Chocolate Orange Grand Marnier Truffle Cake Recipes

GRAND MARNIER TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl. Set aside until needed.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove the cream from heat.
• Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow the mixture to sit, untouched, for a minute. Then whisk until smooth.
• Stir in the butter and Grand Marnier and vigorously whisk until smooth and shiny.
• Set aside and cool to room temperature. Then tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 and ½ hours or until firm enough to scoop.
• Place the cocoa powder in a wide shallow dish and set aside.

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.

TRADITIONAL FRENCH DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is hot and starting to bubble but not fully boiling. Remove the cream from the heat immediately.
• Add the finely chopped chocolate and vanilla extract and stir with a wooden spoon until the ganache is completely smooth.
• Pop the pan into the fridge and chill the ganache until it is hard enough to roll into balls. Do not use the freezer, as this will make the ganache unworkable.
• Measure out each truffle by the heaping teaspoonful and use your hands to quickly roll the ganache into a ball.
• If the ganache gets too warm, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up. Work quickly so that your hands don't melt the chocolate too much. Chill the balls, a few at a time, as you go.
• Put the cocoa powder into a shallow dish. Take each chilled chocolate ball and quickly roll in the cocoa powder for an even coating. Pop the truffle onto a plate and place back into the fridge to chill down again before serving.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE ORANGE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Using a pastry cutter, large-tined fork, or a food processor on pulse setting, cut the chilled butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
• Sprinkle the cold water onto the mixture and mix gently a few times, just until it forms a ball that holds together.
• Separate the dough into 2 balls, flatten slightly into thick disk shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for a few hours before working with it.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Roll and trim the dough to make a circle large enough to fit a 10-inch fluted tart pan.
• Fit the circle into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• Line the dough with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the pie weights and bake the shell for an additional 5 minutes.
• Set aside the pastry shell, still in the tart pan, to cool.
• In a small saucepan set over low-medium heat, bring the cream and orange zest to just simmering.
• Remove it from the heat and stir in the chocolate, Grand Marnier, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is completely incorporated.
• Whisk a small amount of the hot chocolate cream into the beaten eggs.
• Transfer the tempered egg mixture back into the hot chocolate cream and whisk the mixture until it is smooth.
• Pour the orange chocolate filling into the prepared pastry and bake at 375 F for 18 to 25 minutes, until most of the filling is set and only the center jiggles slightly when the tart is moved.
• Allow the tart to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the tart ring and chill the tart in the refrigerator before serving.
• Slice and enjoy.

CHOCOLATE GRAND MARNIER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Lightly oil the base of a 9-inch spring form pan.
• Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the crushed cookies and press on to the base of the pan with clean fingers or the back of a spoon.
• Chill while preparing the filling.
• In a bowl, cream the sugar, Nutella and mascarpone or cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the melted chocolate and Grand Marnier and stir gently to combine.
• In a small glass bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the 1/4 cup of hot water (according to instructions on package).
• Fold the gelatin into the filling mixture along with the whipped cream.
• Pour this mixture over the base.
• Refrigerate for 4-5 hours, uncovered; do not unmold.
• To prepare the sauce, add the cream to the melted chocolate while it is still hot and stir in a tablespoon of Grand Mariner (or more to taste).
• When the cheesecake has set, pour the sauce over the top while it is still in the mold.
• Set back in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before unmolding and serving.
• Garnish with orange zest or crushed hazelnuts, if desired.

CHOCOLATE GRAND MARNIER CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan; line bottom with parchment paper round. Stir chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, Grand Marnier, orange peel, and vanilla. Stir in lukewarm chocolate. Add flour and salt; stir to blend. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Transfer batter to prepared springform pan.
• Bake cake until top is dry and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (top will fall slightly). DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely; cover and let stand at room temperature.
• For icing:
• Place chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl. Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture; stir until mixture is melted and smooth.
• Run thin knife around inside of cake pan; remove pan sides. Invert cake onto 10-inch removable tart pan bottom or cardboard round. Place on rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Remove cake pan bottom and parchment. Pour icing over cake and spread to cover top and sides (any icing that drips onto baking sheet can be reused). Chill until glaze sets, about 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• Cut into wedges and serve.