I was recently given the task of creating a variety of chocolates and chocolate based baked goods for a beer and chocolate tasting at a local cafe. One special request that was made of me was to create something that included chocolate and either jalapeno or habanero peppers. Hhmmm... After researching recipes for a few days, I incorporated the best of what I found into one amazingly decadent chocolate torte cake. The feedback I received told me that this recipe was a keeper.
CHOCOLATE JALAPENO TORTE
Ingredients
- 1 pound semi sweet chocolate chips
- 3 sticks butter, softened
- 1/2 of a large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped.
- 5 eggs, separated
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup semi sweet chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a round pan then line the bottom with parchment paper. Set pan aside until ready to use. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals until smooth. After each interval, stir chips to melt them evenly and prevent scorching. When chocolate is nearly melted, remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Transfer to a sauce pan and add butter and chopped pepper. Cook over low heat until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. When melted, remove from heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, flour, vanilla and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture and whisk until well combined. In a large bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat until soft peaks form then slowly add sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture and combine. Pour into prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes. The cake will form a crust and remain soft in the center. Allow to cool completely in the pan before transfer it to a baking sheet and storing in the refrigerator until time to serve. Prior to serving, melt additional chocolate chips and drizzle chocolate over the top and sides of the cake. Allow to set completely before cutting. If desired, garnish each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and a slice of fresh jalapeno pepper.
Cook's Notes
- The cake will appear undercooked in the center when you remove it from the oven. DO NOT bake for additional time. The center will firm up as it cools and is stored in the refrigerator.
- The heat of the jalapeno pepper is a subtle warmth, if you desire more heat, add more chopped pepper or a splash of chili oil to the batter before baking.
- The finished torte will have a texture similar to that of a brownie combined with fudge.
This recipe was created using several different torte/ingredient variations found on the internet.
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