Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY EXTRAVAGANCE TORTE

Category: Tortes

2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp vanilla sugar
1 cup cola
16 oz semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup raspberry preserves mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice

GLAZE
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine

GARNISH
Whole Raspberries
Chocolate Leaves or fresh, citrus or rose leaves
Cocoa Powder

Preheat oven to 350. Line bottom of a ten inch springform with parchment paper.
In a heavy saucepan over low heat or using a double boiler, melt chocolate, butterand cola together, mixing well every once in a while to combine. Remove from stove and add chocolate, stirring to melt. Cool chocolate mixture very well before using.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the eggs with sugar, and vanilla sugar for 10 minutes on high speed. Whisk in cooled, melted chocolate into egg mixture until thoroughly incorporated (mixture will deflate but that is fine). Stir in raspberry preserves.

Place springform pan on a cookie sheet (in case there are drips or leaks)in oven and reduce heat to 325. Bake 55-60 minutes until cake is done. Cake is baked when top has a slight crust and seems set. Cake may rise and fall but that is fine.
Refrigerate several hours. Dust with cocoa and garnish with fresh raspberries and either chocolate leaves or fresh rose or citrus leaves.

Glaze: Melt chocolate chips with butterin a double boiler. Stir to melt evenly. Cool, then pour over chilled cake before serving and distribute some fresh raspberries on top when glaze sets.