chocolate torte with salted caramel sauce
Ingredients:
For the torte:
450g dark chocolate (70% min cocoa)
600ml double cream
100ml amaretto liqueur*
100g liquid glucose
85g Amaretti or Gingernut biscuits
For the caramel:
120g butter
60g caster sugar
2tbsp Golden Syrup
½ tin Condensed milk [198g]
100ml double cream
1 tsp rock salt
To serve:
2 tbsp cocoa powder
double cream
Method:
1 - Trace around an 8” spring form cake tin onto a piece of baking paper, cutting 3mm inside the pencil line. Keep the off cut paper for later and place the disc into the tin.
2 - Melt the chocolate over a bain marie, and allow to cool slightly. Whip the cream to a soft peak whilst the chocolate melts.
3 - Crush the biscuits into a fine powder and spread evenly across the bottom of the lined cake tin.
4 - Add the glucose and the alcohol to the chocolate and mix until smooth and glossy. Fold in half of the cream, and then add this mixture to the remaining cream. Fold delicately to keep as much air in as possible.
5 - Gently spoon dollops of the mixture over the biscuit crumbs. Do not be tempted to spread until the base is covered, otherwise the crumbs will be dragged into the mixture.
6 - Level the top, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
7 - To make the caramel, place the butter, condensed milk, syrup and sugar into a pot over a medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until a pale amber colour is reached. Carefully add the cream and the salt, whilst continually stirring. Pour into a jar [this will last for months in the fridge].
8 - To serve, tip the torte onto a serving plate, wrapping the saved offcut of baking paper around the base. Remove the piece on the bottom [now top], that covered the crushed biscuits. Dust the top with cocoa powder [then remove the offcut of paper]. Use a knife dipped into a mug of very hot water to cut clean slices of the torte, and drizzle with caramel sauce. I like some additional double cream poured over, for good measure.
Top Tip: * Swap in the Amaretto for a different alcohol, if you like. Orange liqueur, Irish Cream or Raspberry liqueur all work wonderfully.
This recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance, or frozen.