Passover Chocolate Nut Torte

This is the only Passover dessert I've ever tasted that is good enough to be made during the rest of the year as well
(when you can use corn starch instead of the potato starch).

INGREDIENTS (Serves 12-16)

TORTE

6 oz butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
7 eggs, separated
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup unblanched almonds, finely ground
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup unblanched almonds, chopped

ICING

4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp potato starch
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
4 oz margarine, softened
1/2 cup almonds, finely ground

PROCEDURE (TORTE)

  1. Preheat oven to 350�
  2. Cream the butter and gradually beat in the sugar until the mixture is light and creamy.
  3. Beat in the yolks, one at a time.
  4. Blend in the chocolate, and gently fold in the ground almonds mixed with the baking powder.
  5. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then fold into the mixture.
  6. Pour into a well-greased 10-inch spring form pan.
  7. Bake about 30 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool, then frost thickly with the icing and sprinkle with the chopped nuts.

PROCEDURE (ICING)

  1. Mix together the eggs, sugar and potato starch in the top of a double boiler. Heat over boiling water, stirring, until mixture thickens. Do not boil the mixture, and beware of "scrambled eggs"!
  2. Cool, then stir in the chocolate.
  3. Gradually beat in the butter, one tablespoon at a time.
  4. Fold in the nuts until the mixture is thick enoughto spread.

NOTES

If you don't have a spring form pan for Passover, use an aluminum disposable cake pan and just strip off the sides when the cake has cooled.

RATING

Difficulty: moderate.
Time: 30 minutes preparation, 30 minutes baking, 5 minutes frosting.

CONTRIBUTOR

Tovah Hollander
UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Los Angeles, California USA