Schokoladen Torte (chocolate Cake)

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 lb dark swiss chocolate (sweet chocolate)
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• sifted confectioners' sugar, for garnish (icing sugar)
• 1/2-1 cup prepared whipped cream, for garnish
• 12 hazelnuts (see list of berry possibilities in recipe description) or 12 berries, for garnish (see list of berry possibilities in recipe description)

Recipe

• 1 place 9-inch springform pan on sheet of wax paper, use pencil to trace around bottom and cut out with scissors.
• 2 butter bottom and sides of pan; line bottom of pan with buttered wax paper circle.
• 3 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 4 sift flour and baking powder into small bowl.
• 5 coarsely grate chocolate on piece of wax paper and transfer to top pan of double boiler.
• 6 fill bottom pan of double boiler halfway with water; bring to boil over high heat.
• 7 reduce heat, set pan with grated chocolate on top of other pan, add butter and stir until melted and smooth (7 to 10 minutes).
• 8 add sugar; stir until melted (2 to 3 minutes).
• 9 transfer chocolate mixture to large mixing bowl.
• 10 using an electric mixer or mixing spoon, add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 11 add vanilla extract to mixture and mix well.
• 12 place egg whites to medium mixing bowl, and using clean dry mixer or whisk, beat until stiff.
• 13 using rubber spatula, fold in egg whites with chocolate mixture; transfer to prepared springform pan.
• 14 bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
• 15 cool torte on wire cake rack; remove sides of pan.
• 16 place 9-inch lace paper doily on top of cake; sift confectioners' sugar over it; remove doily.
• 17 pipe whipped cream dollops around edge of cake top and place a hazelnut or berry in each cream dollop.
• 18 serve with extra whipped cream.