Chocolate Torte Tartufata with Chocolate Spread
3½ ounces butter
4½ ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs, separated
3½ ounces sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ ounce flour
1½ ounces toasted and chopped macadamia nuts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (26.5-ounce) jar Nutella
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a round 9½-inch springform pan. In a saucepan, melt butter and add chocolate and cocoa. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool. With mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until very creamy. Stir in chocolate mixture. Whisk in flour, nuts, and salt. Fold whipped egg whites into chocolate mixture until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Middle should be slightly soft. Cool, then spread with Nutella and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Yield: 10 servings
Lavender Ice Cream
1 half-pint whipping cream
1 heaping teaspoon unsprayed lavender flowers
3 egg yolks
3½ ounces sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8-ounce) carton mascarpone
In a medium saucepan, pour cream, and slowly bring to a boil. Add lavender flowers to cream and immediately remove from heat. Leave for about 10 minutes to infuse, stirring until lavender perfumes. Pour cream through a fine mesh strainer to remove flowers, and then return to saucepan. With mixer, beat egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until pale. For cream, turn heat on low. Stir 1 tablespoon warm cream into egg mixture. Then slowly whisk egg yolk mixture into cream. Continue whisking until mixture is very thick, but not curdled. Slowly beat in mascarpone until smooth. Remove from heat and refrigerate for several hours. Following manufactures instructions, pour the lavender cream into freezer and freeze. Ice cream will be soft in texture.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Tessa Kiros, Limoncello and Linen Water