Chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline Recipe

Master this chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline for a seriously impressive pudding to serve when hosting. 

While the best Christmas cake or Christmas pudding is the traditional festive final course, it's important to plan some Christmas dessert ideas for those who don't like the flavours in those classic puds. 

Similar to a chocolate brownie mix, this rich chocolate cake also happens to be gluten-free and it's a fantastic alternative Christmas pudding option.  

Unlike some Baileys recipes, the liqueur in this dessert is in the cream that you add to serve, instead of in the actual torte, so if you've got little ones coming to lunch, they can still enjoy the chocolate pud just without the cream.

Ingredients

• 150g butter
• 325g dark chocolate 
• 150g caster sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated 
• 50g ground almonds

For the Baileys cream:

• 200ml double cream
• 1-2tbsp sifted icing sugar
• 4tbsp Baileys original liqueur

For the salted almond praline:

• 50 g caster sugar
• 25g chopped blanched almonds, toasted

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with a layer of tin foil. Very carefully scatter over the sugar making sure the layer is as even as possible and covers most of the surface. Bake for 10 mins. Check to see if the sugar has melted and turned golden. If yes, remove from the oven. If not, then cook for a further 1-2 mins.
2. As soon as the caramel is out from the oven, scatter over the nuts and a little sea salt. Leave to set. Once cold, break into pieces and blend in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.
3. To make the cake, melt the butter, chocolate and sugar in a bowl set over gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 5 mins.
4. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Then whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with electric beaters until stiff but not dry. Fold them into the chocolate mixture with the ground almonds.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 35 mins until risen and the top feels firm. Cool in the tin for 5 mins then transfer to a wire rack until completely cold.
6. To make the Bailey's cream, use an electric whisk and whip the cream and icing sugar together until firm and then gradually whisk in the liqueur.
7. Dust the cake with cocoa powder, serve in wedges with the Bailey's cream and almond praline. Add a little gold leaf to each serve if wished.

TOP TIP: The texture of the cake should be really moist and fudge-like. To test it, insert a skewer into the middle. It should come out piping hot and clean, but slightly tacky to the touch.