Somewhere between a cheesecake and a brownie, you will find this decadent Strawberry Filled Chocolate Torte. That is the best way I can describe this overly indulgent, intensely chocolate and light as air filled dessert.
One of the many great pleasures in life, is making desserts. Cakes like this one and my Caramel Chocolate Layer Cake are where it’s at! Well, for me anyway. Although I don’t make a whole lot of them, I really do enjoy the process. Possibly because I love eating the end result. This is probably why I don’t make them as often as I would like to. But that is a whole other story involving self control, which clearly I lack.
What is a Torte
A Torte is a rich dessert. It can be multilayered or like this one seen here. It is often filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams, or fruits. Tortes are commonly baked in a springform pan
Notes About The Chocolate Torte
- Yes, it is important to bring the eggs to room temperature before beating. Why? Well, because room temperature eggs have more volume than cold eggs. Fact. As this cake relies on the foaminess from the eggs to get the right texture, make sure your eggs have been out of the fridge for at least 1/2 hour.
- When incorporating the egg whites into the batter, do it slowly and don’t over mix. If you over mix, it will deflate the batter and the cake will not rise properly.
- Yes, the cake sinks when removed from the oven. You will have a sunken well in the middle of the cake with the rim raised about 1 inch. Again, this is what you are looking for in the end result. So, don’t panic.
- When whipping the cream, make sure the bowl and the beaters are cold. I know, I talk about this all the time, but it will help to ensure you get whipped cream not a curdled runny mess. I always put the beaters and bowl in the freezer for about 1/2 hour before using if I am going to whip cream.
- Make sure you let the cake cool completely before filling it with the strawberry cream. If not, the cream will melt slightly and lose it’s “light as air” texture.
I think that pretty much sums it up. Make it for a crowd, make it for your family, make it for your friends, co-workers, or just about anyone you know. Why not just make it for yourself. There is nothing wrong with eating a cake at 2 am!
Here’s Some More Tortes You’ll Love
Strawberry Filled Chocolate Torte
Ingredients
- 6 Eggs separated
- 1 Cup granulated white sugar divided
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Cup butter
- 9 oz dark chocolate roughly chopped
- 1 Teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 Cup whipping cream
- 12 oz strawberries divided
- 2 Tablespoons chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and line a 9 inch spring form pan. Set aside.
- Separate the eggs while still cold. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of your electric mixer. Place the egg whites in a separate large bowl. Set aside and bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes
- In a medium saucepan set over a simmering saucepan of water, add the chocolate and butter. Stir well until it has completely melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In the bowl with your egg yolks, add 1/2 cup/100 grams of the sugar. Mix on high speed for about 3-5 minutes. The batter should be light in colour and about tripped in volume. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined. Pour in the chocolate mixture and mix on high speed until just combined. Set aside.
- Using clean mixing beaters, mix on high speed the egg whites until foamy, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and beat until soft peaks form, about another 1 -2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, another minute or so.
- Fold a small amount of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten the batter. Add remaining egg whites and fold in until combined. Be careful not to over mix or you will deflate the batter. Evenly pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with some moist crumbs.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes. Using a sharp knife, go around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Unclip the pan and remove sides.
- Leave to completely cool.
- In a clean bowl, add the whipped cream and beat on high until soft peaks form. Set aside about 8 strawberries for decorating the cake. Finely chop the remaining strawberries. Add chopped strawberries plus juices to the whipped cream. Gently fold in as to not deflate the whipped cream.
- Fill the cooled cake with the strawberry mixture and evenly spread it out. Slice the remaining strawberries and place them around the rim of the cake. Sprinkle over chocolate shavings. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- Cake will keep in the fridge for about 2 days.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
