The torte is based on a recipe from BBC Good Food that was too good to pass up trying! Fair warning that it is a rich and intensely chocolate experience. The torte itself needs no embellishing and can be served as is, with, perhaps, a scoop of fresh sorbet.
However, I had baked it for an occasion when I wanted to stick candles on it. That is easier done with frosting. I wanted something to cut yet complement that richness. So, I chose to top with Orange Curd and fresh cherries. Orange and cherries are the quintessential pairing choice for chocolate and the trio is quite a party on your palate.
Chocolate Torte
(based on recipe from BBC Good Food)
225 g 70% dark chocolate
175 g unsalted butter , chopped, diced
1 tsp orange zest
100 g toasted almonds
3 T plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
5 eggs
140 g sugar
Heat oven to 325 F/160 C. Oil and line a 8 inch cake pan and set aside.
Melt the chocolate and butter. Stir in the orange zest and let it steep. Meanwhile, grind the almonds as fine as you can without letting it become a paste. Add flour and salt, and transfer to a bowl.
Whisk the eggs until doubled pale and frothy. Slowly add the sugar, whisk for 1 min more. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture until just combined. Sprinkle over half the flour mixture and fold in, then the other half. The mixture will be rather runny.
Pour into the prepare pan and bake for about 20 mins until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool for a few minutes in tin, then turn out onto a wire rack. Wait until completely cooled before you frost with anything.
Orange Curd
Somewhat like a pudding but definitely of much longer shelf life, this bursts with citrus flavor. It’s great on toast instead of marmalade, over fruits for a relatively healthy dessert and even perfect frosting for cakes!
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, zest reserved
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, but into pieces
Over a double boiler whisk together the yolks, sugar and orange over low heat. Whisk continuously until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in the cold butter into the curd a few pieces at a time until the butter has melted and incorporated in to the curd. Gently fold in the zest taking care to not break the curd. Cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating. It will last about a month.
