HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
PRALINE:
1/3 cup erythritol
1/2 tsp stevia glycerite
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted , husked
MOUSSE:
12 ounces LaNouba sugar free white chocolate, finely chopped
5 TBS unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
GANACHE:
2/3 cup DaVinci's sugar free kahlúa syrup
4 tsp instant espresso powder
7 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk OR heavy whipping cream
CAKE:
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup erythritol
1/2 tsp stevia glycerite
3 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 cup blanched almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 TBS coconut oil or butter, softened
For praline: Place sheet of foil on work surface. Bring sweetener and 1/4 cup water to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sweetener dissolves. Boil for 7 to 8 minutes. Mix in espresso powder, then nuts. Scrape mixture onto foil; quickly spread out onto foil. Cool completely. Chop praline into small pieces. Try to leave some for the cake...these taste really good!
For mousse: Stir chocolate and 5 almond milk in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until chocolate is smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool chocolate to lukewarm, stirring occasionally. Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually pour lukewarm chocolate over cream, folding to blend well. Transfer 2 1/2 cups mousse to another medium bowl; gently fold in espresso powder. Cover and chill both bowls of mousse until firm, at least 6 hours. Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
For soaking syrup and ganache: Stir syrup and espresso powder in small bowl until espresso dissolves. Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring almond milk or cream to boil in small saucepan; pour over chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. The soaking syrup and ganache can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and store at room temperature.
For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 15 x 10-inch sheet of parchment paper. Line 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with prepared parchment. Combine eggs, sweetener, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, vanilla, and salt in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until egg mixture is thick and fluffy and falls in ribbons when beater is lifted, 6 to 7 minutes. Sift almond flour and baking soda over in 3 additions, folding gently just to incorporate after each addition. Transfer 1 cup batter to small bowl; fold in butter. Fold batter from small bowl back into batter in large bowl just until combined; spread evenly on baking sheet.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from pan, about 18 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes.
Cut around pan sides. Slide spatula under parchment to loosen from pan and invert cake onto work surface. Peel off parchment. Cut cake crosswise into 4 rectangles, each about 10 x 3 1/2 inches.
Place 1 cake rectangle on platter (I made mine into a round cake, but rectangles work too). Brush 2 tablespoons soaking syrup over. Spread 3 tablespoons ganache over, then 1/3 of espresso mousse (about 3/4 cup). Repeat 2 more times with cake, syrup, ganache, and mousse. Top with fourth cake layer; press lightly to adhere. Spread 2/3 cup plain mousse thinly over top and sides of torte to seal, then spread remaining mousse over top and sides. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Tent loosely with foil and chill. Makes 16 servings
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Torte = 465 calories, 46.3 carbs, 0.8g fiber
"Healthified" Torte = 384 calories, 7.25 carbs, 3.4g fiber
