Almond Torte with Chocolate Sauce and Cherry Garnish

Am I really going to make this? Honestly I'm not sure. sounds interesting, and  I like the idea of this being sugar free. Well have fun with it. Find more sugar free/low carb recipies at Atkins.com.

Ingredients

 1 Cup blanched whole almonds
 1 Serving Atkins Cuisine™ Bread **
 1 Teaspoon baking powder
 1/8 Teaspoon cream of tartar
 1 cooking spray
 5 large eggs, separated
 1/2 Cup granular sugar substitute (sucralose), divided
 2 Ounce-weights unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
 1/3 Cup sugar-free hazelnut syrup
 6 Tablespoons heavy cream
 2 Tablespoons water
 1 1/2 Cups sweet cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped

Directions


This recipe uses Atkins Cuisine™ Bread (see recipe) which has 1.5g NC per slice.**



Heat oven to 350°F.



Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast until golden, about 10 minutes; cool completely. Transfer to a food processor and add bread, baking powder and cream of tartar; process until almonds are finely ground.



Line a 9-inch springform pan with waxed paper. Lightly spray with cooking spray, and then dust with about 1 teaspoon of the crushed almonds.



Combine 5 egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar substitute in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat 5 egg whites in another bowl with clean and dry beaters until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar substitute (reserving 1 teaspoon for the whipped cream garnish) and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.



Fold nuts into yolks in three additions, alternating with one-quarter of the whites each time; fold in remaining whites. Spread lightly in pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.



Cool in pan on a wire rack. Run a sharp knife between torte and pan to loosen. Set a plate over the pan and invert torte onto plate. Peel off waxed paper, then invert again onto a serving plate.



Combine chocolate, hazelnut syrup and 2 tablespoons cream in top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Whisk until chocolate melts, then whisk in 2 tablespoons of water. In a bowl, whip 4 tablespoons cream to soft peaks with 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar substitute.



To serve, cut torte into eight wedges; top with sauce. Spoon whipped cream next to torte and add thawed cherries alongside.



** If you can't make, or don't have access to  use a low carb bread with 1.5 net carbs. look for item in your local health food store.

Black Forest Cake

Well tomorrow is pot luck here at the J.O.B. They are always alot of fun. We get a a verity of yummy home-aid, semi and store bought.
We decided to do a German theme. So, we heve Brautwurst, potato salad, apple dumplings, and peach kuchen. that's mine -- see post from last week.

Also though, what reminds me of German food is Black Forest.... black forest ham, and black forest cake. ..

Here's a yummy version from About.com

Ingredients:


1 dark chocolate cake mix (or your own from scratch)
1/4 c. kirsch (cherry brandy)
1 can cherry pie filling
16 oz. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
Maraschino cherries, drained, optional, for garnish
milk chocolate curls or shavings, for garnish


Preparation:

Drain cherry pie filling in a colander to remove most of the thickened juices.

Make cake, following package directions. Bake cake, as directed, in two 9-inch layer cake pans.

When cool, sprinkle kirsch over both cake layers.

Chill electric beaters and large mixing bowl; beat cream until it thickens slightly, gradually add confectioners' sugar and beat until thick enough to hold its shape.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assemble cake; place one layer on serving plate and spread its top with 1/2-inch thick layer of whipped cream and strew the cherries over the cream leaving about 1/2 inch margin around border of cake with no cherries.

Set other layer on top of cherries and spread top and sides of cake with remaining cream, shape whipped cream into decorative swirls on top.

With fingers, gently press chocolate curls into cream on sides of cake.

Garnish top with drained maraschino cherries, if desired, or with a few remaining chocolate curls.

Cherry Pizza

Ingredients


Pizza Dough

(Also available at local pizzerias.)

1 packet dry yeast
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt
1⁄4 cup canola oil


Cherry Topping

3 pints Bing cherries, halved and pitted
1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1⁄8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Canola oil
2 tablespoons white chocolate, shaved into large curls
Fresh mint leaves

Instructions

Pizza Dough

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in 3⁄4 cup warm water. Place the flour in the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the yeast mixture, and mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and the canola oil, and continue mixing on low speed until a nice, supple dough forms, about 3 to 5 minutes. If the dough looks too wet, sprinkle in 1 more teaspoon of flour, and continue mixing. Cover the bowl with a damp towel, and allow to rise on the countertop until it has doubled in size, approximately 2 hours.

Cherry Topping

In a medium bowl, toss together the cherries, sugar, vanilla seeds, lemon zest, and white pepper. Make a double-layer tinfoil pouch, and place the cherry mixture inside, folding over the edges to form a seal.

Set the pouch on a grill over medium heat, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cherries are soft.

Assembly

Cut the dough in half, and roll out each half on a flat, floured surface to form a 12-inch-diameter round about 1⁄4 inch thick. Brush both sides with oil. Move the coals to one side of the grill, and when the fire is medium hot, place the rounds over the coals. When the rounds start to puff up and take on a little color, turn them over, and place on the coolest part of the grill. Ladle half the cherry mixture onto each pizza, and return to medium heat until the underside is cooked but does not burn. Remove from the grill, sprinkle white-chocolate shavings over each pizza, and top with scissor-snipped fresh mint leaves