizzle the chocolate mixture back and forth over the cake. Use a pastry bag fitted with a small #2 to make 16 swirls around the edge of the torte with left over cream. Place one candy bean on each swirl. Pat grated chocolate around the sides to cover and chill until ready to serve.