Double Chocolate Kasha Torte Recipes

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• For the cake, preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Lightly grease a 9- or 10-inch springform pan; dust with sugar (optional).
• Combine the chocolate and butter in a saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt over low heat (on the stovetop) or on 50% power in the microwave at 1-minute increments, stirring in between.
• Cool the mixture to lukewarm. Whisk in the sugar to combine.
• Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the springform pan. Bake until the cake just rises in center (a tester inserted into center will not come out clean) and springs back lightly to the touch, 30-35 minutes.
• Cool completely in the pan (the center of the cake may fall slightly). Cover and chill while making mousse.
• For the mousse, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% power, stirring often, until smooth (don't overheat!). Whisk the cocoa/water mixture into the melted chocolate until smooth (if there are little lumps, you can press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl). Let it cool to room temperature (just slightly lukewarm is fine, too, as long as it isn't warm or hot).
• In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whip the cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted (I often use my Blendtec blender to whip cream - only takes a few seconds).
• Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
• Spoon the mousse over the cooled cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 1 day.
• Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the torte if it hasn't pulled away from the sides of the pan while cooling.
• Release the springform pan sides. Transfer the torte to a platter, if desired (often, I just leave it on the base of the springform pan).
• For the whipped cream topping, using an electric mixer, beat the cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the torte. Dust with grated chocolate, if desired.
• Top with raspberries. Chill for up to an hour or serve immediately.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for fudge-like brownies. Spread batter in a greased and floured 9-in. round baking pan. , Bake at 350° for 38-42 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate; cool completely. , In a bowl, stir the chocolate and butter until smooth. Spread over brownie layer; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Just before serving, top with whipped topping. Decorate with sprinkle.

PASSOVER DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan and dust with 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Melt chopped chocolate squares and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks and vanilla extract together in a large bowl.
• Gradually whisk chocolate and butter mixture into egg yolk mixture until well blended.
• Beat egg whites in a separate bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat sugar into egg whites until sugar dissolves and egg whites hold stiff peaks.
• Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture until just blended and batter is smooth and fluffy.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center, about 25 minutes.
• Let torte cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the sides of pan.
• Place chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave on full power for 1 minute. Stir the chips. Continue to heat in 15-second intervals, stirring after each time, until the chocolate chips have melted and are warm and smooth. Do not overheat.
• Drizzle melted chocolate chips onto torte. Sprinkle crushed almonds and a dusting of confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, or as needed, onto the torte before serving..

BUCKWHEAT-AND-CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line with a parchment round; butter parchment. Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate together. Let cool.
• In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon, and pulse until combined.
• In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs and brown sugar on high until thick and pale, about 6 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture, then flour mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is puffed and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Let cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Release sides of pan and remove cake; let cool completely on rack. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with ice cream. (Torte can be stored at room temperature, covered, up to 1 day.)

TRIPLE MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the brownie mix, oil, water and egg until well mixed. Spread into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 2-in. from the edge comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in melted white chips. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over brownie. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes., For chocolate mousse, beat cream cheese and vanilla until blended. Combine sugar and cocoa; gradually add to cream cheese mixture. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over torte. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes., For toffee mousse, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until blended. Combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa; gradually add to cream cheese mixture. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in toffee bits. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over top., Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with additional toffee bits if desired.

MAIDA HEATTER'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• Set a rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch glass pie plate. Dust it with bread crumbs or cocoa powder. Set aside.
• Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over water over low heat. Bring it to a low simmer. Meanwhile, in a cup or small bowl, dissolve the coffee in the 1/4 cup boiling water and pour it over the chocolate. Cover and cook over low heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. Let cool slightly. (Alternatively, place chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water and pour it over the chocolate. Cover with a plate or kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Vigorously whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If there are still bits of unmelted chocolate, microwave in 15-second bursts, whisking between, until smooth and fully melted.)
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the yolks at high speed until they are pale, thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat at high speed for 5 minutes more until very thick. Reduce speed to low, and add the vanilla and cooled chocolate, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Wash the whisk attachment and mixing bowl.
• In the mixing bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff but not dry. Gradually, in two or three small additions, gently fold half the egg whites into the chocolate, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whites just until no whites show. Handling as little as possible, gently reserve about 4 cups of the mousse in a separate medium bowl; cover and refrigerate.
• Transfer the rest of the mousse into the pie plate; it will barely reach the top. Gently level and bake for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat, then leave it in the oven for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. (The mousse will rise during baking and then, while cooling, it will sink in the middle, leaving a high rim.) Wash the mixing bowl and whisk attachment and place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill.
• When the baked mousse is completely cool, remove reserved mousse from refrigerator. Handling as little as possible, transfer the chilled mousse to the center of the baked mousse. Mound it slightly higher in the center, but be careful to handle as little as possible or it will lose the air beaten into it. Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours.
• Make the whipped cream: In the chilled mixing bowl with the chilled whisk attachment, whip the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla on high speed until it holds a defined shape. Spread over the unbaked part of the mousse, excluding the rim; refrigerate. (Another way of applying the whipped cream: Use a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tube and pipe a lattice pattern over the top of the pie and a border around the edge.) Coarsely grate some semisweet chocolate over the top before serving, if desired. The torte is best eaten the day it's made, but it's not bad the next day.