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Sunday, December 16, 2018

King Arthur Flour: Chocolate Almond Flour Torte


I was randomly flipping through a King Arthur Flour catalog (a.k.a. the adult foodie version of the Sears toy catalog), and I happened to see a recipe for this gorgeous chocolate log of deliciousness.  So, being the rational adult that I am, I immediately ordered the special wavy pan and bittersweet chocolate wafers needed to make the beautiful cake.  And it was everything the catalog promised.  The almond flour makes for a tender, moist cake, and the chocolate flavor is deep, rich, and out of this world.

Note: King Arthur Flour recommends Guittard Bittersweet Onyx Wafers for the bittersweet chocolate, but you can substitute any high-quality 72% bittersweet chocolate.  I used Valrhona cocoa powder, as it has a very rich chocolate flavor.

Chocolate Almond Flour Torte
From King Arthur Flour

Cake:
1 cup almond flour
¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting the pan
2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional, for richer chocolate flavor)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅔ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
5 large eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
¼ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
Toasted sliced almonds, for decoration

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Butter a ridged cake loaf pan or an 8-inch round pan and thoroughly dust the inside of the pan with cocoa powder, turning the pan to coat evenly and shaking out any excess. Set the prepared pan aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the almond flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter on a stove or in short 10 to 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl using a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture has lightened in color and falls in thick ribbons from the beater, about 5 minutes.  Fold in the melted chocolate followed by the dry ingredients, stirring gently until everything is incorporated.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan. If baking in a ridged cake loaf pan, it's helpful to place the pan on a baking sheet before filling it with batter for easy transfer in and out of the oven.

Bake the cake for 38 to 43 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.  Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a rack. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.  Once the cake is cool, place the rack over a piece of parchment paper.

To make the topping:

In a saucepan set over medium-high heat or in a small bowl in the microwave, heat the heavy cream until hot. Add the chocolate and let it melt, stirring until the glaze is smooth.

Allow the topping to cool for 5 to 10 minutes then drizzle it down the center of the cake, letting it drip unevenly down the sides onto the parchment paper below.  Top the cake with toasted almonds, if desired, and allow the topping to set until ready to serve.
Refrigerate any leftover torte for up to three days.

Makes 12 to 16 servings

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