Christmas Spiced Chocolate Torte - Thanks, Nigella!

I haven't been making a lot of sweets of late, but today was a rainy day - all grey and sullen, buckets of rain pouring down and this end of the state under flood watch. I was in need of sweets. To boot, my friend Dom posted a round-up of cakes that his blogging friends posted in honor of his birthday month. I digested about a million calories worth of food porn along with my morning coffee. The temptation was just TOO GREAT!

When the urge hits, a chocolate cake is called for, don't you think? I scrounged around looking for just the right chocolate buzz and found it on Nigella Lawson's website. This slice of heaven is a combination of chocolate, orange zest, expresso powder, sugar, eggs, and almond flour. Yes! It's a flourless torte that reminds me of those chocolate oranges that come foil wrapped at Christmas time!



I have pledged not to inhale the cake before SB gets some. He is having a fast day (poor schmoe ), so this torte must last until tomorrow.

I'll try really hard not to have more than one more piece before bed tonight, but no promises. It's really that good - light and airy crumbling outer shell from all the whipped eggs and super moist and gooey center. Coffee, chocolate and orange flavors mingle with a good hit of cinnamon spice! Great combination of tastes !

Here's Nigella's recipe ... make this torte. She calls it Christmas-Spiced Chocolate Cake, but any time of year, it's a stellar treat. I also like the fact that it's a single layer cake. Somehow, that makes me feel less guilty about knoshing a couple pieces. Ha! Make this torte. Really ...

Christmas Spiced Chocolate Torte

a Nigella Lawson recipe

Ingredients:

150 g. dark chocolate (semi-sweet) I used Lindt Orange Infused and some bittersweet chocolate.

11 tbsp. butter

6 large eggs

1 1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. almond flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

a pinch ground cloves

4 tsp. expresso powder

zest of half an orange

Glaze Ingredients:

juice of half a large orange

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Making the Torte:

1. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 10-inch spring form pan and layer the bottom with a round of parchment paper. 

2. Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler and melt over simmering water. Whisk to combine the butter and chocolate. remove from the heat and set aside to cool a bit.

3. Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until light yellow, frothy, and at least doubled in volume.

4. Place the almond flour, spices, orange zest, and expresso powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine thoroughly.

5. When the egg/sugar mixture has doubled and is super city, turn the dry ingredients in and fold in gently.

6. Add the semi-cooled chocolate/butter mixture and continue to fold gently. try not to deflate the batter ... be gentle, but combine things thoroughly.

7. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

8. Place the baked cake on a rack and cool completely. The cake will fall. That's normal.

9. Run a palette knife around the edges of the pan and spring it free from the ring.

10. Gently place the cake on a pretty cake plate and finish cooling.

11. To make the glazed almond topping, place the butter, sugar, cinnamon and orange juice in a small fry pan and bring the mix to a boil, stirring frequently.

12. When the mix begins to caramelize, add the almonds and continue stirring to coat them with the shiny sweet glaze.

13. Spoon the mix onto the top of the cooled cake, using a fork to spread out the nuts. 

14. Serve as is or with a whipped cream topping.