Chocolate Torte

Just thought I'd post the recipe I used for my chocolate torte - it turned out to be rather yummy though I say so myself!

Serves 12
Prep Time 50mins + cooling & chilling
Cook Time 25 - 30 mins

This looks a complicated recipe but it's not, it's basically a sponge base with a mousse topping so read on...

Ingredients;

Sponge
75g SR flour
1/2 teasp baking powder
40g cocoa powder
125g softened unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
75g Bournville chocolate broken into pieces
4 tablesps orange liqueur or orage juice

Filling
2 teasps powdered gelatine
2 tablesps cold water
3 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
1 teasp cornflour
300ml milk
200g Bournville choc broken
300ml double cream

To Decorate
I grated white choc and had buttons but basically anything you want, mini eggs at easter, flake, buttons etc

Method
1. Grease a 9inch/23cm springform tin and line base.  Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a bowl.  Add the butter, sugar and eggs and whisk well until smooth & creamy.  Transfer mix to tin and bake at 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4 for 20-25 mins until firm.  Allow to cool either in tin if not making chocolate cuff or remove from tin if you are doing step 2 & 3.  (I omitted that bit!)  Drizzlewith liqueur/juice.

2. To make the chocolate collar to go round the cake, measure the circumference of the cake with a piece of string then cut a strip of greaseproof paper 1cm longer than this and 6cm deep.  Melt the sponge chocolate.

3. Spoon the melted chocolate along the paper strip, spreading it right to the edge on one side and making it wavey on the other.  Leave 1cm of paper free of choc at one end. Set aside for around 15 mins till choc is semi-set and does not run when paper lifted. Carefully wrap round sponge with straight edge on plate. Secure then cool whilst making filling.

4. Sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water in a bowl and leave to soften.  Beat the egg yolks in a bowl with the cornflour, sugar and a little milk.  Put the remaining milk in a pan and bring just to boil.  Pour the milk over the yolk mix and whisk well.  Return the mix in the pan to the heat and gently heat till thickened but do not boil as mix may curdle.

5.  Remove from heat and stir in gelatine till dissolved.  Add the chocolate and leave until melted.  Cover bowl with a piece of greaseproof to prevent a skin forming.  Leave to cool and beginning to just thicken then remove greaseproof paper.

6.  Whip cream until peaking then fold into chocolate mix, then pour over sponge.  Chill for 1-2 hours then remove greaseproof from cuff and decorate.