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| Decorated with whipped cream, caramelized sugar shards, and crushed candy canes, Torta D'Alassio is a show-stopper. |
In case you're wondering about the origin of this torta, Alassio, Italy is a small town on the Italian Riviera. Its specialty dessert is the Baci di Alassio (Kisses from Alassio)--small biscuits (cookies) with a chocolate filling. I can't imagine wanting to lounge on an Italian beach in my swimsuit after eating this torta or chocolate filled cookies!
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| Coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts trim the sides. |
Enjoy!
Torta D'Alassio
adapted from Midwest Living Magazine
serves 10-12
Printable Recipe
3 egg whites, room temperature
3 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped**
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
Whipped cream (optional)
Caramelized Sugar Shards (optional)
* I used 60% cacoa chocolate bars for the cake
**I used 70% cacoa chocolate bars for the glaze
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place chopped hazelnuts on rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.
Allow egg whites, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with additional unsalted butter. Line the bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper. Grease the paper and sides of the pan with butter; set aside.
In a food processor bowl or blender container, place 3/4 cup of the hazelnuts. Cover and process or blend until finely ground; set aside. Coarsely chop remaining 1/2 cup hazelnuts; set aside.
To Toast Hazelnuts
Place chopped hazelnuts on rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.
Allow egg whites, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with additional unsalted butter. Line the bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper. Grease the paper and sides of the pan with butter; set aside.
In a food processor bowl or blender container, place 3/4 cup of the hazelnuts. Cover and process or blend until finely ground; set aside. Coarsely chop remaining 1/2 cup hazelnuts; set aside.
In a heavy small saucepan or double boiler, heat the 8 ounces chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth; set aside to cool.
For the cake:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the
1/2 cup softened butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed
for 30 seconds. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar, about 1/4 cup at a
time, beating on medium speed until well combined and scraping sides of
bowl often. Add egg yolks, 1 at time, beating well after each addition (about 1
minute total). Reduce the speed to low and beat in the melted chocolate
and ground hazelnuts. Scrape bowl as needed. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (tip curl). Gradually add the 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold flour into chocolate mixture; then fold in remaining egg whites. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in a 350° F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen edges of cake with a knife. Invert onto a wire rack. Remove the pan and parchment or waxed paper. Cool cake thoroughly on wire rack.
For the glaze:
In a heavy small saucepan or double boiler, heat the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate, the 1/2 cup butter and honey over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place a sheet of waxed paper under the wire rack. Pour the warm glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing glaze to run down the sides. Run a cake knife around the outside to smooth glaze if necessary. With your fingertips, press chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake.
Transfer cake to a serving plate. Allow cake to stand until glaze is set (about 1 hour). Serve with whipped cream on the side and garnish with Caramelized Sugar Shards, if you like. Makes 10-12 servings.
Caramelized Sugar Shards
In a separate large mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (tip curl). Gradually add the 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold flour into chocolate mixture; then fold in remaining egg whites. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in a 350° F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen edges of cake with a knife. Invert onto a wire rack. Remove the pan and parchment or waxed paper. Cool cake thoroughly on wire rack.
For the glaze:
In a heavy small saucepan or double boiler, heat the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate, the 1/2 cup butter and honey over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place a sheet of waxed paper under the wire rack. Pour the warm glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing glaze to run down the sides. Run a cake knife around the outside to smooth glaze if necessary. With your fingertips, press chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake.
Transfer cake to a serving plate. Allow cake to stand until glaze is set (about 1 hour). Serve with whipped cream on the side and garnish with Caramelized Sugar Shards, if you like. Makes 10-12 servings.
Caramelized Sugar Shards
Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray;
set aside.
In an 8-inch heavy skillet cook 1/2 cup sugar over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt, shaking skillet occasionally to heat sugar evenly. Do not stir. Once the sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low. Cook about 5 minutes more or until all of the sugar is melted and golden, stirring as needed with a wooden spoon.
Immediately drizzle melted sugar on prepared foil-lined sheet in a decorative fashion using tines of a fork or a whisk (see below). Allow to set; break into shards just before serving and place on top of cake or individual servings. Sugar can be re-heated on low if it starts to harden.
In an 8-inch heavy skillet cook 1/2 cup sugar over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt, shaking skillet occasionally to heat sugar evenly. Do not stir. Once the sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low. Cook about 5 minutes more or until all of the sugar is melted and golden, stirring as needed with a wooden spoon.
Immediately drizzle melted sugar on prepared foil-lined sheet in a decorative fashion using tines of a fork or a whisk (see below). Allow to set; break into shards just before serving and place on top of cake or individual servings. Sugar can be re-heated on low if it starts to harden.
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| I made this a few years ago for spun sugar and it works great for drizzling sugar shards. Use wire cutters to snip the tips of an inexpensive whisk. To store safely, secure tips with a rubber band. |
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