Mocha Pecan Torte
from Cocolat by Alice Medrich
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
Torte
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces (I used semisweet and cut down on the sugar by 1/4 cup)
6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup (4 ounces) ground pecans
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) flour
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar (1/4 teaspoon lemon juice can be substituted)
Mocha Glaze
10 ounces milk chocolate, cut into tiny bits
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon powdered instant coffee or espresso, dissolved in a few drops of water
Decoration
2 ounces each white and/or dark chocolate (optional)
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) chopped lightly toasted pecans (toasted at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom of 9 X 2-inch round cake pan with parchment or waxed paper.
2. Combine chocolate and butter in a small bowl placed in a barely simmering water bath over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Or, microwave on medium (50%) for about 2 minutes. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
3. In bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick. Stir in warm chocolate mixture, pecans, and flour. Set aside.
4. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar or lemon juice at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold about one-quarter of egg whites completely into the chocolate batter to lighten it. Quickly fold in remaining egg whites. Turn mixture into the prepared pan and smooth top if necessary. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick or wooden skewer plunged into the center of the cake shows moist crumbs (the center of the torte should be neither completely dry nor runny).
5. Cool the cake completely in pan on a rack. It will have risen and then fallen in the center, leaving a higher rim of cake around sides and possibly some cracking. Run a small metal spatula or knife between the edges of the torte and the sides of the pan to release it. Press the raised edges of the torte down with your fingers until it is level with the center. Place a 9-inch cardboard cake circle on the torte. Invert the pan and rap gently against the counter until the torte slips out. Remove the pan and the paper liner from the bottom of the torte. If the torte is uneven or still appears slightly sunken in the middle, level it again by pressing the top firmly with the bottom of the empty cake pan. Torte may be prepared to this point up to three days in advance. Wrap well and store at room temperature until needed, or freeze for up to three months. Let come to room temperature before serving, glazing, or decorating.
6. Place chocolate for glaze in a bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer. Stir in dissolved coffee. Pour over chocolate and stir until completely smooth and all of the chocolate is melted. Rewarm if necessary by placing the bowl in a barely simmering water bath, stirring gently until the glaze is perfectly smooth and the consistency of heavy cream (at a little under 100 degrees). If there are crumbs or air bubbles in the glaze, pour glaze through a very fine strainer just before pouring it over the cake (Unnecessary step? Bubbles can be popped after the glaze is poured). Center the crumb-coated torte on a platter or turntable, with parchment paper underneath to catch extra glaze. Have ready a clean, dry metal icing spatula. Pour all of the glaze in a puddle in the center of the top of the torte. Working quickly use just two or three spatula strokes to spread the glaze over the top of the torte so that it runs over all sides of the torte. This is easiest if you rotate the turntable or platter as you spread. If there are any bare spots on the sides of the cake, use the spatula or a finger to scoop up excess glaze and touch it to the bare spots to cover them. Don't respread or resmooth glaze once it is poured and starting to set.
7. For the marbled glaze (optional): Melt chocolate for decoration over simmering water or in the microwave, and scrape it into a parchment paper cone (these can be made by rolling up and taping a 8 X 12 triangle of parchment paper, with the midpoint of the hypotenuse as the tip of the cone). Cut a very small opening in the tip of the parchment paper cone, and pipe a spiral on the wet glaze first using one or both chocolates (practice this! it's hard and I messed up). Drag a skewer lightly through the glaze starting from the center to create lines (like wheel spokes), then drag the skewer in between these lines starting from the edge of the cake and ending the the center.
8. While the glaze is still tacky (just before it is completely dry), lift the torte off the rack and hold it in your non-dominant hand. Tilt the torte over a plate of nuts, and scoop the nuts into the palm of your free hand and press them carefully against the sides of the torte. Rotate the torte and continue to press nuts all around the sides.
Dang this is the longest recipe I've ever seen.