Chilli and Tequila Chocolate Torte

Thu, 21 February 2019

Chef: Lily Ramirez-Foran from Dublin's Picado Mexican cookery school 

INGREDIENTS:

200 grams dark Chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
200 grams Butter plus extra for greasing
Coco powder for dusting
4 Eggs, room temperature
150 grams Caster Sugar
20 grams Wheat Flour
60 grams Ground Almonds
Pinch of Sea Salt
2 tablespoons Tequila
1/4 teaspoon of chipotle chilli powder

FOR SERVING:
Fresh berries of your choice
Whipped Cream

METHOD:

- Prepare a round cake tin of about 23 centimetres in diametre by buttering bottom and sides and dusting it all with coco powder instead of flour. This will ensure your torte to be completely dark when it comes out of the tin. If you use flour the sides might look white-tish. Pre-heat the oven at 170º Celsius.

- Gently melt the chocolate, butter and add the 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle chilli powder in a glass bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl of your chocolate will split. Use a spatula or a small whisk to combine all ingredients as they melt. Once ready, remove the bowl from the heat and set it aside to cool slightly.

- Once the spicy, buttery chocolate mixture has cooled down a little, stir in the eggs one at a time, making sure you incorporate each egg well, before adding the next one. Follow by mixing in the sugar, almonds, flour, salt and tequila. Mix well.

- Pour the chocolaty mixture into the prepared tin and baked in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the torte is firm. Take it out of the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes and then take it out of the tin and let it cool down completely on a wire rack.

- Serve the torte with some berries, whipped cream or plain vanilla ice-cream. It's a super rich and delicious dessert and a little goes a long way! Keeps well for up to three days, but as the torte ages, the chilli flavour dulls and the tequila taste matures. It's truly delicious!