Allow the torte to stand at room temperature for an hour before serving, or leave it in the refrigerator overnight to soften.
ingredients
serves 8
1 cup almonds or filberts
8 tbsp superfine sugar
2/3 cup raisins
6 tbsp rum or brandy
4 ounce plain chocolate, broken into squares
2 tbsp milk
1 7/8 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp strong black coffee
16 sponge-finger biscuits
to finish
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup flaked almonds, toasted
1/2 ounce plain chocolate, melted
method
1. To make the praline, have ready an oiled cake pan or baking sheet. Put the nuts into a heavy-based saucepan with the sugar and heat gently until the sugar melts. Swirl the pan to coat the nuts in the hot sugar. Cook slowly until the nuts brown and the sugar caramelizes. Watch all the time, as this will only take a few minutes. Turn the nuts quickly into the cake pan or on to the baking sheet and leave them to cool completely. When cool, break the praline up and grind it to a fine powder in a food processor.
2. Soak the raisins in 3 tbsp of the rum or brandy for an hour (or better still overnight), so they soften and absorb the full flavour of the alcohol. Melt the chocolate with the milk in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove and allow to cool. Lightly grease a 5 cup loaf tin and line it with greaseproof paper.
3. Whisk the cream in a bowl until it holds soft peaks. Whisk in the cold chocolate. Then fold in the praline and the soaked raisins, with any liquid.
4. Mix the coffee and remaining rum or brandy in a shallow dish. Dip in each of the sponge-finger biscuits and arrange half in a layer over the base of the prepared loaf tin.
5. Cover the sponge biscuits with the chocolate mixture and add another layer of soaked sponge fingers. Freeze overnight.
6. Dip the cake pan briefly into warm water to loosen it and turn the torte out on to a serving plate. Cover with whipped cream. Sprinkle the top with toasted flaked almonds and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. Return the torte to the freezer until it is needed.
