Aaron Craze creates this indulgent chocolate truffle and hazelnut torte with Amaretto and vanilla cream. Dig in!
Ingredients
For the base filling:
- 90 g3¼ oz digestive biscuits
- 100 g3½ oz hazelnuts
- 10 g¼ oz amaretti biscuits
- 100 g3½ oz melted butter
For the truffle filling:
- 500 g17¾ oz chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
- 450 g15¾ oz double cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 50 g1¾ oz caster sugar
- 20 g¾ oz crushed hazelnuts
- 3 Star anise
For the topping:
- 600 g21¼ oz double cream
- 60 ml2 fl oz Amaretto
- Seeds of 1/2 a vanilla pod
- 2 tsp sugar
- A sprinkling of crushed hazelnuts
For the praline:
- 50 g2 oz caster sugar
- 100 g3½ oz hazelnuts, chopped
Method: How to make Chocolate truffle and hazelnut torte with Amaretto and vanilla cream
For the praline:
Heat a saucepan to a medium heat, place the sugar and nuts in it and gently caramelise, stirring to coat the hazelnuts.
When it browns, pour the mixture out onto a non-stick baking sheet, spread it out and leave to cool. Once cooled and set, smash the praline into pieces with a rolling pin or a toffee hammer.
For the base filling:
In a food processer blitz together the hazelnuts, digestives and the amaretti biscuits until fine but a little coarse.
Place the mixture in a bowl along with the melted butter and mix well to form a cheesecake like base.
In a greaseproof lined spring release cake tin flatten the mixture out evenly, like a cheesecake base, then leave to set in the fridge for 15 minutes.
For the truffle filling:
Melt the chocolate and double cream in a saucepan until smooth and silky.
Add the egg yolks and sugar to a bowl over hot simmering water and whisk until pale and fluffy.
Fold the hazelnuts and chocolate through the egg mix and add the star anise. (Reserve 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture to reheat and serve with the cake later if desired). Leave the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes. Now pour the chocolate mix into the cake tin on top of the hazelnut base and leave in the fridge to set completely.
For the topping:
When the truffle filling has set, whip the double cream to soft peak consistency and split into 2 bowls, stir the Amaretto into one, half the sugar and a sprinkle of crushed hazlenuts, stir the vanilla seeds into the other, remaining sugar and another sprinkling of crushed hazelnuts. Place into the freezer and leave for 10 minutes.
If needed use a heat torch around the sides of the cake tin, release the spring and lift the ring over the cake.
Serve a slice of the cake with a small spoonful of each cream and some pieces of praline.
