BERRY Delicious Chocolate / Raspberry Dobosh Torte

Here we will try to recreate a raspberry - chocolate Torte that I WOWED my wife with once in the past.
This has been adopted from a 1989 Gourmet Mag.

This is not really an easy cake to make, so for that reason, and the fact that it has about one tablespoon of Brandy in it, makes this either a cake made by an adult or at VERY least, closely supervised by one.

Step 1: Preparation: What You Need, What You Need to Do First, Before the Actual Ingredient Combining.

Pan(s), bowls, utensils needed:

You will need one 8.5 ( 8 1/2 ) inch spring form pan

one measuring cup of each of the following:

1 full cup
1/2 cup
1/3 cup
1/4 cup

A food processor, and an electric mixer help tremendously.
Along with various things as bowl spatulas, 2 mixing bowls, one double boiler and a sauce pan.

Ingredients:

....For the torte itself

1/2 cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate - dark
2 tbl unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbl framboise or other raspberry brandy
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raspberries plus additional for garnish and accompaniment

....For the glaze

1/3 cup raspberry jam (seedless is more convenient)
1 tbl sugar

....For the Ganache

1/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz. fine quality bittersweet chocolate / chopped

I always advise that one reads the recipe through once, gather their stuff, including utensils, then read down through the recipe again to make sure nothing was missed.

Step 2: Lets Get Baking....

Start by grinding the almonds in the food processor for about 5 minutes or until they are of the consistency of a nut butter, and set it aside.
Using the double boiler to melt the chocolate & butter, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove the bowl from the top pan. In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs until they are pale, adding the sugar gradually, and beat the mixture until it is very thick and pale. Beat in the chocolate mixture, the framboise, and the reserved almond butter & beat the mixture until it is combined well. Into the bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt, beat the mixture until it is combined well, then fold in 1 cup of the raspberries gently. Turn the mixture into a well buttered 8 1/2 in spring form pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top, then bake the torte in the middle of a preheated 350⁰ F oven for 40-45 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.. Let the torte cool in the pan.

Step 3: The Glaze

Make the Glaze:
In a small heavy saucepan combine the jam and the sugar, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring it for 3 minutes. If you have the seeded kind, you will need to force the mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the seeds.
Invert the torte onto the rack, set over wax paper, remove the bottom of the pan, and spread the glaze on the top and sides of the torte. Let the torte stand at room temp. for 2 hours or chill it for 30 minutes, or until the glaze is set. The torte may be prepared up to this point , up to 1 day in advance and kept on the rack (cover with an inverted bowl).

Step 4: The Ganauche

Make the Ganauche:
In a small heavy saucepan bring the cream to a boil and remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chocolate, stirring until the the mixture is smooth, and let the ganauche cool for 3 minutes. Pour the ganauche over the torte, smoothing it with a spatula and letting the excess drip down the sides, and let the torte stand for 1 hour, or until the ganauche is set.
Transfer the torte crefully to a serving plate, garnish it with some of the additional raspberries.

If you are expecting this to be an overly sweet treat, you may be disappointed. But if you like Raspberries and chocolate, this a a great little torte ( I am not used to torting my own horn :-)

Step 5: An Afterthought....

I have had my torte now since I made it, and although I have been told that it was good (by someone else in my household), they haven't really had much of it. So half of it is left ( no, I am not suggesting shipping a piece to the first 8 that reply :-), and it was placed on a plate and covered with a mixing bowl, and is refrigerated. Well, I am sure you know what is happening to it. It is drying out.

So, if this happens, especially to Chocolate cake of any kind, what I like to do is cut off a piece. Put it in a bowl (or a sturdy plate if you wish), and slather it with unsweetened applesauce. Umm um. The dryness doesn't seem to matter anymore and you get to enjoy the rest of your cake (and the applesauce is a healthy addition too). You win on all counts.