Serves:  8

Preparation Time:  30 minutes

Cooking Time:  1 hour

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Torte

• 90g butter
• 340g 85% Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate
• 6 eggs
• 100g sugar
• Salt

Buttercream

• 230g butter
• 520g icing sugar
• 75g dark cocoa powder
• 60ml full cream milk
• 10ml vanilla
• Black food colouring, optional

Black Sesame Brittle

• 300g sugar
• 60ml water
• ½ cup black sesame seeds
• Salt

Black Sesame Crumb

• 125g castor sugar
• 50g dark cocoa powder
• 75g flour
• 125g almond flour
• 40g black sesame seeds
• Pinch of salt
• 60g butter, melted
• Fresh Blackberries

METHOD

Chocolate Torte

Preheat the oven to 175C.

Grease and line a standard cake tin.

Place the butter and 85% Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (ensure the water is not touching the bowl). Stir the butter and chocolate together until melted and combined.

Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

In a mixer or using a handheld mixer, whip the eggs, sugar and a pinch of salt together until pale, light and fluffy.  

Gently fold half of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Once almost fully combined, add the remaining chocolate mix and fold through.

Tip the mixture into your prepared tin. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes until almost fully cooked through.

Allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Once cool, portion the torte into 8 even slices.

Buttercream

In an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy.

Mix the icing sugar and cocoa powder together. Gradually start adding it to the beating butter.

Once all the icing sugar and cocoa has been added, add the milk and vanilla essence. Mix to combine. Optionally, add black food colour for a dark icing.

Spread the buttercream over the top of each slice.

Black Sesame Brittle

Line a backing tray with baking paper or a silicone mat.

Put the sugar and water into a saucepan over a medium heat. Allow the sugar to dissolve slowly, swirling and using a spatula to stir often.

Note, do not worry if it starts to crystalize. As you continue to cook it, it will dissolve.

Once the sugar has dissolved you can turn up the heat and allow it to bubble. Allow it to bubble away until it reaches 150C on a thermometer.

Once it hits 150C remove the pan from the heat. Working quickly, add half the sesame seeds and salt, stir to combine. Then quickly stir through the remaining.

Tip the mixture out onto your prepared tray, smoothing it out. Set aside to cool completely.

Once cool, use a knife to break the brittle into pieces.

Black Sesame Crumb

Preheat the oven to 150C.

Line a baking tray.

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Stir through the melted butter so it is crumble texture

Spread the mixture out over the baking tray and place in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then allow to cool. 

To Plate

Place the torte slices slightly off center on the plate. Tip spoons of the crumb around the torte. Arrange the brittle and blackberries around the torte and crumb.

Recipes developed and styled thanks to Lisa Clark Food Stylist