Chocolate Orange Torte Recipes

MARY'S FEATHERED CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Grease a 23cm/9in fluted tart tin with butter.
• For the pastry, measure the flour, icing sugar and butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and a tablespoon of cold water and mix until it comes together to form a soft dough.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C(180C fan)/400F/Gas 6.
• Dust the work surface with flour then roll out the pastry as thinly as you can to a circle about 5cm/2in larger than your flan tin.
• Line the tin with the pastry. Don't worry if the pastry breaks a little, it is easy to patch up. Chill for 15 minutes.
• Prick the base of the pastry with a fork, line the pastry case with baking paper or foil and fill with baking beans. Bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes, or until just lightly golden-brown. Remove the paper and beans and return the tart to the oven to cook for a further 5-7 minutes, or until pale golden-brown and the base is cooked.
• To make the chocolate filling, melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and flour. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and leave to stand.
• To make the orange filling, melt the butter and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest, sugar and flour. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time and pour the mixture into a jug.
• Place the pastry case on a baking tray. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pastry case. Drizzle or pipe the orange filling over the chocolate filling to create a swirl effect. Draw a cocktail stick through the filling to create a marbled effect.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just set around the edges, but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, until warm but not piping hot, then serve.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• Line bottom of 9 inch spring form pan with wax paper and set aside.
• In top of double boiler over hot water, melt together butter, chocolate, sugar and orange juice. Stir to blend. Remove from heat and stir in orange liqueur. Let cool.
• Mix in eggs 1 at a time. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until edge is slightly crusty and middle is just set. Let cool on rack. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TORTE

Steps:

• Get your equipment ready (see tips below). Break the chocolate in small pieces into a large heatproof bowl. Spoon in the syrup and pour in about a quarter of the cream. Stand the bowl over (not in) a pan of hot water over the lowest possible heat and leave until the chocolate has melted, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir to combine. Leave until barely warm - dip your little finger in to check.
• Get your cake tin ready. Do this while you are waiting for the chocolate to melt and cool so you're not hanging around. Cut open the plastic folder along the bottom, then cut out a disc to fit in the bottom of the tin and 3 strips to line the sides. (See step 2).
• Pour the rest of the cream into a very large bowl and tip in the coffee and cinnamon. Whip with a balloon whisk until the cream looks like step 3. When you shake the bowl the cream should wobble like a thick milkshake, and when you dribble some cream from the whisk, the trail it leaves in the cream below should disappear in 1-2 seconds.
• Fold the two together. Pour the cooled chocolate into the bowl containing the cream. With the largest metal spoon you've got, fold the cream and chocolate together in a figure-of-eight motion. Don't be nervous - keep going until they are evenly and smoothly mixed and the mixture has a soft, pillowy, downy texture - you will see and feel it thicken as you fold.
• Set the torte. Pour the chocolatey cream into the tin and level the surface with the back of the spoon. Put the tin in the fridge and leave to firm up. This can happen in under an hour, but you may need to leave it longer, depending on the coldness of your fridge (you can leave it overnight if this is more convenient).
• Unmould and serve. Unclip and remove the side of the tin, then remove the pieces of plastic around the sides. Invert a serving plate over the torte and turn the torte upside down on to it. Lift off the tin base and peel away the plastic. Dust all over with cocoa (including the plate if you wish to be fashionable) and serve in thin slices.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE - ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat to 350°F and line a 9" springform pan with parchment.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, salt, baking powder and ground almonds.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, oil, zest, vinegar, vanilla and almond extracts.
• Pour into the dry mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Rotate the pan to level the batter and tap it lightly on the counter. Bake for 43 to 45 minutes.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack.
• Sprinkle cake with 1 tbsp ground almonds and cool completely.
• When cool, sprinkle serving plate with remaining almonds and invert cake onto it. Set aside while preparing glaze.
• Glaze / Topping:.
• Combine orange zest, orange juice concentrate and chocolate in a small saucepan and melt gently over low heat.
• Stir in oil, flavoured stevia and salt.
• Pour into a bowl and let sit 15-20 minutes to thicken before use.
• Pour glaze over the cake and sprinkle generously with flaked almonds.