TORTE
1 lb Cake; frozen
2 c Creamy ricotta cheese
3 tb Sugar
3 tb Semisweet chocolate
2 tb Bacardi White Rum not
-extract!
1 c Raspberry freezer-jam If
-you can’t
Find this; use bottled or
; canned black
Raspberries; cook together
-with
; 1/2
1 c Sugar
1 ts Vanilla extract
FROSTING
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa powder
1/3 cup boiling water
Keep the chocolate in the freezer until you need it. Let the Jam thaw out
on the counter.
The hardest part of this is cutting and frosting the cake. To cut it,
measure the frozen cakee into three equal, stackable sections. Here is an
illustration:
+———+ / /! +———+ ! !_ _ _ _ _!/! ! _ _ _ _ !/! !_________!/
Mark your measurements with toothpicks. Turn the cake on its side and
gently cut it into three layers. Use an electric knife if you have one! Put
the cake back into the freezer while you complete the next step.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla until well
blended. You may mix with a spoon or a hand mixer. Take the chocolate from
the freezer and use a knife to flake off the chocolate into small chips
(about 1/4 the size of chocolate chips or smaller). Gently mix the flaked
chocolate into the ricotta cheese. You want the chips to be large enough
that they are just slightly crunchy when chilled.
Heat your rasperry jam or other fruity filling on the stove until it is hot
but not scalding to the touch. Add the rum (Grand Mariner or Brandy is also
Acceptable) to the fruit filling. Remove from the heat.
Pull your cake out of the freezer in the interest of a nice looking
finished product, place the bottom layer of your cake on your serving plate
and cut four pieces of waxed paper. Put a piece of waxed paper about 1″
under each edge of the cake, like so:
%%%%%%%%% %%%wax%%% %%paper%% %%%%%%%%% %%%%%XXXXXXXXX%%%%%
%%%%%XXXcakeXX%%%%% %%%%%XXXXXXXXX%%%%% %%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%
don’t push it more than about 1″ under, or you will have a hard time
getting it out without ruining the cake. The paper is there to catch any
drippings from the fillings or frosting. If you have done this many times,
or if you are very experienced and have a steady hand, you can probably
omit this step.
On top of the bottom layer, apply 1/3 C of your hot fruity filling. Start
by drizzling some of the syropy part of the mixture, then add some of the
chunky stuff as well. Apply this only to the CENTER of the cake, not to
close to the edges. Now spread roughly half of the ricotta filling over the
fruit mixture. Put the second layer of cake on top and use your spoon like
a trowel to make the edges nices and smoothe, using the filling like mortar
and the cake like bricks. Repeat this a second time with the next layer.
You should reserve at least 1/4 cup of the more syropy part of the fruit
mixture and a tablespoon of ricotta. When done, put the whole thing back in
the fridge.
In a deep bowl, mix the coca powder and the powdered sugar with a pinch of
salt. Melt the butter and blend it into the powdered mixture with a hand
mixer until it froms little balls. Add the rest of the warm fruit mixture
(should be 1/4 cup) and the 1/2 tsp vanilla and blend in HIGH for thirty
seconds. Little by little, add boiling water and mix on HIGH until the
mixture becomes smooth and runny enough pour (should be thicker than maple
syrop or gravy, but not as thick as fudge!). Spread this mixture over the
TOP of the torte, and let it run down the sides, aspecially at the corners.
It should be thick enough that it does not run all the way down the sides.
Let this cool for a few minutes and then pull out the wax paper. Use the
remaining ricotta mixture to make a decorative dallop on top of the
frosting right in the middle of the torte.
You should cover the torte and let it sit in the fridge for about 1 hr
before serving. Use a bell or a large bowl to cover it, NOT saran wrap!
(This tends to stick to the frosting and ruin the way it looks.)
continued in part 2
Yields
1 servings