Chestnut Almond Espresso Cake with Mocha Whipped Cream

"This cake is from Abilgail Kirsch's book Invitiation to Dinner. If you like chestnuts you will love this cake!"
 
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Ready In:
1hr 35mins
Ingredients:
13
Serves:
8
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ingredients

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directions

  • For the Cake:Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.
  • Set aside in a small dish.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Butter and flour 2 9" round cake pans.
  • If you are using fresh chestnuts, place them in a saucepan with water to cover.
  • Simmer the chestnuts until they are tender, about 40 minutes.
  • BE sure to keep the water level over the chestnuts as they cook.
  • Drain the chestnuts, reserving 1 cup of the liquid, and set aside 6 whole nuts.
  • When they are cool enough to handle, peel the skin with a paring knife.
  • Puree the chestnuts in the bowl of a food processor and remove the puree to a small bowl.
  • If you need more liquid, add some of the reserved cooking liquid.
  • The puree should be as stiff as peanut butter.
  • Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium spped for 5 minutes or until the mixture forms ribbons when you raise the beater from the batter.
  • On low speed, blend in the chestnut puree, almonds, vanilla and espresso.
  • With the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites in a bowl of your electric mixer with the pinch of salt until they form soft peaks.
  • Do not overbeat.
  • Add 1/4 of the whites to the egg yolk batter and blend well; carefully fold in the remaining egg whites until you have a fluffy batter.
  • Fill the cake pans evenly with the batter.
  • Gently rap the pans on the counter to settle the batter.
  • Bake the cake layers on the center rack of the oven for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Allow the cakes to cool 10 minuts in their pans, then invert them onto wire cooling racks.
  • Place 1 cake layer on a large round cake platter.
  • Frost the sides and top of the bottom layer with Mocha Whipped Cream.
  • Place the top layer over the cream and frost the rest of the cake.
  • Cut the reserved whole chestnuts in half and arrange them over the cake.
  • Chill the cake at least 1 hoiur.
  • Remove it from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.
  • For the Mocha Whipped Cream:Combine the cream, chocolate and espresso in a heavy saucepan.
  • Cook, stirring, over moderate heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture thickened.
  • Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and refrigerate until the mocha cream has chilled, about 30 minutes.
  • Whip the cream until stiff.

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