Chocolate-Pecan Torte
- 2 1/2 cups pecans (about 10 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup well-chilled heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- and butter two 8- by 2-inch round cake pans.
- Line each pan with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
- In a food processor pulse 2 cups pecans with flour, salt, and baking powder until finely ground (do not pulse to a paste).
- Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in orange juice.
- Separate eggs and in a large bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks until pale yellow.
- Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale, and fold in pecan mixture gently but thoroughly.
- In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites until they hold stiff peaks.
- Stir about one fourth whites into pecan mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
- Divide batter between cake pans and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until cakes pull away from sides of pans.
- Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 10 minutes and invert onto rack to cool completely.
- Carefully remove wax paper from bottoms of cake layers.
- While cake layers are cooling, on a baking sheet toast remaining 1/2 cup pecans until fragrant and a shade darker, about 8 minutes.
- Cool nuts and chop.
- In a medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat cream with zest until it just holds stiff peaks.
- Arrange 1 cake layer, top side up, on a serving plate and spread filling evenly onto layer.
- Put remaining layer, bottom side up, on filling.
- Chop chocolate.
- In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth.
- Remove chocolate from heat and stir in sour cream and a pinch salt until smooth.
- Immediately spread frosting on top and side of torte and pat toasted pecans around side.
- Chill torte, loosely covered, until frosting is set, at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.
- Serve torte chilled or at room temperature.
pecans, flour, salt, baking powder, orange juice, eggs, sugar, well, orange zest, chocolate, sour cream
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chocolate-pecan-torte-100651 (may not work)