Chocolate Almond Torte

Yesterday it was my lovely friend Lisa's birthday and of course this called fo an epically decadent birthday cake! After going through many, many recipes I settled on one which was on a torn out magazine page from who knows what magazine. With some recipe tweaking I ended up with an amazingly delicious cake! A warning this cake does take a long time in the oven so not one to make if you are in a hurry. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 400g dark chocolate (eating quality), coarsely chopped
• 300mL thickened cream
• 125g unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup self raising flour
• 2 tbsp dutch cocoa powder (and extra to dust)
• 1 punnet of raspberries to serve
• double cream to serve

To Bake

• Preheat the oven to 150 deg C.
• Spray a 20cm cake tin with oil and then line with baking paper (there will also be enough mix to make a few cupcakes as well if you like).
• Place the chocolate, cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and all ingredients are combined well. Pour into a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (a mix master is easiest) and set aside. 
• Lightly whisk the eggs yolks then add these and the vanilla bean paste to the chocolate mix. Stir to combine. 
• Add the almond meal to the chocolate mix and stir to combine. Now add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and stir to combine. 
• Add 2 spoonfuls of the egg whites to the chocolate mix and fold through until well combined. Fold through the rest of the egg whites. 
• Pour the mix into the pan (don't worry if it it quite close to the top of the pan. Because of the low temperature oven and long cooking time it shouldn't overflow in the oven. Leave about a 1.5cm gap though!)
• Put in the oven for about 70-80mins. It is ready when s skewer comes out almost clean and the top is firm to touch. 
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10mins and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
• If your cake cracks like mine did make the cracked side the base of the cake. When the cake has cooled dust the top with cocoa powder (use a sifter) and then top with raspberries. 
• Serve with the double cream - heavenly!

Amazingly good cake if I do say so myself! A slight crunch on the outside and moist on the inside. You could use any fruit you like, but I think raspberries and chocolate are particularly good together!