Chocolate Cranberry Torte. Easy and rustic torte recipe made with chocolate and cranberries. Try this easy holiday dessert recipe.
I made my first torte ever. And that too, a very rich chocolate cranberry torte.
Before I post any recipe on the blog, the recipe goes through multiple iterations to make sure that it indeed works. Even if it is from a cook book. But I do make a few exceptions like this Vanocka or the Chocolate Chip Bagel for example. But I do my research much ahead of time to make sure that my idea works perfectly. And I also make it a point to suggest the mishaps that happened or the changes I would do the next time I make the dish. This Chocolate cranberry torte falls into that category.
To be frank, there is not much that I would change in the recipe. It is a chocolate lover's delight, simple to make, elegant to look at and tastes exceptionally divine especially when served with Vanilla ice cream (please do not skip the ice cream. Please... please....). There is just one thing I would probably change - that is to reduce the quantity of dried cranberries, that too just a wee bit. The recipe calls for 1 and ⅓ cups of dried cranberries. Next time I make it, I will mostly probably use only 1 cup of cranberries.
Chocolate Cranberry Torte Recipe
This is a super easy Thanksgiving dessert (or any holiday dessert) you can make with not too many frills. That is one less thing for you to worry about when you are planning to cook an elaborate meal. I found this recipe in Thanksgiving Recipes for a Holiday Meal by Lou Seibert Pappas (this is the kindle edition). The torte pic looked so inviting and I had everything I needed to make this. So, I decided to give it a try.
This torte celebrates the season.
Simple, rustic and elegant.
When I read about torte for the first time, I wanted to understand the difference between a cake and torte. The main difference between a torte and the cake is that torte uses a nut meal like almond meal as one of the ingredients. Generally it is a no-flour recipe, but this recipe for Chocolate Cranberry torte calls for a little bit of flour.
Since it is not entirely made up of flour (unlike a cake which is light and fluffy), tortes tend be on the denser side. And it will have a rich nutty taste. And there is no extra leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder.
This torte, uses bitter sweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, tangy cranberries and fragrant roasted almonds.
The torte is chocolate-y. So, if you love chocolate cakes, this one is definitely for ya.
Oh, before I forget, when you bake the torte, it will have a crusty top and brownie like texture on the inside.
To give an extra oomph to your torte, and impress your guests, do not forget the scoop of vanilla ice cream. It tastes even better with that scoop of ice cream.
A perfect ending to your perfect dinner.
If you are worried about transporting your torte, dontcha worry. This torte holds the shape well and you will have no problem transporting it to your dinner venue. You can use a simple cake carrier to transport the torte and place it on an elegant cake stand. The light (or generous, however you want it to be) dusting of confectioner's sugar looks like tiny little snowflakes.
Chocolate Cranberry Torte
Chocolate cranberry torte features a wonderful combination of chocolate and cranberries. This torte is rich in chocolate, and tart with cranberries and is best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup almonds
- 8 ounce bittersweet chocolate/semi-sweet chocolate
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour/maida
- 1-⅓ cup dried cranberries; divided
Garnish
- Confectioner's sugar; as required
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit (180 degree Celsius).
- Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan lightly.
- Roast the almonds in a shallow pan over medium heat till slightly browned and fragrant (about 8-10 minutes). Let it cool. Once cool, grind to a fine powder.
- Melt the chocolate either using a microwave or using a double boiler (see recipe notes). Let it cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until light using a mixer on medium speed. Add sugar and vanilla and beat till fluffy again. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour the melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Turn your mixer's speed to low. Add the flour and ground almonds and mix until just blended.
- Using a spatula, fold in the dried cranberries (after reserving a couple of tablespoonfuls for sprinkling on top).
- Pour the torte batter into the prepared pan. Level with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved cranberries evenly on the top of the torte. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is crusty and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool for 30 minutes.
- Run a knife along the edge of the pan to loosen the torte, invert a serving plate on the pan and holding both the pan and the plate, invert the torte onto the serving plate. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once completely cooled, garnish with confectioner's sugar (use a fine meshed sieve to sprinkle the sugar).
- Cut into wedges and serve with Vanilla ice cream.
Notes
1. Melt chocolate using a microwave: Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave it for 10 second bursts till chocolate starts to melt. Mix well after each burst. Repeat till the mixture is smooth and velvety. Set it aside to cool.
2.Melt chocolate in double boiler: Break the chocolate into small pieces and place it in a bowl. Place this bowl over simmering water in a sauce pan. Make sure the bowl with chocolate is not touching the water. Stir occasionally, just until melted. Remove from heat. Let it cool before using in the recipe.
It is the season of thanks 🙂 . What are you thankful for? Let me know in the comments. I love to hear from ya.
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Namaste.
Deliciously Your’s.
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