Chocolate and almond cake
Chocolate and Almond Cake I made this cake one evening when I really didn't feel like shopping or complicated recipes. There's no need for hard-to-find ingredients, and the cake comes out dense and slightly moist, without being overly sweet. It’s not a fancy recipe, but it doesn’t leave room for carelessness. If you have eggs, a little good chocolate, and almonds, you can make it without any problems. Quick Info Total time: about 2 hours Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus cooling, assembling) Baking time: 30 minutes Servings: 8-10 slices (18 cm diameter pan) Difficulty: medium Recipe type: chocolate almond cake, suitable for birthdays or a Sunday meal Ingredients For the base: 4 eggs 100 g sugar 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons cocoa 4 tablespoons flour 75 g finely ground almonds 1 teaspoon baking powder rum essence (to taste) For the cream: 200 g dark chocolate 400 ml heavy cream 1 teaspoon stabilizer (only if needed) For the syrup: 3 tablespoons sugar 100 ml water For the glaze: 100 g dark chocolate 50 ml heavy cream For decoration: 100 ml heavy cream 1 tablespoon Nesquik cocoa 1 stabilizer Preparation method 1. The base: Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Gradually incorporate the sugar and continue mixing until you get a firm meringue. Beat the yolks separately with the oil and rum essence, then pour them over the egg whites. Gently fold in with wide movements to avoid deflating the mixture. Mix the flour with the baking powder, cocoa, and ground almonds. Add everything to the egg foam and carefully fold in with a spatula, from the bottom up. Pour the mixture into a round 18 cm pan lined with baking paper. Level it and place it in a preheated oven at medium heat for about 30 minutes. At the end, the base should be firm to the touch. You can test it with a toothpick – if it comes out clean, it’s done. Invert the base onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. After cooling, cut it into three horizontal slices. 2. The cream: Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it together with the heavy cream over very low heat. Stay close and stir until it homogenizes, without boiling. When it’s smooth and glossy, set aside and let it cool completely. Once the cream reaches room temperature, place the bowl in the freezer for an hour. Take it out and whip the cream until it becomes airy, fluffy, and easy to spread. If it doesn’t bind enough, you can add stabilizer, but only if you feel it needs it. 3. The syrup: Melt the sugar over low heat in a small pot. When it becomes liquid, carefully add the water (be careful, it splashes quite a bit). Stir over heat until all the caramel dissolves. Let the syrup cool. 4. The glaze: Put the broken chocolate pieces together with the heavy cream in a small pot over very low heat. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside and let it cool. 5. Decoration: Whip the heavy cream until it stiffens. Finally, add the Nesquik cocoa and the stabilizer. Gently mix until homogenized. 6. Assembly: Take the first base and soak it well with syrup. Spread a layer of cream. Repeat with the next two bases, making sure to save some for the sides. After assembling the cake, cover the edges with the remaining cream. Pour the cooled glaze over the top and let it drip slightly over the edges. Decorate with whipped cream mixed with Nesquik, according to your preference. Why I make this recipe often It’s a simple cake to put together and doesn’t have expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. It slices well, doesn’t crumble when cut, and the taste is balanced between chocolate, almonds, and caramel syrup. It’s perfect when you need a cake but don’t want something overly sweet or heavy. It keeps well for a few days in the fridge. Tips and variations Tips Don’t leave the base in the oven too long – it becomes dry. Check after 25 minutes. Let the cream cool completely before putting it in the freezer. If you don’t have a mixer, you can use a whisk for the cream, but it will take longer to aerate. Substitutions You can use ground hazelnuts instead of almonds if you don’t have them on hand. Heavy cream cannot be replaced with regular cream; the texture won’t turn out right. You can use vanilla essence instead of rum if you don’t like the flavor of rum. Variations You can add milk chocolate to the cream as well, not just dark, but it will be sweeter. For a more intense flavor, add a little instant coffee to the syrup. You can add dried fruits between the layers of cream if you want a different texture. Serving ideas It’s best to cut it after it has been in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. It pairs well with an espresso or strong coffee, being quite rich. You can also decorate it with toasted almond slices or chocolate flakes. Frequently asked questions 1. Can I use unground almonds? No, you need finely ground almonds; otherwise, the base will be too coarse. 2. If I don’t have rum essence, can I omit it? Yes, you can leave it out entirely, or you can use vanilla essence. 3. Can I bake the base in two pans, so I don’t have to cut it? You can, but you need to adjust the baking time and check with a toothpick. 4. What do I do if the cream doesn’t stiffen after whipping? Leave it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes and whip it again. If it still doesn’t bind, use stabilizer. 5. What kind of heavy cream do you use? The commercial version with at least 30% fat, not regular cream. Nutritional values (estimate for one slice, out of 10) Calories: 350-380 kcal Protein: 6-7 g Fat: 22-25 g Carbohydrates: 30-34 g This is an approximate estimate, depending on the chocolate used and whether the cream has added sugar or not. Storage and reheating It keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, covered or in a box. Freezing is not recommended – the base and cream change texture. No reheating is necessary; the cake is served cold or at room temperature.
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