-FOR THE BASE-
125 g Toasted pecans; (4 1/2oz)
200 g Dark chocolate digestive
-biscuits; (7oz)
30 g Bitter chocolate; (1oz)
90 g Unsalted butter; (3 1/2oz)
Good pinch of ground
-cinnamon
-FOR THE TOP-
30 g Pecans broken in halves;
-(1oz)
4 tb Icing sugar
600 ml Double cream; (1 pint)
450 g Bitter chocolate; (16oz)
CARAMEL AND ORANGE SAUCE
90 g Caster sugar; (3 1/2oz)
150 ml Double cream; (5fl oz)
60 g Unsalted butter; (2oz)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
To make the base: Crush the biscuits finely or process into crumbs. Finely
chop the toasted pecans. Grate the chocolate. Melt the butter in a pan. Add
biscuits, chocolate, nuts and cinnamon, and stir all together until well
mixed and bound together with the chocolate. Press into the base of a
greased deep sided loose bottomed cake tin, (20cm) and smooth out using the
back of a spoon to compact the mixture and make a firm base. Pop in the
fridge to set whilst you prepare the caramelised nuts and chocolate
truffle.
Put the pecans and icing sugar into a heavy wide based pan and heat over a
medium heat until the sugar turns into a deep caramel and coats the nuts.
Turn out onto a clean work surface and allow to cool a little before your
break the caramelised nuts apart. Leave the caramelised nuts apart. Leave
to become crisp and set.
Whisk the cream to a soft flop and leave in the kitchen to take the chill
off it whilst you melt the chocolate.
Grate the chocolate on a coarse grater and melt over a gentle heat in a
double boiler until the chocolate is melted. Do not allow the water to boil
or the chocolate will become grainy. Lift off the heat and cool slightly.
Gradually fold cream into the chocolate until it is fully combined. Fold in
the caramelised nuts. Pour over the set base and chill in the fridge
overnight (about 12 hours).
Caramel and orange sauce: Place the sugar in a medium pan with 3 tbp water.
Heat gently until sugar is dissolved and then increase heat until the syrup
becomes a deep caramel colour. Quickly whisk cream and butter into caramel
and whisk until it goes smooth, cool. Add zest and juice of orange and
chill before serving.
To serve, remove from tin and dust lightly with cocoa. Pour over the sauce.
Yields
1 servings