Chocolate-Almond Torte - GF
This recipe, adapted from The Viennese Pastry Cookbook: From Vienna with Love, by Lilly Joss Reich, requires a Rehrucken molda loaf pan with a mpulded ridged bottom from epicurious.com
- 10
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar plus additional for dusting
- 1 3/4 cups whole unblanched almonds (9 ounces), finely ground
- 3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely grated
- Pinch of ground cloves
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/3 cup slivered blanched almonds
- Special equipment: a 12-inch-long metal Rehrucken mold
Preparation
Step 1
Make cake: Preheat oven to 350°.
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Butter mold and dust with sugar, knocking out excess.
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Stir together ground almonds, chocolate, and spices in a bowl.
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Beat yolks with 1/4 cup sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, then beat in zest.
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Beat whites with salt with cleaned beaters in a large bowl until they just hold soft peaks.
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Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
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Stir one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites in 2 more batches.
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Fold in ground almond mixture.
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Pour batter into mold and bake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
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Cool cake in mold on a rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.
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Make icing:
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Melt chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring.
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Remove from heat and add remaining 5 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth.
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Transfer icing to a bowl and chill, covered, until slightly thickened and spreadable, about 30 minutes.
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Decorate cake:
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Spread icing over cake with a small metal spatula.
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Stick points of almonds into cake in straight rows, following ridges, to resemble a porcupine.
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Chill cake until icing is set, at least 1 hour.
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Transfer cake to a platter and bring to room temperature before serving.
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Cooks' note: You can chill iced cake, loosely covered, up to 3 days.