Chocolate Romance Truffle Torte

Submitted by Janice Gill

"This is a beautiful torte and my own invention. When shell is baked in a heart shaped spring-form pan, it is a wonderful valentine dessert. If the shell doesn't fall sufficiently to make shell, gently push the bottom down before it cools completely."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 25mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 1 cake
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• Shell

• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1 dash salt

• Filling

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1⁄4 cup very strong coffee
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 3⁄4 cup whipping cream

directions

1. MAKE SHELL:

2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar on the bottom and sides of a well greased 8-inch loose bottomed flan pan or pie plate.
3. Melt chocolate with water, vanilla and rum over hot water.
4. Beat egg yolks until light add 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until yolks are thick and lemon coloured.
5. Blend in melted chocolate mixture.
6. Beat egg whites with salt until stiff, shiny peaks form.
7. Fold in chocolate mixture.
8. Pour into prepared pie plate and bake for 25 minutes at 350°F until mixture is puffed and firm to the touch (do not overbake).
9. Chill one hour.
10. The mixture will fall and form a shell for the filling.

11. MAKE FILLING:

12. Bring butter and coffee to a boil.
13. Process the chocolate, sugar and salt in the food processor until very fine.
14. Pour the hot butter mixture through the feed tube with the motor running.
15. Add the egg yolks and brandy and process until thick and smooth.
16. Cool to room temperature.
17. Refrigerate 1/2 cup of the mixture until it is thick enough to pipe through a pastry tube Spread half the room temperature chocolate mixture on the cooled shell.
18. Fold the whipped cream into the remaining chocolate mixture and spread over the first layer.
19. Spoon the chilled chocolate mixture into a pastry bag and with a star tip, pipe a decorative edge just inside the edge of the shell.
20. Refrigerate, uncovered until the filling is set, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 2 days.
21. May be frozen.