Chocolate Passion Torte Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE & PASSION FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Sift the flour, icing sugar, cocoa and ½ tsp salt into a bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks along with 2 tbsp ice-cold water, and continue to mix with your hands until a soft dough forms. Alternatively, pulse the ingredients together in a food processor. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 1 hr. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
• Line the base of a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with baking parchment. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use it to line the tart tin, pressing it up the side and leaving some overhanging. Cover and chill for another 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 mins. Remove the beans and parchment and bake for 20 mins more until crisp. Leave to cool completely, then use a sharp knife to trim the excess pastry.
• To make the curd, put the passion fruit pulp in a food processor and blitz to separate the seeds and flesh. Push through a sieve over a medium saucepan, then discard the seeds. Tip in the remaining ingredients and set the pan over a low heat. Whisk until the butter has melted, then, using a wooden spoon, stir until the curd has thickened, about 10 mins. (Don't turn up the heat to speed up the process, as the eggs will curdle.) Stir well, especially at the edge, as this is where the curd can catch. Sieve into a bowl, leave to cool, then spoon into the case. Chill the filled tart for 30 mins.
• To make the ganache, melt the chocolate, cream, sugar and a pinch of sea salt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, stirring until glossy and thick. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for 15 mins, then pour over the curd layer. Scatter over the cocoa nibs, if using, then chill for at least 4 hrs, or overnight. Dust with cocoa, then slice and serve with crème fraîche.

PASSION LAYER TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease 2 x 20cm loose-based sandwich tins and line the bases with discs of baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, coconut, orange zest and baking powder in a food processor or food mixer and blend or beat until well combined, thick and creamy. Do not over-blend or the cake will be tough rather than light. If you don't have a food mixer, put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat hard with a wooden spoon until soft and creamy.
• Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared tins and smooth the surface. Bake on the same shelf in the centre of the oven for 25 mins or until well risen and just beginning to shrink back from the sides of the tin. Remove the tins from the oven and leave to cool for 5 mins before running a knife around the edge of the cakes and turning out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and leave to cool completely.
• When the cakes are completely cold, very carefully cut horizontally through each one with a serrated knife to make 4 thin sponges. To make the frosting, cut the passion fruits in half and scoop into a sieve. Press through the sieve to strain the juice - you should have 4 tbsp. Set aside and reserve the seeds. Put the butter, icing sugar and cheese in a food processor or mixer and blend until smooth. Do not overbeat or it will become runny. Slowly add the passion fruit juice and blend until just combined.
• Place one of the sponges, cut-side down, on the metal base of the sandwich tin and put on an upturned bowl on a tray. This will help make frosting the cake easier. Spread with roughly a fifth of the frosting - just enough to cover the sponge. Use a paddling motion with a palette knife or soft spatula for the best result, trying to keep contact with the cake to prevent the sponge from lifting.
• Cover with a second cake, spread with frosting and repeat the layers once more, ending with the last sponge, cut-side down. By this stage, you should have layered 4 cakes with passion fruit frosting between 3 of them. Use the remaining frosting to spread over the top and sides of the cakes to cover completely. Don't worry if the sides are a little messy, as the grated chocolate should cover any imperfections.
• Put the cake in the fridge for 30-60 mins to allow the icing to set a little. Coarsely grate the chocolate. Working your way slowly around the cake, scoop grated chocolate onto a palette knife and sweep up the sides of the cake, pressing into the soft icing.
• Take the cake off the bowl, slide the palette knife between the cake and the metal base, and gently transfer to a plate or cake stand. (If the icing is too soft to do this, pop the cake in the freezer for 30 mins and then try again.) Chill until ready to serve. Before serving, drizzle over 1 tsp of the reserved passion fruit seeds over the top of the cake. If making a day ahead, cover with a cake tin or a bowl large enough to cover the cake without touching it, so the cake doesn't get damaged in the fridge.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. Combine the chocolate and 1 1/2 sticks butter in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until melted and combined. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let cool slightly.
• Combine the eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Gently fold half of the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until just combined, then gently fold in the rest. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top is no longer shiny and barely jiggles and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan. Remove the springform ring and transfer to a platter; dust with cocoa powder.

CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Whisk cocoa and water until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture. Beat until smooth. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks., In a bowl, beat cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form. Chill until firm., In a saucepan, melt chips and butter over medium heat; stir in cream. Remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar. Chill for at least 1 hour or until completely cooled. Beat with electric mixer to achieve spreadable consistency. , Spread half of the filling over one cake layer; top with second layer and remaining filling. Top with third layer; frost top and sides of cake. Chill for 2 hours before cutting.

CHOCOLATE PASSION TORTE

Steps:

• 1. Combine brownie mix ingredients (eggs, oil, water) according to directions on the package. Add 1 cup of the chopped Oreo cookies; Mix well.
• 2. Bake in greased 10" springform pan 43-50 minutes - until middle is almost set. Cool at least one hour.
• 3. FROSTING: In a saucepan on low heat, mix 4 tablespoons of water, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of cocoa until sugar dissolves.
• 4. Put 2 tablespoons of water in a small dish. Add 1 1/2 tsp of gelatin. Stir and let stand 1 minute.
• 5. Add gelatin mixture to cocoa mixture; stir. Let stand until room temp.
• 6. Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in cocoa mixture and blend well.
• 7. Add remaining chopped cookies. Spoon over brownie.
• 8. Decorate with liquid unsweetened chocolate and/or strawberries, if desired. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving. Enjoy!!! (Store any leftovers in fridge.)

DARK & SQUIDGY CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of a 23cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin. Put the butter and chocolate into a pan and gently melt together until smooth. Meanwhile, using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 mins until billowy and about the thickness of old-fashioned custard.
• Pour the chocolate and butter mix into the whisked egg and sugar, then fold it in very carefully using a large metal spoon. Mix the flour, almonds and ¼ tsp salt together, then fold into the mix until even. Spoon into the tin and bake for 35-40 mins until evenly set with a slight crust all over the top. Leave the cake to cool until warm, then release from the tin. Dust with cocoa, then cut into wedges.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly., In another large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in chocolate mixture. With clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy., Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining whites., Transfer to a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs, 40-45 minutes (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack., Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Remove rim from pan. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Grease a springform pan; dust with cocoa. Line bottom with kitchen parchment.
• In 2 qt saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with butter.
• In large bowl, with wire whisk beat egg yolks and vanilla.
• Slowly beat warm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture until blended.
• In small bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Gradually beat in 1/4 cup powdered sugar until sugar dissolves and whites stand in stiff peaks.
• Fold beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture, one third at a time.
• Spoon batter into pan spreading evenly.
• Bake torte 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean.
• Cool torte in pan.
• When torte is cool, remove side of pan then remove torte from pan bottom; discard parchment.
• Cut torte in 12 wedges. Sprinkle 6 wedges with cocoa, remaining 6 wedges with confectioners sugar.
• Arrange wedges alternately on cake plate.