Chocolate-almond meringue torte

Happy upcoming Mother's Day!  I thought a cake post would be appropriate because I wish all the lovely moms (and moms-to-be) out there a sweet day filled with happiness and treats.

Last April, I discovered this incredible chocolate-hazelnut meringue cake via Smitten Kitchen.  I couldn't stop going on and on about it because it was love at first sight and then making and tasting it confirmed my instincts.  That was the hazelnut version, which we've thoroughly enjoyed a couple of times.  This time, I decided to make an almond version.  

I adore anything with almonds and it seems to run in the family.  The little guy, who may not be a fan of the crunchy nuts alone, seems to judge all good desserts by how much they taste like almond paste or tri-color cookies.  His reaction to this was: "mmm...tastes like almond paste!" Translation: "this is good!"

If you love nutty, soft, chewy meringue, slicked with bittersweet chocolate in between creamy pillows of sweetened - in this case, almond-flavored - whipped cream, you will love this!  This cake is like a layered dacquoise you might find at European-style bakeries but what I love is it's a whole lot easier to make.  I like making a more manageable 6-inch version; the only downside is not having more of this to eat because it really goes down easy, especially with a cup of coffee on the side for the adults.

This almond version was even easier to make than the hazelnut one.  I used almond meal so I skipped the steps of toasting and grinding the nuts myself.  The meringue layers browned less and took slightly longer to bake but it all comes together to become a lovely, soft almond cake, interspersed with dark chocolate and filled with almond-flavored whipped cream.  I love a chance to break out the almond extract!  Call me crazy but sometimes, I just want to take the bottle out and give it a good sniff.  

I highly recommend this cake, whether you go with hazelnuts or this almond version, and for whatever occasion.  I actually made this cake recently to celebrate a milestone for my husband and I.  We take any chance we can to celebrate...and eat cake!  We both agree that the hazelnut version packs a bigger punch, a larger "wow", if you will.  For chocolate-hazelnut fans, it is truly a knockout.  This almond version is milder, the more subtle cake between the two.  It may not be quite as flashy as the hazelnut cake but it is quite delicious!  Either way and no matter what version you choose, you won't regret making and eating it!

Incredible chocolate-hazelnut meringue torte - in miniature

It was love at first sight.  I saw this cake on Smitten Kitchen and knew I wanted (needed) to make it as soon as possible.  I made a small 6-inch version, scaled down for a weekend family dinner for three.

Inspiration is everywhere.  I see so many wonderful sweet and savory dishes on blogs, cooking shows, in magazines, and from restaurants and bakeries that I want to emulate and try at home.  I'm making more progress lately but with so many possibilities and aspirations, things usually get added to my "to-make" list where I hope to get to it...eventually.  Well, this cake just moved me - straight into the kitchen - and would not be relegated into the annals of my to-do list.

I'm being a little overly dramatic but in all seriousness, I wanted to make and taste this torte, or layer cake, not only because a very reliable source says it's amazing but also because it has many of the components I love in a dessert - chocolate, nuts (hazelnuts are one of my favorites), and a contrast in texture... 

Layers of hazelnut meringue, bittersweet chocolate, and whipped cream (it's good just like this!)

And I'm glad I followed my instincts because what I discovered is one of the best things I've ever baked.   I think this torte is a show-stopper, a restaurant-quality dessert that I never would've thought I could make myself a couple of years ago.   And it was actually easy, at least not much more work than making a traditional layer cake.

Not only does it look amazing, the taste is a knock-out combination of flavors in your mouth.  I love the layers of soft nutty meringue, separated by thin, ever-so -slightly hardened sheets of bittersweet chocolate, that's all coated with creamy hazelnut-kissed whipped cream.  It is a hazelnut and chocolate lover's dream!

For a long time now, I've been thinking about attempting a multi-layer almond and hazelnut torte very similar to this one.  I believe it's called a "marjolaine cake", the rectangular kind made with layers of nut meringue, alternating with layers of chocolate ganache and coffee or some similar buttercream.  I've had my eye on a recipe from the Flour Bakery cookbook as well as one from America's Test Kitchen (both are that list of mine).  When I saw this cake, I thought it was a far simplified, lighter, version of the marjolaine cake that I keep thinking about.  Turns out, this is the recipe I've been waiting for! 

Now, about the name of this torte.  Deb calls it a "macaroon" torte but I just can't help but think coconut as in those flourless cookies when I hear the word.  It's also a dacquoise but whether you call it that, or macaroon, or meringue (like I'm tagging it), we're talking about a stacked cake made up of these layers created by combining nuts (in this case, plenty of hazelnuts) with firmly whipped egg whites.  The alternating layers of chocolate and creamy coatings of whipped cream complete the package.

The torte is surprisingly easy to slice, as the meringue is soft (and chock full of hazelnuts)

I will certainly be making this again and most likely, in the full, 8-inch, size.  I reduced the recipe down by half (though I made a little extra whipped cream) to make this 6-inch torte because I baked it for a Saturday night dinner and we  were not planning to be home beyond the next day to take advantage of leftovers.  Cakes with whipped cream are usually best eaten the day they're made but I've had success storing another Smitten Kitchen cake featuring whipped cream in the fridge for 24 hours or so and that's the case with this cake too.  I can personally attest to its quality within the 24 hour timeframe.

A special cake is very appropriate today because it's the 2nd anniversary of this little blog!  You know I clearly have a thing for chocolate and hazelnuts. Without purposely intending to, I just naturally gravitate towards this type of cake for special occasions.   For the blog's first birthday a year ago, I made a somewhat similar chocolate-hazelnut meringue cake and there are other hazelnut cakes in the archives.

I am still really enjoying this little blog endeavor, which has proven to be a fun hobby, a scrapbook of sorts, and the catalyst for so much learning.  I've tried many new things I never would have if not for this blog.  This torte is the perfect example of that!  Beyond baking, it's also encouraged me to be more adventurous in the kitchen in general.  I've been experimenting more on the savory front, learning to mix things up and make tasty and healthier dishes to share with my family.  Dinner time has been a lot more interesting!  I love being in the kitchen and feeling the satisfaction of feeding my family well and making discoveries along the way.  I also love seeing these little posts come to life!

Chocolate rice crispy treats

Do you like "rice krispies"?  Since I didn't arrive in the States until the age of eight, I came into rice crispy treats a little later in life.  I think I've been relatively ambivalent about them.  They're good but I thought they were a bit too sweet straight out of the packet.  But in the last year or so, I feel like I've been re-introduced to the simplicity and tastiness of simple American ingredients like peanut butter and crisp rice cereal. 

So I recently asked my six-year old if he thinks he'd like rice crispy treats with chocolate (he hasn't really been a fan of the plain version).  I told him I was thinking of making some and he said to me:  "I don't know but I think I'll like it since I like everything chocolate."  Well, that's true for both of us and it was my thought exactly.  This recipe comes from Martha Stewart  and it basically takes a cocoa-bittersweet chocolate spin on the classic.  You've still got that lovely gooey, chewy crispiness we know and love, but on top of that is the bonus chocolate flavor from unsweetened cocoa powder stirred into the mix and melted bittersweet chocolate poured over the top. 

This is a nice little treat to make with and for little ones.  But frankly, adults (like my husband and I) couldn't stop eating them.  They are goood.  I love the classic crisp/chewy texture and the cocoa-chocolate flavor in these.  I threw in a pinch of salt to liven things up just a little, and the result is not too sweet.  Should you want to make things even easier and skip the chocolate drizzle over the top, you could stir in some mini chocolate chips with the cereal instead, but I like how these looked and tasted.   

I recommend making up a batch and sharing with both young and old(er).

Instant (two-ingredient) chocolate mousse

This recipe was one that I just had to try.  It's one of those things that catches your eye and captures your attention (if you're me, that is).  I mean, did they say two-ingredient chocolate mousse?  Does that really say "instant", as in about 5 minutes to prepare?  Really? 

It was during one of my daily visits to thekitchn.com that I saw this post on 2-ingredient chocolate mousse.  It was like their post on 1-ingredient ice cream using bananas.  I had to try that and it really worked, and this was the same kind of thing that I had to try.  It's no secret that I love chocolate and chocolate mousse is probably one of the most direct (and decadent) ways to enjoy chocolate as a dessert.  I love the recipe for French chocolate mousse but here, we're talking no egg whites, no cream, or any other kind of additional dairy.  Plus, no waiting for it to set.  We're talking chocolate and...water!  You could add some sugar to ease up on the bittersweet flavor but essentially, it involves two ingredients and whisking over an ice bath.

But before anyone (that would be myself) gets too excited, I want to cut to the chase.  I made this mousse and as promised, it does work.  The texture is indeed quite smooth in your mouth but there's a lot that I personally did not enjoy about this mousse.  As a serious chocolate lover, this mousse was too intense even for me.  The recipe specifically calls for using chocolate with 70% cacao (maybe it works with another type of chocolate but the recipe is fairly specific) and the overall result is a very strong flavor, almost like eating chocolate liqueur.  Secondly, the mousse comes together quickly (roughly 5 minutes or so if you actually have the arm strength to whisk continuously) but sets even quicker.  Quite literally, you have a flowing mousse one minute and a thick, dense scoop practically seconds later.  You barely have time to pour them into serving glasses before it sets.  So sadly, I won't be making this again based on my personal taste but no doubt there are others out there who would enjoy it.

Hot chocolate taste test

This little experiment was so much fun!  For a while, I've been thinking about different ways of making hot chocolate (or hot cocoa - I'm just going to use the two terms interchangeably here since I think most of us do) and which my family and I would prefer the most.  So I decided to hold a tiny, totally informal and unstructured, hot chocolate taste test.  Our six-year old was very eager and excited to take part in this. 

When I think of winter, I think of warming up with cups of hot chocolate.  Ok, I also think of Christmas cookies, chestnuts, cakes, chocolates, and twinkling lights.  But back to the topic at hand.  I love making some hot chocolate to have with our "Christmas treats" throughout December.  We make a little time to gather round in the kitchen with a little plate of treats and some hot chocolate.  

The three types of hot chocolate are ready for tasting, along with some chocolate chip cookies

If you're like me and if we were to take it literally, your hot chocolate is really hot cocoa and you make it from a mix.  I've ripped open many a packet of Swiss Miss in my day (there's no shame in it); as a kid, pouring water over the powder and giving it a stir was as much cooking as I could muster and I was very proud of myself.  Nowadays, it's still a mix but our mix of choice has been Godiva's milk chocolate hot cocoa mix.  Convenience is the biggest draw since you only need to heat up some milk and stir.  We also think it's quite tasty.  But what about homemade hot cocoa using unsweetened cocoa as a base?  Or how about taking it a step further and making Parisian hot chocolate with actual chocolate? 

So this is how we came to our little taste test.  There were just 3 participants: my husband, our six-year old, and myself.  Scientific, it is not, and you could say I should be disqualified since I'm the one preparing the cups.  We just have to remember this is all in the name of fun.

Without further ado, let me introduce you to the three contenders for favorite hot cocoa/chocolate in our household.  All three cups were made with whole milk.  Check out how different each look on appearance alone.

The first cup above is the Godiva hot cocoa mix.  Just add warmed milk to the mix and stir. 

Second, we have a cup made with unsweetened cocoa powder and sugar.  You can say it's our own cocoa mixl; essentially, we're making a chocolate paste as the basis for this hot cocoa. 

Third and last, we have the Parisian hot chocolate.  I guess we can say this is the authentic hot chocolate here.  It's the richest tasting one using bittersweet chocolate.  I have to say that on appearance alone, this would take the prize.  Would you agree?


*Now which cup of hot chocolate/cocoa do you think "won"?  The answer might surprise you.  You'll have to click on to read the results but I do have to say that overall, all three cups of hot chocolate were good.  There was a small difference of opinion (the little one takes a much firmer stance than the wishy washy adults) and we found that we might prefer one over another depending on circumstances.  But we did pick a winner.  The results were not unanimous but two tasters agreed in totality. 

Chocolate cups

I love the idea of making edible things to dress-up or hold our desserts like the lace cookies or tuiles, for instance.  When I order a dessert at a restaurant, I love the little chocolate garnish or piece of brittle on top of a slice of cake or tart.  It's a nice presentation and makes the dessert just a bit more special.  And I think desserts are special and something to be savored.

At home, I'm looking for simple and quick ways to dress up the ordinary.  I don't have the skills or time to do anything too fancy.  So how about just making some chocolate cups to hold your ice cream next time you scoop some for your kids or yourself.  Or they could be used to hold some chocolate mousse or summer fruit with a little whipped cream.  They're fun to make and eat, and I'm a fan of any way of adding even more chocolate onto the plate.  I also love that crisp texture of the little chocolate cups against the smooth ice cream in this case.

These don't take long to make and all you need is some bittersweet chocolate.  This was my first attempt and it worked out fairly well.  My son loved it and that's always a good thing in my book.