Chocolate & Raspberry Torte

Posted on by Cooks Professional

The perfect flavour partners of dark chocolate and raspberries combine to make this delicious torte a real showstopper.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 225g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
  • 175g unsalted butter, diced
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 100g toasted almonds
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs
  • 140g golden caster sugar
  • 12 raspberries, plus more for decoration
  • 4 tbsp raspberry jam

For the glaze:

  • 140g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 100ml double cream

Method

  1. Begin by heating your oven to 160°C / 140°C Fan / Gas Mark 3, then line two 23cm cake tins with baking parchment.
  2. Break the chocolate into a bowl, add the butter and melt in the microwave in short bursts. Set to one side to cool, then stir in the vanilla extract and the espresso powder.
  3. Blitz the almonds in a food processor until they are finely ground, then mix in the flour and salt and transfer to a bowl. Beat the eggs using an electric whisk until they have double in volume, then add the sugar and whisk for another minute.
  4. Fold in the chocolate mixture until combined, and then sprinkle in half of the flour and fold in, followed by the other half. The mixture will be slightly runny, but this is normal so don’t be alarmed!
  5. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and bake for around 15 minutes, until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached. The cakes should be slightly undercooked when removed from the oven. Cool them in their tins, then turn out onto a wire rack.
  6. Place one of the cake halves on a serving plate. Mash together the 12 fresh raspberries with the jam, then spread this over the base of the cake. Set the other cake on top.
  7. Now. make the glaze by bringing the cream to a boil in a saucepan. Pop the chocolate in a bow, then pour in the hot cream and mix together to melt. Leave for a few minutes until the chocolate has thickened slightly, then spread over the top and sides. Decorate with the remaining raspberries, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from the fridge one hour before serving.

Lead image: wmaster890 via Getty images.