Bitter Chocolate and Salted Caramel Torte

Nothing bad ever came of putting bitter chocolate and salted caramel together. However, my thighs may not agree... *shrugs shoulders*, whatevs.



Bitter Chocolate and Salted Caramel Torte
adapted from Alice Hart's Vegetarian

For the Salted Caramel:
175g golden caster sugar
120ml thick cream
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt flakes
120g unsalted butter, cubed

For the Torte:
250g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), chopped
160g unsalted butter, cubed
175g golden caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
120g ground almonds
5 egg yolks
6 egg whites

Make the Salted Caramel:
Put the sugar into a saucepan and add 3 tablespoons water. With the heat on low, stir only until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil without stirring until it becomes a rich amber colour.You can swirl the pan to mix, but DO NOT stir. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream and salt. It will spit, so be careful. Stir in the butter and keep stirring until it is a rich caramel. Set aside to cool.

Make the Torte:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 25cm springform pan with baking paper. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate, butter and sugar together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and then mix in the vanilla, almonds and eggs, one at a time.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until stiff peak form. Use a large metal spoon to fold 1 spoonful of egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold the rest of the egg whites in gently, taking care to keep as much air in the batter as possible. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour the caramel over the top of the chocolate batter in a thin stream, moving in circles from the centre outwards. Use a knife to swirl the caramel a little through the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, until puffed, but still a little wobbly in the middle. Cool completely in the pan before slicing. I served it with coffee gelato (because I could).