Shelly's Recipe

Walnut-Fudge Torte

Category: Tortes

For the torte:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the filling:
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

To make the torte:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place walnuts in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until finely crushed. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and process until blended. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and beat until stuff, shiny peaks form.

In a separate bowl, beat together egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Beat in melted butter and vanilla extract. Fold one spoonful of egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Fold in flour mixture.

Pour batter into two 9-inch round cake pans that have been coated with non-stick spray. Bake 25 minutes, or until top is golden and cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Invert and cool completely.

To make the filling:
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or medium bowl over simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Scald 1/2 cup of the heavy cream (keeping the remaining 1/2 cup chillded) by heating in a small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles appear around the edges. Stir scalded cream into chocolate and whisk until blended. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds (although the ganache is firm, it still beats up light and fluffy).

In a small mixing bowl, beat remaining 1/2 cup of chilled heavy cream until stuff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture with vanilla.

To assemble the torte:
Spread chocolate filling on one cake layer. Place second cake layer on top and press down slightly. In a small bowl, combine confections’ sugar and cocoa. Transfer mixture to a fine sieve and sift over top of torte (for a pretty presentation, sift a little confectioners’ sugar-cocoa mixture around the edges of the plate, too).