Chocolate Turtle Cake Recipe

How to make it

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• MAKE PRALINE FILLING
• Place sugar in a large sauté pan with high sides.
• Gently moisten sugar with the water. Be careful not to splash sugar on the sides of the pan.
• Cook without stirring until any part of the mixture starts to turn brown. Swirl pan to even out color.
• Cook on medium high about two minutes longer.
• Lower heat to medium low and add butter.
• Carefully add half + half.
• Cook until caramelized sugar is liquid and sauce is smooth and a deep golden brown color, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add honey and pecans. Mix well. Cool completely.
• MAKE CRUST
• Grease a 10” springform pan; set aside. Line bottom with parchment and butter lightly.
• Place flour and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to mix.
• Add butter. Pulse until coarsely blended.
• With machine running, add egg/water mixture until a ball forms on the blades.
• Roll to a 12” circle.
• Press into springform pan and press up 1” on the sides.
• Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or until ready to use.
• ASSEMBLE CRUST AND FILLING
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Pour cold filling into crust.
• Fold sides of crust over filling.
• Bake until caramel is bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool completely, a minimum of three hours, preferably overnight.
• MAKE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
• Chop chocolate and place in a metal bowl with butter.
• Place bowl over pot of simmering water. When chocolate is half melted, remove from heat and let stand until all is completely melted.
• Set bowl aside in a warm place to stay liquid, but not hot.
• Set pot of water over heat again.
• In another metal bowl, whisk yolks, sugar and liqueur.
• Set over water and whisk constantly until mixture is like softly whipped cream. Remove from heat.
• Fold into chocolate.
• Place egg whites in a mixer and whip to soft peaks. Fold into chocolate until smooth.
• Place cream in bowl. Whip until stiff. Fold into chocolate.
• Pour mousse over cooled praline filling. Refrigerate for three hours or more.
• MAKE GANACHE
• Chop chocolate into small pieces.
• Combine cream and syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat.
• Add chocolate. Let sit about two minutes. Gently stir until blended.
• When room temperature, pour on chilled mousse.
• Let chill again for a minimum of one hour.
• TO SERVE
• Run knife around edge of springform pan.
• Remove sides of springform pan.
• The cake is rich and need nothing else, but if you'd like, you can serve with some whipped cream or creme fraiche.
• Makes 16 servings.