Smoky Chocolate Almond Torte—With Pictorial

As the Holiday season fast approaching, we all can use a few potluck and gathering recipes, right?  Today, I have this excellent dessert recipe for you.  Not only it looks elegant and sophisticated, it tastes wonderful as well.  Best of all, you can make this torte ahead of time, so no stressing-out on the day you need to serve this dessert.  Shhh….I won’t tell it’s so easy to make.  Let your guests think you spend hours in the kitchen to pull this together.  You can use the hours you didn't spend to enjoy a cocktail or take a nap!  ahem….



This Smoky Chocolate Almond Torte might look complicated and involved a few steps.  But they are all quite simple steps to follow.  I'll show you in the step-by-step pictorial below. 



Before we go to the pictorial, I want to show you the different layers of this Smoky Chocolate Almond Torte (see picture right below).  First, you get the Almond Butter Swirls on top, contrasting the Dark Chocolate Garnache to create that beautiful pattern.  The next layer is the creamy Almond Butter mixed with Crunchy Smoke Almonds, I absolutely love that contrasting texture when you bite into it.  Of course, we can always use a little bit more Chocolate Chips in between.  Last but not least, the whole Torte is build on the crunchy and flaky Chocolate Crust. 



I’m telling you, each bite is heavenly.  Just make sure you get a little bit of everything all in one bite.  hm….It’s rich and decadent.  Definitely a treat for any chocolate lover.



Want to check out how I made it?  Come over to the kitchen with me.

1) Mix the chocolate crust ingredients in the stand mixer.  Wrap and chill the dough before rolling.  Line a clean surface with plastic wrap and lightly dust with flour. 

2) Line a clean surface with a large piece of plastic wrap, lightly dust the wrap with some flour. Place the dough on the wrap, lightly dust the top of the dough with more flour and cover the dough with another piece of plastic wrap. Roll the dough into a 7-by-16-inch rectangle. Remove the top plastic wrap and flip rolled dough onto a 4 1/2-by-14-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom.

3) Gently press the dough into the pan. It’s okay of the dough tears, gently patch it back. Roll the rolling pin on top of tart pan to remove excess dough. Place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.  Preheat oven to 350F degree. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with beans or pie weight. Bake for 20 minutes and lift the parchment paper to remove the weight.

4) Prick dough with a fork and bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool on a wiring rack.  When the crust is cooled. Prepare the fillings.



5)  This is the almond butter that I used.  In a microwave safe bowl, heat the almond butter until fluid and runny, about 30 seconds
.
6) and 7) Pour onto cooled crust and smooth with the back of a spoon.

8) Sprinkle the almonds and chocolate chips on top and gently press them into the almond butter. Place the torte in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.

Meanwhile, prepare the ganache and swirls.



9) In a small sauce pan, heat the cream until simmer. Remove from heat and add the salt, coffee, dark chocolate and cayenne pepper.

10) Stir until smooth. Let the chocolate ganache sit for about 8 minutes to cool off.

11)  and 12) Then, pour the chocolate ganache onto the tart and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.




13) In a microwave safe bowl, heat the almond butter until runny, about 10 seconds. Fill a disposable pastry bag with the warmed almond butter and snip off the end of the bag.

14) Pipe the almond butter diagonally with zigzag lines across the torte.

15) and 16) With a toothpick, draw over the almond butter lines perpendicularly in a zigzag motion.  Refrigerate torte until set, about one hour. Cut into wedges and enjoy.



Pretty simple, right?  You’re actually just baking the crust and the rest are very simple to assemble.  I hope you’ll give this Smoky Chocolate Almond Torte a try.  It’s elegant enough to serve at dinner parties and simple enough to make on weekdays (yeah, that’s what I did).  Whether you’re the host of a party or an attendee, this Smoky Chocolate Almond Torte (and you) sure will be the crowd pleaser and get all the spot light if you share this with others.  Until next time, take care.







Smoky Chocolate Almond Torte: (Printable Recipe)
Servings: 8 to 10

Ingredients for the crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
1 stick (4oz) butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Ingredient for the filling:
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1/4 cup smoked almond, finely chopped
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ingredient for the Chocolate Ganache and Swirl:
3/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of instant coffee
5 ounce dark chocolate, chopped (I used Valrhona 70%)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons smooth almond butter

To Prepare the Crust:
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and cocoa powder together.  In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, vanilla and heavy cream, beat until well combined.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.  Scrape down the bowl as necessary.  Shape dough into a rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour before using. 

Line a clean surface with a large piece of plastic wrap, lightly dust the wrap with some flour.  Place the dough on the wrap, lightly dust the top of the dough with more flour and cove the dough with another piece of plastic wrap.  Roll the dough into a 7-by-16-inch rectangle.  Remove the top plastic wrap and flip rolled dough onto a 4 1/2-by-14-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom.

Gently press the dough into the pan.  It’s okay of the dough tears, gently patch it back.  Roll the rolling pin on top of tart pan to remove excess dough.  Place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
Preheat oven to 350F degree.  Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with beans or pie weight.  Bake for 20 minutes and lift the parchment paper to remove the weight.  Prick dough with a fork and bake for another 10 minutes.  Let cool on a wiring rack.

When the crust is cooled.  Prepare the fillings.

To Prepare the Fillings:
In a microwave safe bowl, heat the almond butter until fluid and runny, about 30 seconds. Pour onto cooled crust and smooth with the back of a spoon.  Sprinkle the almonds and chocolate chips on top and gently press them into the almond butter.  Place the torte in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.

Meanwhile, prepare the ganache and swirls.

In a small sauce pan, heat the milk until simmer.  Remove from heat and add the salt, coffee, dark chocolate and cayenne pepper.  Stir until smooth.  Let the chocolate ganache sit for about 8 minutes to cool off.  Then, pour the chocolate ganache onto the tart and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
In a microwave safe bowl, heat the almond butter until runny, about 10 seconds.  Fill a disposable pastry bag with the warmed almond butter and snip off the end of the bag.  Pipe the almond butter diagonally with zigzag lines across the torte.  With a toothpick, draw over the almond butter lines perpendicularly in a zigzag motion.

Refrigerate torte until set, about one hour.  Cut into wedges and enjoy.