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Chocolate Torte

This flourless dark chocolate Italian dessert is a cross between cake and mouse. Filled with almond flour, butter, sugar and eggs. It is easy to whip up, indulgent and a very elegant recipe.

A torte is a cake that is usually made with heavier ingredients such as nuts, breadcrumbs, a lot of butter, higher amount of eggs and even double cream sometimes. While regular cakes/sponges have a more balanced and lighter set of ingredients. This difference of ingredient quantities makes tortes much richer in texture and flavor than a cake. A torte has the texture of a cross between a mouse and a cake.

I first tried a Chocolate Torte slice in Bombay. I was very young and we (my family and I) had visited JW Marriott for my parents wedding anniversary. They had a huge dessert buffet and I went absolutely crazy looking at the delicious food around. One of the desserts on the buffet was a chocolate torte and I was so intrigued to know what a torte meant so the best way to find out was to eat it. As I sliced my self a piece the cake was so soft and airy, it took no effort from my side to cut into it. When I ate it, the torte just dissolved in my mouth. And before I knew it the slice on my plate was over. 

I love making recipes that take me back to moments, where I relive so many experiences. This torte does that for me. With time I have changed and tweaked the recipe but there isn’t much to change or add in a recipe that is so simple to make. The ingredients can be easily found and the recipe us basically equal quantities of everything that is mixed together to make the most luxurious torte recipe. 

What ingredients do you need to make the Chocolate Torte?

To make this recipe we need 150gm each of dark chocolate, butter, almond flour, granulated sugar. We also need eggs, cocoa powder, brandy, and salt. It doesn’t incorporate any raising agent as the cake is more dense in structure, it will rise upon baking but deflate as it cools down. I use spray, cocoa powder and baking paper to line tin you can use oil/butte and a brush to line the tin. I like serving the torte with whipped cream to maintain that smooth, velvet like texture all around. 

What substitutes can you use?

Dark Chocolate –

I love using dark chocolate int his recipe as it gives the torte an intensely indulgent taste. I love the contrast of bittersweet 90% dark chocolate but could use 70% as well. Also, you can use milk chocolate to make this torte, it might make it a little too sweet though. 

Butter –

I have made this torte using Amul salted butter but you can use any unsalted/unsalted  butter you like. This recipe has been tested with vegan butter and it works well. 

Almond flour –

It is a gluten free cake and the almond flour makes it gluten free. Which is same as almond meal, ground up almonds as well. You can use hazelnut powder, or cashew powder as well. 

Sugar –

I used granulated sugar to make this recipe and it works best, providing a really good crust once baked. But you could use castor sugar, regular tea sugar as well.

Eggs –

You need the eggs unfortunately there is no substitute for this. Without the eggs the torte will not bind together and it will not have the same texture and over all look. If you want an eggless chocolate cake option, you can make my Eggless chocolate cake, Devil’s food cake, Sweet potato chocolate cake and the Crackle top brownies. These have egg substitutes. 

Cocoa powder –

I would recommend using good quality cocoa powder or cacao powder but if you don’t have any, do not use drinking chocolate or hot chocolate powder, just leave it out. 

Brandy –

This is an optional ingredient and you don’t need to use it, if you want to keep the recipe alcohol free you can use 15ml vanilla and a drop of almond extract instead. Further more you can also use any liqueur you like in place of brandy. 

What equipment do you need to make the Chocolate Torte?

I used a large mixing bowl and electric beater to whip up the eggs until they were foamy and tripled in volume. You will need a heat proof bowl and sauce top of hot water to melt the chocolate and butter. A spatula is essential to fold the mixtures together until combined. The torte calls for a springform tin, basically a tin which the bottom is detachable. To make the whipped cream I used a small bowl and whisk. The torte is baked in a 9inch springform tin, 8inch would work well too. You do need a springform tin as the torte cannot be overturned. 

How to make the Chocolate Torte?

We start by melting the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl over simmering water. While that is going, we beat out eggs in a large mixing bowl using an electric beater. Once it is frothy and creamy we start adding the sugar in 3 batches. In the process as the chocolate butter mixture has melted and combined, the mixture is set aside to cool and we continue with the eggs until it is at ribbon consistency. In the cooled chocolate mixture we add the cocoa powder, almond flour, brandy, salt and nutmeg. Stir together until combined. Add a little of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture to loosen it up. Pour all the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold together. Prepare your 9inch tin with baking spray, cocoa powder and baking paper. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 28-30 mins at 180℃ until the top is set and tooth pick inserted into the center still have moist cake crumbs. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 1 hour before removing from the tin and slicing. Serve with whipped cream and sea salt flakes. 

Storing the Chocolate Torte?

You can store the torte in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. I wouldn’t recommend freezing it as the mouse like texture is lost. Also when ready to serve let it sit out at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. 

Now that we have discussed all the important aspects of making this recipe, let us get whipping. Happy Valentines Day Ninjas!

Chocolate Torte

This flourless dark chocolate Italian dessert is a cross between cake and mouse. Filled with almond flour, butter, sugar and eggs. It is easy to whip up, indulgent and a very elegant recipe.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Course Cake, Dessert, High Tea, Sweet tooth, tea time
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 People

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Small sauce pot
  • Spatula
  • Electric beater
  • 9inch Springform round tin
  • Baking paper

Ingredients
  

  • 150 gm Dark Chocolate
  • 150 gm Butter
  • 4 Eggs
  • 150 gm Granulated sugar
  • 150 gm Almond flour
  • 20 gm Cocoa powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
  • 30 ml Brandy optional

To Serve

  • Double cream
  • Sea salt flakes

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180℃. Line a 9inch springform tin with baking spray, a little cocoa powder and baking paper to line the bottom.
  • In a heat proof bowl over a sauce pot of simmering water add the butter and chocolate. Let this melt slowly and stir every now and then until combined. Once done set aside to cool.
  • In a large mixing bow add the eggs and beat with an electric beater until frothy. Add the sugar in 3 parts and keep beating until tripled in volume. It should hold a ribbon like consistency.
  • In the cooled chocolate and butter mixture add the almond flour, cocoa powder and stir together. Add the brandy, salt, nutmeg and stir until combined.
  • Add a little of the beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture to loosen it up and stir well. Add all this chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold together cutting from the bottom and bringing the mixture to the top until combined and smooth. Do not over mix. Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 28-30 mins until the top is crusty and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out with wet cake crumbs.
  • Let it cool for 1 hour before running a knife around the tin. Remove the tin and place on a cake stand. Whip the cream with a whisk slowly as this creates small air bubbles making a stabilized whipped cream. Slice and serve with whipped cream and sea slat flakes.

Notes

  • Do not over mix the batter once it is combined, it will loose the air bubbles and the torte will not rise in the oven and you will not get that glossy shiny crust on top.
  • Line the tin well to ensure the torte doesn’t stick to it while baking.
  • Do not over bake the torte as it will set further upon cooling.
  • Let it cool down completely before slicing or else it will break apart.

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