Decadent Chocolate Truffle Torte Recipes

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.

THE FAMOUS CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TORTE

Steps:

• Start off by sprinkling the crushed biscuits all over the base of the tin. Next break the chocolate into sections and put them in a heat proof bowl together with the liquid glucose and the rum. Sit over a saucepan containing 5cm of barely simmering water, without the bowl touching the water - it will take 5-10 minutes to become melted, smooth and glossy. Stir, then take off the heat and leave the mixture to cool for 5 minutes or so, until it feels just warm. Now, in a separate bowl, beat the cream to the floppy stage. Fold half into the chocolate mixture and then fold that mixture into the rest of the cream. When it is smoothly blended, spoon it into the prepared tin. Tap the tin gently to even the mixture out, cover with clingfilm and chill overnight. Just before serving, run a palette knife round the edge to loosen the torte, then give it a good shake and turn the whole thing out on to a serving plate (don' t be nervous about this - it's very well behaved). To serve, dust the surface with sifted cocoa powder and a few amaretti biscuits and, if you like, mark the top into serving sections . Have some chilled pouring cream to go with it; if you have any, a couple of tablespoons of amaretti liqueur will make a wonderful addition to the cream. NOTE: The torte does freeze well, but since you can also make it a couple of days in advance, this doesn't really seem necessary.

TRUFFLE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan with parchment; grease paper., In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, mix pecans and flour., In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy; gradually add sugar, beating 4-5 minutes or until mixture triples in volume. Gradually beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Fold in pecan mixture. Transfer to prepared pan., Bake 30-35 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan; remove rim from pan. Invert cake onto a wire rack; carefully remove pan bottom and parchment. Cool completely., For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in butter. Refrigerate until mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes., Place cake on a serving plate. Pour ganache over cake and quickly spread to edges., Fill a food-safe plastic bag with melted white chocolate; cut a small hole in one corner of bag. Pipe thin horizontal lines 1 in. apart over ganache. Use a sharp knife to draw right angles across the piped lines. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

EASY DECADENT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.

JOHN'S CHOCOLATE-TRUFFLE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble a 9-inch springform pan with the raised side of the bottom part facing down; secure side. Butter pan; line side with a long strip of waxed or parchment paper. Butter paper. Wrap bottom and side of pan with aluminum foil (to prevent water from seeping in); do not tuck foil inside pan. Set a kettle of water to boil for step 5.
• In a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate. Remove bowl from pan, and let cool to room temperature.
• In another large bowl, using an electric mixer on high, beat eggs, sugar, salt, and rum until mixture is thick, foamy, and forms a ribbon when you lift the beater, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Stir half the egg mixture into the cooled chocolate to lighten. Fold in remaining egg mixture, then whipped cream. Spoon batter into prepared pan, and smooth top.
• Place springform pan in a roasting pan; carefully pour hot water from the kettle to come halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until torte is set and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer springform pan to a wire rack; remove foil and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate torte in pan until well chilled, about 3 hours. To serve, release side. Using a knife dipped in warm water, cut torte into thin slices. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Make the ganache: Place 16 ounces of chocolate and the cream in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until melted; remove from heat. Add butter and Cognac and stir until combined.
• Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the mixture is very cold and set, but still pliable, about 2 hours.
• Melt remaining 12 ounces chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until melted; remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Using a 1/4-ounce ice cream scoop, drop ganache onto one of the prepared baking sheets. Chill 10 minutes.
• Coat the palm of one of your hands with about 1 tablespoon of the melted chocolate. Roll balls, one at a time, between your palms until evenly coated with chocolate. Roll in cocoa powder to coat. Transfer to second baking sheet. Repeat with remaining balls, coating your palm with more chocolate as needed. Chill until ready to serve.