8 CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTE

8 CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTE

Ingredients:
7 oz chocolate
1 2/3 c walnut pieces
1/2 c butter
3/4 c + 1 T sugar
4 eggs, separated
1/4 c sugar
5 oz semisweet choclate
20-25 rose leaves
1 c cream
1/2 t vanilla
Instructions:
Butter, line with paper, butter and flour (substitute potato starch for Passover) a 9″ springform pan. Heat oven to 300F.Chop 7 oz chocolate. Grind (in two batches in food processor, in four in blender) with 1 2/3 c walnut pieces. For finer texture, first grind the nuts in a rotary grater.Cream 1/2 c butter. Add, beat 2-3 minutes 3/4 c sugar. Add, one at a time 4 yolks. Stir in chocolate and walnut mixture using rubber
spatula.Whisk stiff 4 whites. Sprinkle in whisk until glossy 1/4 c sugar. Fold into chocolate mixture.
Transfer to springform, smooth top with spatula.
Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes.Cool completely in pan. Remove ring, leave torte on pan bottom because it is delicate.
Melt 4 oz semisweet chocolate. Brush onto shiny side (leave some of stem uncovered) of 20-25 rose leaves. Cook, refrigerate until set.Peek leaves away from chocolate.Whip in bowl set in ice water until soft peaks form 1 c cream. Add,whip until soft peaks form again 1 T sugar and 1/2 t vanilla. Spread
over top and side of cake, chill about 1 hour.Chop and melt in bowl set in hot water 1 oz semisweet choclate. Make paper piping cone and fill with chocolate, pipe lines over top of cake. Or drizzle from a spoon.Arrange chocolate leaves around cake.