Cat Ashton was recently appointed chef at Paradise by Way of Kensal Green. This is her recipe for chocolate torte which, she says, is one of her favourites. “It’s a dish that uses simple, quality ingredients to create amazing results. It’s also gluten free! It’s a perfect dessert for this time of year, and I always crave it when the weather turns colder.”
Paradise by Way of Kensal Green's chocolate torte
This is one for the chocoholics amongst you: an indulgent, rich recipe for chocolate torte from Paradise by Way of Kensal Green's chef, Cat Ashton
Serves 8
Preparation time 30 mins
Cooking time 40 mins
Ingredients
For the chocolate torte
- 300g organic dark chocolate
- 225g butter
- 7 eggs, separated
- 175g caster sugar
- 3 tbsps cocoa powder
For the salted caramel
- 175ml double cream
- 100g liquid glucose
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- 120g caster sugar
- 50g diced cold butter
- 1.5 tsp salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170C and line the base of a 23cm (9in) round cake tin with baking paper. Grease the sides with some softened butter.
- To make the caramel, combine the cream, glucose & vanilla and bring to the boil over medium heat.
- Heat the sugar over a medium heat and gently fold it into the centre as it melts.
- When caramelised, add the cold butter, then gradually add the cream mix and finish with the salt. Strain and cool.
- To make the torte, place the chocolate, butter and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan half full of simmering water; take care that the water does not touch the base of the bowl.
- Keep on the heat for about 10 minutes, stirring and folding the mixture every now and then, until the chocolate is melted and shiny. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a mixer till fluffy and pale.
- Then whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl till soft peak.
- Combine the egg yolk mix with the chocolate mix, and then gently fold in the fluffy whites.
- Pour into prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes till set, but has a nice wobble in the centre. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
