The mother of all Chocolate Tortes

My friend, H, is due to have a baby next week and we had a baby shower to spoil her before the baby arrives. S organised the get-together and lucky for us as she makes the most scrumptious cakes.

We were spoiled with a Moroccan Tagine of chicken, dates and apricots. S had made enough to feed a small army, so we got to take some home and J had the pleasure of tasting the lunch I had raved about. For dessert there was a sinful Mexican Chocolate Torte. We all agreed that it was the glaze that made this cake so luscious. It was so tasty that there was a number of requests for the recipe. I offered to take the recipe book and post it here so everyone would have access to it.



Another friend, M, also made some yummy peanut butter cookies. I managed to sneak a few of these into my take home bag so I’ve been enjoying them with my cups of tea today. I didn't manage to get the recipe for these but if I do I will post them for all to share.



And one final mention. Now, we definitely didn’t make this one but it was so impressive I just had to take a photo and tell you about the Box of Chocolates from Belle Fleur that H brought along as a present to S for organising the baby-shower. This is a very special box of chocolates where you even get to eat the box. Now if that isn’t decedent I don’t know what is. These were passed around as H was opening all her very cute baby presents. Lucky us, got to share in these delicious choclates.

Mexican Chocolate Torte

(Toasted Almond, Cinnamon and choclate Torte)


150g natural (with skins) whole almonds, toasted and cooled completely
50g firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tblsp cinnamon
¾ tsp salt
150g fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
50g granulated sugar

For glaze
120g fine quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tblsps unsalted butter
2 tblsps heavy cream
1 tblsp light corn syrup

For icing
50g confectioners’ sugar
1 – 1 ½ tsps milk

1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Butter an 8 ½ inch spring-form pan and line it with a round of wax paper. Butter the paper and dust the pan with flour, knocking out the excess.
2. In a food processor blend together the almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until the almonds are ground fine. Add the chocolate, and blend the mixture until the chocolate is ground fine.
3. Add the egg yolks and the vanilla. Blend the mixture until it is combined well and transfer it to a bowl.
4. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, beat in the granulated sugar gradually, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture to lighten it and fold in the remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.
5. Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top, and bake the torte in the middle of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the torte cool in the pan on a rack for 5 mins, run a thin knife around the edge, and remove from the side of the pan. Invert the torte onto the rack, discarding the wax paper, and let it cool.
6. Make the glaze: In a metal bowl set over barely simmering water combine the chocolate, butter, cream and corn syrup. Stir the mixture until it is smooth and let the glaze cool until it is just lukewarm
7. Set the torte on the rack over wax paper and pour the glaze over it, smoothing the glaze with a spatula and letting the excess drip over the side.
8. Make the icing: In a bowl whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp of the milk and add enough of the remaining milk, drop by drop, to form a thick icing. Transfer the icing to a small pastry bag, fitted with a 1/8 inch plain tip, and pipe it decoratively on the torte. Transfer the Torte to a serving plate and let it stand for 2 hours or until the glaze is set.

Note: as you can see from the photo S did not decorate the torte with the icing.

This recipe came from The Best of Gourmet 1994. It’s funny to look through this cook book and see how much cooking styles have changed over the last 12 years.