Gateaux Recipes - Chocolate Pecan Nut Torte Gateau

Ingredients

• 200g/7oz plain chocolate, chopped

• 150g/5oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 4 eggs

• 100g/3 1/2oz caster sugar

• 10ml/2 tsp vanilla essence

• 115g/4oz round pecan nuts

• 10ml/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 24 toasted pecan nut halves, to decorate (optional)

FOR THE CHOCOLATE HONEY GLAZE

• 115g/4oz plain chocolate, chopped

• 60g/2oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 30ml/2 tbsp honey

• pinch of ground cinnamon

---

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F /Gas 4. Grease a 20cm/8in spring form tin, line with greaseproof paper, then grease the paper. Wrap the tin with foil.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until frothy. Stir in the melted chocolate and butter, ground nuts and cinnamon. Pour into the tin. Place in a large roasting tin and pour boiling water into the roasting tin, to come 2cm up the side of the spring form tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edge of the cake is set, but the centre soft. Remove the foil and set on a wire rack.

3. For the glaze, melt the chocolate, butter, honey and cinnamon, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. If using, dip toasted pecan halves halfway into the glaze and place on greaseproof paper to set. Remove the cake from its tin and invert on to a wire rack. Remove the paper. Pour the glaze over the cake, tilting the rack to spread it. Use a palette knife to smooth the sides. Arrange the nuts on top.