• Preheat oven to 325°
• Prepare a cake pan so it is prepared when the torte batter is ready to pour.

  Cut a round out of parchment to cover the bottom of the pan

  Cut strips of parchment to cover the inside of the pan sides.

  Spray the pan with non stick spray.

  Place the round in the bottom of the pan.

  Place the strips around the inside to cover overlapping a couple of inches

  Spray the parchment on the side that overlaps so it sticks to the other parchment. Spray the inside of the parchment lining the pan.
• In a bain marie, combine the butter and chocolate, heat over medium low heat to melt the butter and chocolate.
• In a mixer, whip the egg whites to full volume stiff peaks. Careful not to over whip. Reserve the egg whites, in a bowl, in the refrigerator until needed.
• In a mixer with a clean bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar, whip to full volume.
• Drizzle in the chocolate/butter mixture into the mixing bowl with the eggs and sugar. Slowly drizzle in the chocolate/butter to allow it to incorporate as the mixer is running on a low to medium speed.
• Once combined remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom to ensure the batter is incorporated.
• Fold in the reserved egg whites in three stages. The egg whites do not have to be fully broken down. Remember, the egg whites is what allows this torte to rise. Leaving some bits of visible egg whites is good.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Level the top with a spatula.
• Bake on a sheet pan with 2-3 cups of water on the sheet pan. This water bath allows for an even bake of the torte without burning the torte.
• Bake for 40 minutes. The torte should be pulling away from the side of the pan and the top maybe cracking.
• Leave the torte in the pan to cool to room temperature.

  Refrigerate after it comes to room temperature.

  Once at room temperature, refrigerate overnight to allow it to set further.

To remove from the pan

• Next day, remove the torte from the refrigerator.

  Gently pull out the parchment paper around the edges.

  If the paper does not come out easily you can run a paring knife around the edge to loosen.

  Usually the paper will come out without much effort.
• The top of the torte that is dry will become the bottom of the torte.

  Over a burner on low, move the bottom of the pan over the heat.

  This will allow the oils in the bottom of the pan to become loose.

  Once the torte is loose remove from the heat.
• Place a cake round on the top of the torte in the pan.
• Flip the torte over holding the cake round on the bottom.
• Remove the pan from the torte. The torte should look moist. Refrigerate again to firm up the torte before coating with ganache.

Making the Ganache

• Place the chocolate in a heat safe bowl.
• Bring the cream to a low boil, remove from the heat and pour onto the chocolate.
• Let the cream sit over the chocolate for 5 minutes.
• With a spatula, stir the cream and chocolate to incorporate.

  If there are still chocolate lumps in the cream, you can put it over a bain marie to slowly melt the chocolate.

  Ganache should be pourable.

  If not add more heated cream to thin down.

Decorating the Chocolate Torte

• Place parchment on a sheet pan.

  This will catch the excess ganache run off from pouring the ganache over the torte.
• Place the chilled Chocolate Torte on a cake stand or on an inverted bowl that allows for it to be raised off of the parchment.
• Starting at the center of the torte, pour the ganache, moving in a circular motion to coat the top of the torte.

  Allow the ganache to run down the sides.
• Using an offset spatula, while turning the torte on the cake stand (or turning the half sheet pan), place pressure on the middle of the ganache and pull toward the edge.

  Applying even pressure to the ganache to make smooth. Start light and you can do another pass on the top to even out.
• The sides of the torte can be smoothed out with ganache but many times I will decorate the sides to cover it up.

  You can band the side with chocolate or put nuts or chocolate shavings around the edge.

  Top of the torte can be left without decoration or drizzle some white and semisweet chocolate over the top.

  Or crumble some shaved chocolate on top. Or decorate with fresh berries

Cutting the Chocolate Torte

• When cutting the chocolate torte, it is best to use a hot knife.

  The knife can be heated with hot water or over a stove burner.

  Wipe off or wash off the knife between slices.

  This will give a clean cut each time. The torte will be moist even when refrigerated.
• I recommend cutting the torte into 16 slices, 12 if you want but it is a rich torte and a 16 cut is good for a dessert size.
• If you allow the Chocolate Torte to come up to room temperature before serving the mouth feel and flavors will be enhanced.
• Serve with a berry sauce.