Fallen-For-Chocolate Torte With Lemon Meringue Pie Macarons. Löwin On The Stereo.

Q: Why did the students eat their homework?
A: Because the teacher said that it was a piece of cake.

Q: Why do we put candles on top of a birthday cake?
A: Because it’s too hard to put them on the bottom.

Q: What did the ice cream say to the unhappy birthday cake?
A: “What’s eating you?”

I love over the top cakes.

This Fallen-For-Chocolate Torte With Lemon Meringue Pie Macarons is crazy good over the top.

A flourless chocolate cake with a hint of Grand Marnier is topped with a slew of berries and some outstanding macarons for a beautiful presentation.

The macarons are a true revelation. Please go see Astral De La Mare’s post (here) and drool over her gorgeous photos. For my macarons I substituted ground hazelnuts that I wanted to use up. My finished product still tasted amazing, just wasn’t as stunning in appearance.

Let them eat cake!

Fallen-For-Chocolate Torte

Ingredients:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1 3/4 cups pecans
2 Tbs sugar
8 tablespoons (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)
Lemon Meringue Pie Macarons (recipe follows)
Fresh berries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Grease an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with parchment and grease the paper.

3. Process the pecans and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until ground. Pour into a bowl.

4. Process the butter and 1/2 cup sugar in food processor until smooth. Add the eggs and Grand Marnier. Process until blended. Add the pecan mixture. Pulse twice until mixed.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert onto the rack to cool completely. (Can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored at room temperature.)

6. Pour glaze over center of torte and allow to spill over the sides.

7. Arrange macarons and berries over top of cake.

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tbs unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Heat chocolate and butter together until melted and smooth.

Recipes from Southern On Occasion Cookbook

Lemon Meringue Pie Macarons

Ingredients:

170g/1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
160g/1 1/2 cups ground almonds
Zest of 3 lemons
4 large egg whites, separated into two equal batches (about 60ml for each batch)
1/2 tsp yellow food coloring
160g/3/4 cup caster (granulated) sugar
Sanding sugar
Vanilla Meringue Filling (recipe follows)
Lemon curd

Directions:

1. Place the confectioners’ sugar and ground almonds into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fully combined. Sieve this mixture into a large bowl.

2. Add the first batch of egg whites (unbeaten) and the lemon zest to the almond mixture. Mix to form a thick paste. Add the food coloring and mix until well combined. Set aside.

3. Pour the second batch of egg whites into a heatproof bowl and have an electric mixer the ready.

4. Place 50ml water and the caster sugar into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the syrup registers 110℃/225℉, using a candy thermometer, at which time start beating the egg whites on high speed.

5. Once the syrup has reached 118℃/245℉ pour it slowly down the side of the mixer bowl, avoiding the whisk. Continue to whisk on high until the mixture has cooled slightly and shiny peaks form. The bowl should no longer be hot to the touch, yet still warm.

6. Add the beaten egg whites to the bowl containing the almond mixture and gently fold together. Do not over mix.

7. Preheat the oven to 170℃/325℉. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

8. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe rounds onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.

9. Bake the macarons for 14 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately slide the parchment onto a work surface. Allow to cool for a few minutes before gently peeling off the paper.

10. Pair up macarons and spread a little lemon curd onto the flat side of one. Spoon Vanilla Meringue Filling over the curd and top with the remaining macaron. Repeat with the rest of the macarons.

Makes about 35

Vanilla Meringue Filling

Ingredients:

1 egg white
100g/1/2 cup caster sugar
40ml cold water
1/2 tsp golden syrup
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine the egg white, sugar, water, golden syrup and salt in the top of a double boiler and place over rapidly boiling water.

2. Beat on high speed with an electric mixer for about 7 minutes or until the egg mixture reaches the soft peak stage.

3. Remove from the heat and add vanilla. Beat another minute or until the filling reaches a spreadable consistency.

Recipe from The Extraordinary Art Of Cake