Chocolate Torta with Chocolate & Coffee Ganache

It was my sister Kelly's birthday so I wanted to make her a mascarpone mousse cake filled with fresh raspberry.

However, the supermarket closest to my place wasn't open on Easter Sunday.

Instead I baked this decadently dark chocolate torta with the bittersweet chocolate & coffee sauce.

The recipe is adapted from Willie's Chocolate Bible which has been in my collection over 2 years now.

I absolutely adore this cookbook as it includes a variety of savoury & sweet recipes for chocolate but I had to say this is the first time I've baked something from it.

This italian chocolate torta is heavenly smooth & chocolatey, simply divine.

It's very rich so I would suggest you to have it in smaller slices.

When ready to serve, make yourself a nicely brew coffee.

If you're not a coffee lover, tangy fruit tea is also a good choice which will ease the richness.

Now, have a small bite & let the chocolate torta slowly melt in your mouth, enjoy the velvet texture & allow your palate to take in the flavour.

Take a sip of the hot coffee/tea, sigh with satisfaction & enjoy the rest of the day.

Chocolate & Coffee Ganache

125 g 71% chocolate

50 g 54% chocolate

200 ml water

2 tbsp instant coffee

15 g unsalted butter

25 g granulated sugar

1 tbsp rum

Put the coffee, sugar & water in a saucepan, warm over a low heat, stir until sugar has dissolved.

Stir in the butter & chocolate until well mixed.

Turn up the heat, bring to boil & cook for 30 sec.

Remove from heating & leave to cool before adding the rum.

Chocolate Torta (9" round)

adapted from Willie's Chocolate Bible (here)

250 g 71% chocolate, chopped

120 g unsalted butter

6 eggs, separated

60 g dark brown sugar

60 g caster sugar

2 tbsp plain flour

Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 140C, grease & flour the baking pan.

Melt the chocolate & butter in a microwave.

Whisk the egg yolks with dark brown sugar until pale & fluffy.

Fold in the flour until just mix, then fold in the chocolate batter.

Whisk the egg whites with salt & caster sugar to soft peaks.

Stir 1/3 whipped egg whites into the chocolate batter.

Fold in the remaining egg white until just evenly mixed.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan & bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 min.

Remove from the oven & leave to cool in the tin.