Cake is a good conversation starter, specially when it's preceded by the word chocolate. Did I get your attention?, if you add to it that this recipe contains a minimal amount of flour -spelt in this case- but is still decadent and a show stopper perfect fora dinner party then you'll have to make it just out of curiosity, am I right?
This recipe was given to me by my little sister, she loves cake as much as I do and we both agree that home baked stuff always tastes better. Is it the effort you put in, the reward after the hard work, some people say that love and care are the secret ingredients. Whichever option you'd like to tick, once you taste this soft and buttery chocolate marvel elevated even more with a healthy drizzle of chocolate ganache you won't be able to stop that smile showing on your face.
CHOCOLATE PECAN TORTE
Ingredients:
190 gr cream cheese, softened
140 gr butter, softened
150 gr golden sugar
6 eggs, separated
180 gr bittersweet chocolate, melted ( I use one with 53% cocoa solids)
200 gr pecan nut flour ( pecan nuts blitzed in the food processor until they turn into a fine meal)
60 gr white spelt flour
For the ganache:
200 gr bittersweet chocolate, chopped in squares
200 gr heavy cream
1 tbsp aged rum
Fresh raspberries and edible flowers for decoration
Method:
In a large bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy using a hand held or standing mixer. Add sugar, and egg yolks one by one beating well after each addition, then melted and slightly cooled chocolate ( I use the microwave for this, in 10 seconds bursts mixing well after, it is super easy and quick but it can burn as easy too, so keep an eye!). Add pecan nut meal and spelt flour and mix briefly.
In a separate bowl and with a clean mixer, whisk egg whites till fluffy but not too hard, I like to use my mum's upside down-bowl-trick for this, which is literally doing that and if the whites stay in the bowl you're at that stage!. If you want to be on the safe side and avoid any mess just think of soft peaks.
Incorporate egg whites to chocolate mix with a spatula and with circular motions trying to keep the air we've added with the whisking.
Transfer batter to a well greased bundt cake pan (22 cm diameter) and bake in a 170C oven for 40 minutes approximately or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool down for 20 minutes before drizzling with the ganache and decorate with fruit and flowers once its fully cooled
Chocolate Ganache
In a small pot bring cream and rum to the boil. Turn off and pour over the chocolate pieces, let stand for 2 minutes before mixing with a spoon until chocolate is fully melted and turns into a silky and shiny sauce.