Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroon Torte

I have mentioned this before but I am not a fan of modifying desserts to make them flour/gluten free. If you need to steer clear of flour or gluten, I suggest simply baking items that do not call for those elements in the first place. And I promise, there are tons of wonderful recipes out there (like these almond cookies or  lemon almond meringues or this clementine cake).

Another amazing option is this chocolate hazelnut macaroon cake from Smitten Kitchen: 100% flour/gluten free, 100% delicious, and 100% perfect for a summer barbecue.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroon Torte
from Smitten Kitchen (link has a wonderful tutorial!)

Make macaroons: Preheat oven to 325°F. Outline four 8-inch circles on individual pieces of parchment paper. Turn each sheet of parchment over so your ink lines don’t transfer onto the macaroon, place each piece of parchment paper on large baking sheets, and lightly coat each piece of parchment with oil or butter (or spray oil).

Mix hazelnut flour, 1 cup sugar, and salt until fully combined. Beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Slowly add vanilla extract, then slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold nut mixture into egg whites in 1/3 increments.

Using a spatula (offset, if you have it), spread 1/4 of macaroon batter evenly within each circle. Bake layers until golden and dry to the touch: 20-23 minutes but check on the earlier side as every oven is different. Cool macaroons on their sheets on a cooling rack.

Make chocolate filling: Heat half of the chocolate, water, and coffee in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in second half of chocolate chunks until melted. Let the mixture cool a bit to lukewarm and then spread chocolate evenly over tops of meringue rounds. Cool each disc until chocolate is set: speed up the process by placing each meringue in the freezer for a few minutes until firm.

Make whipped cream: Beat cream with sugar and vanilla in a bowl with whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.

Assemble torte: Peel the parchment off the back of each macaroon round. Arrange your first macaroon on your serving plate. Spread 1/3 cup whipped cream over the first disc. Repeat with second and third macaroon rounds, then top with final round. Frost top and side of torte with whipped cream.

Macaroons
Oil or butter for greasing parchment rounds
1 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
6 large egg whites
2 1/2 cups hazelnut flour/meal
1/4 tsp table salt
1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Filling
1 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tsp instant coffee 

Whipped Cream for Frosting
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla

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Clementine Cake

I am all for sweet, sprinkle covered, frosting filled, never-ending layer cake but every once in a while a slightly sweet and somewhat bitter cake is the perfect thing to eat. Especially one made with clementines to remind us Minnesotans that warm weather exists...somewhere...but not here.

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Clementine Cake
adapted from Nigella Lawson

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Butter and line an 8/9" spring-form pan with parchment paper. Poke each clementine five times with a knife and place in a microwave safe bowl with a cover; microwave for three minutes. Let the fruit cool for about ten minutes and then process the entire fruit (skin and all) in a food processor or blender until smooth.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar until they have doubled in volume (~five minutes). Add the chopped clementines and mix until combined. Add the ground almonds/almond flour and baking powder and mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 45 minutes. I would suggest making the following adjustment to the baking time in order for your cake to not be too wet: when a toothpick comes out clean and the top begins to brown (any where from 40-50 minutes, always check your cake at about the 3/4 mark!), place tin foil over the cake, place it back in the oven, and cook for another five minutes. Depending on how much liquid is in the fruit, the cake can be a bit wet in the center which some people do not mind (but it bothered me).

Make sure to cool the cake in the pan before removing it. This cake will last for days, uncovered on your counter.

Make the glaze: Fill a small bowl with powdered sugar and add 1/2 teaspoon at a time of clementine juice until it reaches your desired consistency.

Cake
13 oz clementines (4-5 small)
6 large eggs
8 oz sugar (1 1/4 cup)
9 oz ground almonds or almond flour (2 1/4 cups)
1 tsp baking powder

Glaze
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Clementine juice

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Chocolate Cream Caramel Bars

I am not vegan.  I do not follow a raw diet.  In fact, I love cooking food.  I love eating meat and cheese.  I love butter, sugar, and eggs. You could say that I follow the eat-tasty-food diet. The main pillar of this diet is that good ingredients make good food. Yes, good ingredients include butter, sugar, and eggs but almonds, cashews, dates, and chocolate are also on that list. So try it and if you don't like it you can always wash it down with something a little less vegan...like a deadly cookie.

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Chocolate Cream Caramel Bars
from This Rawsome Vegan Life

Make the crust: Process the almonds into flour in your food processor. Add the dates and process until it begins to stick together. Press into the bottom of a lined baking pan (I used an 8x8 pan) and refrigerate.

Make both the caramel and chocolate layers: Blend the ingredients in each list until smooth. Feel free to add other flavors like vanilla, chili , ginger, etc. Spread the caramel onto your crust, followed by the chocolate cream. Refrigerate until completely set; this will take a few hours.

Crust
1 cup almonds
1 cup dates
Pinch of salt

Caramel
½ cup cashew butter
½ cup coconut oil
1 cup dates

Chocolate Cream
1/3 cup coconut oil
2-3 tbsp cacao powder
¼ cup preferred liquid sweetener (honey, brown rice syrup, etc)

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