Caramelised pecan and chocolate torte

Serves 8-12 Cakes, Bread and Pastries

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Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C F/Gas 5. Spread the pecans on a baking tray and roast for 5 minutes, then turn the tray and roast for a further 3 minutes until lightly toasted.

Put 125g of the sugar in a medium pan with 3tbsp water. Over a low heat, allow the sugar to dissolve to a clear syrup. Increase the heat and let it bubble to a rich caramel, then take off the heat and add all the pecans in one go. Stir to coat them, then quickly line the same tray with foil, tip the nuts on to it and leave to cool.

Weigh out 35g of the caramelised pecans, then roughly chop, ready to decorate the top of the finished torte. Blitz the remaining pecans very finely in a mini processor.

Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, then add the butter. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and allow to melt for 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir the melted chocolate until smooth.

Line the base and sides of a lightly greased 24cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4.

Add 25g of the remaining sugar to the egg yolks in a large bowl and the cream of tartar to the whites in a medium bowl.

Whisk the whites to soft peaks and gradually add the final 50g of sugar, whisking well between each addition. Without washing the beaters, whisk the yolks and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened.

Fold the melted chocolate and butter into the yolk mixture, followed by the finely ground caramelised pecans. Fold in the whites, keeping as much volume as possible.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until just firm in the middle. Leave to cool, then remove from the tin. Transfer to a serving plate and put in the fridge.

To make the ganache, break the chocolate into a bowl, add the cream and set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. After 5 minutes, remove the bowl and leave for a few minutes, then stir until completely melted together. Leave to cool so it can easily coat the torte but don’t leave long enough to set in the bowl.

Pour the ganache evenly over the surface of the cake, encouraging it down the sides with a spatula.

Scatter the chopped caramelised pecans over the top and keep in the fridge until 15 minutes before serving.

This recipe featured in the Christmas 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.