posted by Meryl 11-24-102 2:51 PM
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
From "'Cocolat" by Alice Medrich
1/2 cup (70 grams) toasted and ground hazelnuts
1/4 cup (35 grams) all purpose flour
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
6 ounces (163 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar (divided)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Chocolate Glaze:
6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces
4 ounces (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
TIP: Separate the eggs while they are still cold. Cover the yolks and whites with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature before using.
Note: Cream of tartar is used when whipping eggs whites to help stabilize them, and to prevent them from drying out and being over beaten.
To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until nuts are fragrant and skins start to blister. Remove from oven and place in a clean kitchen towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts steam for five minutes and then rub nuts to remove skins. Let cool.
To make ground hazelnuts: In a food processor place the flour and cooled hazelnuts and process until hazelnuts are finely ground. Set aside.
To make Torte: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line bottom of an 8 x 3 inch (20 x 9 cm) round cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper.
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler or else a small bowl placed over a saucepan with simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar until pale and thick (about 5 minutes). (When you raise the beaters the mixture will slowly fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.) With a rubber spatula gently fold in warm chocolate mixture and the nut and flour mixture. Set aside while you whip the egg whites.
In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, at medium speed, until foamy and then add the cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold a small amount of the whites into chocolate batter to lighten it. Quickly fold in remaining whites. Do not overmix or the batter will deflate. Place mixture into prepared pan and smooth top with back of spoon or offset spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake shows moist crumbs.
Cool torte completely in pan on a wire rack. It will rise and then fall in the center, leaving a higher rim of cake around sides and possibly some cracking. Level and unmold torte onto a 8 inch (20 cm) corrugated cake circle. Torte may be completed to this point, wrapped and kept at room temperature up to three days in advance. Or freeze up to three months. Let come to room temperature before glazing.
To Prepare Chocolate Glaze: Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small bowl over a saucepan with simmering water and stir until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place cake on a wire rack. Put the rack on a baking sheet. In this way if the chocolate glaze drips it will end up on the baking sheet, which makes clean up easier. Brush off any loose crumbs and with a cake spatula frost the sides of the cake with about 2 tablespoons of glaze. This will seal in any cake crumbs so that your cake will have a smooth finish when the glaze is poured on the cake. Refrigerate cake for 5 minutes to set the crumb coat. If you have any air bubbles or crumbs in your glaze, pour glaze through a strainer. Pour the remaining glaze into the center of the cake. Working quickly, spread with a spatula, using wide strokes to push the ganache over the sides of the cake, to create a nice even coating of glaze. If there are any bare spots on sides of cake, use the spatula to scoop up excess glaze and touch up. I find this cake is better served the next day so the flavors can blend overnight. Store at room temperature for several days.
Serves 10 - 12.