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Monday, August 27, 2007

double chocolate torte

My in-laws had their 35th anniversary this past week, and if you’ve been taking notes up until now (though why would you) you can imagine that this only created one requirement whichever dessert I brought to a barbeque this weekend: chocolate. Also, if it could have chocolate on top of that chocolate, it would be good too. And did we mention chocolate? Because we’re really into chocolate, and no amount of chocolate would be too much. This guy I married, who thinks that there are few higher kitchen callings than a chocolate-crusted, ganache-coated cheesecake with cubes of brownies inside? He didn’t develop this obsession in a vacuum.

1/2 lb.medium peaksmousse

Epicurious has been such a superstar lately in locating cake recipes so decked out in praise, half my work is done for me, I couldn’t resist calling on it again, this time pulling up some ungodliness by the name of Double Chocolate Torte. One pound of chocolate and three-quarters of a pound of butter later, I think we hit a new record of caloric indecency.

Eyes popped and stomachs rumbled at the sight of this chocolate-roaring beast, which was really a torte because the cake–an almost-flourless cocoa bomb–is just the base for a super-thick layer of mousse. A slick of unsweetened whipped cream tops the mousse layer, then a layer of fresh raspberries (or what would have been a full layer if the ridiculously overpriced raspberries we’d bought weren’t half past-their-prime) and I wish I could show you how gorgeous the cross-section was, but the camera battery had the nerve to die just as we were digging in. You’ll have to trust me: it’s a stunner and I wouldn’t change a thing about it, except to not eat a single thing for the entire day before it. This baby demands your stomach’s complete attention.

if you ever want a good reason to hate meraspberry doughnut

Elsewhere: Over at Priceless.com today, I have some photos and a short blurb about the Doughnut Plant on Grand Street, and I suggest that you don’t go over there at all if you a) are hungry or b) have a weakness for old-fashioned deep fried deserts in new-fangled flavors. Like Valrhona chocolate glazed. Or tres leches-tunneled. Or square ones with homemade jam in burrowed each corner. Mastercard cannot be held responsible for drooled-upon keyboards. Really, it says so in my contract.

One year ago: Moules a la Mariniere and Baked Pommes Frites

Double Chocolate Torte
Bon Appetit, December 2000

Makes 10 servings

Cake
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour

Mousse
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons red currant jelly melted with 1 tablespoon water
Red currant bunches (optional)

For cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan; dust with sugar. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt, then flour. Pour batter into pan. Bake until cake just rises in center (tester inserted into center will not come out clean), about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover; chill while making mousse.

For mousse: Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk yolks, 1/4 cup cream and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into bowl with melted butter. Whisk constantly over simmering water until thermometer registers 150°F, about 6 minutes (mixture may appear broken). Remove from over water; add chocolate and stir to melt. Set aside.

Beat egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to medium-stiff peaks. Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg white mixture into warm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg white mixture. Pour mousse over cake in pan; smooth top. Chill torte until mousse is set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen torte. Release pan sides. Transfer torte to platter. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream over torte. Top whipped cream with raspberries. Brush red currant jelly mixture over raspberries. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Garnish with currants, if desired.

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