Name: Crunchy Chocolate-Chestnut Cake
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (125 ml) ground almonds; 1/2 cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup (60 ml) icing sugar; 2 eggs whites; 1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar; 4 oz (115 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped; 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter; 1/4 cup (60 ml) 35% cream; 3 cans 250g chestnut purée, about 2 1/4 cups (560 ml) in all; 8 oz (225 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped; 1/2 cup (125 ml) almond butter; 2 cups (500 ml) cornflakes; 8-oz (250 g) block of milk chocolate for making shavings; About 24 chocolate-filled rolled wafer cookies; 1 ribbon

Preparation

Cake
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Line the bottom of 2 20-cm (8-in) springform cake pans with parchment paper. Butter the sides of the pans.
- In a bowl, combine the powdered almonds, flour and icing sugar. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Beat in the sugar a tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients. Spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool, then remove from the pans. Set aside.
Chocolate–chestnut icing
- In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter with the cream, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in 430 ml (1 3/4 cups) of chestnut purée (set aside the rest of the chestnut purée for the cake assembly). Allow the icing to cool. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 1 hour.
Chocolate–almond discs
- Reline the bottoms of the 2 springform pans with parchment paper. Butter the sides.
- In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and almond butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cornflakes, making sure they are well coated with the chocolate mixture. Spread the mixture in the pans. Cover with plastic wrap and press down firmly. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 30 minutes. Unmould.
Assembly
- Spread half of the chocolate–chestnut icing on the two chocolate–almond discs. Place a cake layer on top of each iced disc. Spread the remaining chestnut cream on one of the cake layers, then set the other assembled cake on it so that the chestnut cream is in the centre of the cake. Ice the top and sides of the cake with the remaining chocolate– chestnut icing.
- Using a knife or vegetable peeler, cut 750 ml (3 cups) of large shavings from the chocolate block. Arrange them on top of the cake.
- Just before serving, cut the wafer cookies in 2 or 3 so they are the same height as the cake. Holding a cookie vertically, press it gently into the icing on the side of the cake. Repeat with the remaining wafers, going around the entire cake. Tie the ribbon around the cake.

Crunchy Chocolate-Chestnut Cake

Categories

Ingredients

Cake

Chocolate–chestnut icing

Chocolate–almond discs

Preparation

Cake

Chocolate–chestnut icing

Chocolate–almond discs

Assembly

Personal Note