Tort Amandina/ Amandina Cake

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Amandina (pentru cei care nu stiu) este, alaturi de Savarina, una din cele mai populare prajituri romanesti, intalnita foarte des in cofetarii in Romania. Sincer, nu mai stiu daca mai sunt cofetarii in Romania cum erau cand eram copil, dar in mod cert Amandina a ramas printre preferintele romanilor. Imi aduc aminte cum acum muuulti ani, de ziua fratelui meu (la 5 ani), mama a venit cu mai multe amandine acasa, si le-a aranjat sub forma de tort, si acasa a gasit toti copiii pe care ii cunostea frate-meu, pe care i-a invitat fara sa spuna nimanui :)

Ma gandeam de mai mult timp sa incerc sa reproduc amandina, si am tot amanat. Dar a venit timpul pentru o noua provocare la "Vinerea foarte dulce": Allie, de la "Zucchero Dolce" ne provoaca la torturi cu straturi. Mi s-a parut momentul perfect sa fac amandina, care a iesit foarte buna.

Amandina este in mod traditional taiata in patrate pentru o singura servire, si acoperite cu ciocolata, dar ca sa fiu in tonul provocarii am ales sa o fac sub forma de tort.
Reteta este compusa si modificata de mine, blatul este inspirat de pe Retete usoare si ilustrate, iar crema dupa o reteta de la o prietena.

Ingrediente:

Pentru blat:

6 oua
200 gr zahar
40 ml apa
40 ml ulei
3 linguri cacao
200 gr faina
1 1/2 lingurite praf de copt
esenta de vanilie
un praf de sare

Se incinge cuptorul la 180 grade Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).

Faina se amesteca cu cacaoa, praful de copt si sarea.

Se separa albusurile de galbenusuri. Galbenusurile se bat cu uleiul pana cand ajung la consistenta cremoasa, se adauga zaharul si se bat pana se topeste zaharul. Se adauga apa si vanilia. Se incorporeaza usor amestecul de faina.

Separat se bat albusurile spuma, apoi se amesteca usor cu restul compozitiei, de sus in jos.
Se unge o tava rotunda de aprox 24 cm cu unt si se tapeteaza cu faina.
Se toarna compozitia si se baga in cuptorul incins pentru 40 minute, cand o scobitoare bagata in centru iasa afara curata. Se lasa sa se raceasca in tava.

Cand este complet racit se taie in 2 de-a latul.

Pentru sirop:

500 ml apa calda
250 gr zahar
1 fiola esenta de rom

Intr-o craticioara se pune zaharul si 3-4 linguri de apa, se lasa sa fiarba fara sa se mestece pana cand zaharul incepe sa se caramelizeze si capata o culoare aurie. Se opreste focul si se toarna apa (caramelul se va intari initial), se da drumul la foc si se fierbe pana cand caramelul este complet topit. Se da deoparte si se adauga romul. Se lasa sa se raceasca complet.

Crema de mocha:

60 gr zahar
3 oua
2 galbenusuri
1 lingurita de ness
50 gr ciocolata topita
1 lingurita esenta vanilie
300 gr unt la temperatura camerei

Intr-o craticioara pe foc mic se bat ouale, galbenusurile, zaharul si nessul. Se adauga ciocolata. Se tin pe foc mic pana cand amestecul se ingroasa. Se ia de pe foc si se adauga vanilia. Se lasa sa se raceasca complet.
Se bate untul cu mixerul, apoi mixand continuu se adauga treptat amestecul de oua si ciocolata, pana cand totul este incorporat.

Pentru glazura de ciocolata (se face chiar inainte de folosire):

200 gr ciocolata semidulce
5 linguri de unt (aprox 50 gr)

Se topeste ciocolata si untul intr-o craticioara pe foc mic pana cand are o consistenta moale si sidefata.

Pentru a asambla tortul, se aseaza pe platou prima jumatate de blat si se insiropeaza cu lingura jumatate din sirop.


Se adauga crema (am oprit putina crema pentru decorat) si se niveleaza. Se pune a doua jumatate de blat, cu partea de sus in jos. Se insiropeaza cu restul de sirop. Se toarna deasupra glazura si se lasa sa cada pe laturi (am folosit o spatula de tort pentru a o intinde putin). Se da la rece. Cand glazura este rece, se pune restul de crema intr-o punga, i se taie putin un colt si se decoreaza dupa cum aveti chef.

Apoi invitati prietenii la o felie de amandina!


Amandina is, along with Savarina, one of the most popular Romanian cakes, very often seen in the sweets shops in Romania. I don’t know if there’s as many sweets shops left in Romania as they were when I was a kid, but for sure Amandina is one of the Romanians favorites. I remember many years ago, at my brother’s 5th Birthday, my mom brought many amandines home, and she fixed it up in a cake shape, to see when she got home that my brother invited all the kids that he knew, without telling anybody 

I had in mind to make Amandina for a while, and I kept postponed it. But it was that time again for another challenge at “Sugar High Friday”: Allie of “Zucchero Dolce” is challenging us to make layered cakes. I thought that is the perfect moment to make it and it turned out so good.

Amandina is traditionally a layered cake cut in square single serving pieces and covered in chocolate. To answer the challenge, I chose to make it in round shape.
The recipe is compose and modified by me, with the cake recipe from “Retete usoare si ilustrate” and for the filling cream I used a recipe from a friend.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

6 eggs, whites and yolks separated
1 cup sugar
2 oz water
2 oz vegetable oil
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.

Mix the flour, cacao and baking powder.
Beat the egg yolks with the oil, and add the sugar. Beat until sugar dissolves. Add the water and vanilla and incorporate slowly the flour mixture.
In a standing mixer beat the egg whites until soft peaks forms. Fold in the egg whites in the egg yolks mixture very slowly.
Grease and flour a 10 inch cake pan. Pour the mix in the pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minute, when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan. Remove and cut along side in 2 parts.

For the syrup:

2 ½ cups warm water
1 ¼ cups sugar
Rum flavor (or go wild and use real rum :))

Cook the sugar and 4-5 tbsp water in a small saucepan over medium heat, without mixing, until sugar caramelizes and turns to nice amber color. Turn off the heat and add the water (the caramel will solidify in the beginning, don’t worry). Turn the heat on and boil until the caramel melts completely. Remove and add the rum flavor. Let cool.

Mocha filling:

1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp instant coffee granules
2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup butter softened

In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar, eggs, egg yolks and coffee granules. Add the melted chocolate. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Cool. Cream butter and gradually beat in cooled chocolate mixture.

For chocolate glaze (prepare just before using):

8 oz semisweet chocolate
5 tbsp butter

Melt the chocolate and butter over low heat until soft and silky.

To ensemble the cake, place bottom part of the cake on the platter and spoon half of the syrup all over. Don’t worry; it’s supposed to be very moist. Add the filling (keep a little for decoration), and spread. Add the top layer upside down. Spoon the rest of the syrup. Pour the chocolate glaze on top, smooth a little with a spatula and let cover the sides. Place in the fridge to cool.

When the chocolate is hardened, use the rest of the filling to decorate (I placed it in a sandwich bag and I cut a little corner).

Enjoy!