Recipe - Chocolate Cherry Torte (22)

Part two

7. To assemble torte, using the bottom of a 9 by 5inch loaf pan as a
pattern, cut chocolate cake into three 9 by 5inch rectangles; use leftover
cake trimmings for snacking. Line the inside of the loaf pan with plastic
wrap, allowing 2 inches to extend over the sides so assembled torte can be
easily removed from pan.

8. Place one cake rectangle in bottom of pan; brush generously with some
Coffee Syrup. Spread half of cheese filling on top of cake in pan. Place
another cake rectangle atop filling; brush with Coffee Syrup and top with
cherry filling. Place remaining cake atop cherry filling; brush with
remaining Coffee Syrup and top with remaining cheese filling, spreading
smoothly as this will be top of torte. Cover torte with overhanging plastic
wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Prepare Chocolate
Meringue Twigs.

9. To serve, remove torte from pan by pulling up plastic wrap on all sides.
Place torte on serving plate and gently pull plastic wrap to remove from
underneath. Gently press flat sides of chocolate twigs upright onto sides
of torte to cover completely. If desired, tie ribbon around sides of torte,
ending in a bow in the center of one long side. Top torte with fresh
cherries, if desired, and serve. Or refrigerate up to 2 hours before
serving. (Twigs will eventually soften with refrigeration.)

Chocolate Meringue Twigs: Heat oven to 275'F. Line 2 large baking sheets
with parchment paper (if not available, use aluminum foil and grease
lightly). Place One half C sugar and 2 large egg whites in mediumsize bowl. Set
the bowl in a larger bowl of very hot, not boiling, water. With portable
electric mixer at high speed, beat mixture until thick and nearly double in
volume. Remove bowl from hot water and continue beating egg whites until
very stiff peaks formabout 4 minutes. Sift 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
over meringue and fold in until blended. Transfer chocolate meringue to
pastry bag fitted with a 3/8inch round tip. Making narrow rows, pipe 3 to
4inch long "twigs" of meringue onto baking sheets. Bake meringue twigs 1
One half hours or until dry and firm. Cool twigs completely on baking sheets on
wire racks. Meanwhile, melt 1 One half ounce bittersweet chocolate in microwave or
in bowl set over simmering water. Dip fork in melted chocolate and quickly
move it back and forth across twigs, creating thin chocolate stripes.
Refrigerate twigs just until chocolate stripes hardenabout 5 minutes.
Gently remove twigs from parchment and store in airtight container,
unrefrigerated, until ready to use.

Note: Dried cherries are available by mail from American Spoon Foods, 1668
Clarion Ave., P.O. Box 566, Petosky, Mich. 497700566; (800) 2225886.

Country Living/December/92 Scanned & fixed by Di Pahl & gg

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini