Chocolate Orange Grand Marnier Truffle Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE & GRAND MARNIER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a chilled large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until very cold., For filling, in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over orange juice concentrate; let stand 1 minute. Stir in sugar. Heat and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup Grand Marnier and orange zest. Let filling stand at room temperature just until spreadable, stirring occasionally. (If mixture becomes too firm, warm in microwave to soften, about 10-15 seconds.), Meanwhile, using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Brush layers with remaining Grand Marnier. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with one-third of the filling. Repeat twice. Top with remaining cake layer., To frost cake, cut a hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag and insert #829 or other large star pastry tip. Gently stir whipped cream; spoon into bag and pipe onto top and sides of cake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE TRUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch rounds--except add orange peel to batter.
• Fill layers and frost side and top of cake with frosting. In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium heat until hot (do not boil); remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Carefully pour chocolate mixture onto top center of cake; spread to edge, allowing some to drizzle down side. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Store covered in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE & GRAND MARNIER TRUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• Line the base and sides of a 1kg loaf tin with cling film. Squeeze the juice from the orange and mix with 3 tbsp of the Grand Marnier. Cut away the bitter white pith from inside the orange shell, then cut the peel into fine strips and boil it in a covered pan with 300ml water for 20 mins until soft. Add the sugar, then simmer uncovered for a bit longer until you have a soft, sticky peel.
• Melt the chocolate over a pan of water, then take from the heat and beat in the butter and egg yolks, followed by the rest of the Grand Marnier.
• Whisk the egg whites until they hold their shape, then whip the cream until softly stiff. Fold both of them into the chocolate mixture.
• Spoon 5 large tbsp of the chocolate mixture into the tin, then dip the finger biscuits in the orange and Grand Marnier mixture one by one and arrange over the chocolate layer - don't soak them too much or they will fall apart. Scatter over some of the sticky peel, then spoon on another 5 tbsp of the chocolate mixture.
• Carry on layering up the biscuits and chocolate mixture until you have 4 layers of biscuit, finishing with a chocolate layer. You should only need to use half the peel. Lightly cover with cling film and freeze until ready to serve. Freeze the remaining peel separately.
• To serve, take the cake and orange peel out of the freezer no more than 1 hr before serving and strip off the cling film. Top with whipped cream and the remaining peel, and scatter with the grated chocolate. Keep chilled until ready to eat.