Recipe Details

Summary

Name: Chestnut Torte

Category: Chocolate

2 pounds chestnuts

Milk -- to cover

Butter -- for baking pan

1/2 cup butter -- softened

Flour -- for baking pan

6 eggs -- separated

1 whole egg

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon fine dried bread crumbs

2 tablespoons rum

Chocolate Frosting

1 cup whipping cream -- for topping

Place chestnuts in a large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil

10 minutes. Remove from heat but do not drain. Remove chestnuts, a few at a

time, and peel off hard outer shell and soft inner membrane. When all chestnuts

are peeled, drain water and return chestnuts to saucepan. Add milk just to cover

and simmer, uncovered, until chestnuts are very tender and milk is absorbed (15

to 30 minutes). Press chestnuts through a sieve and set aside. Preheat oven to

350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 or 9-inch-round pan. In a large bowl beat egg

whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup of the sugar, beating

constantly until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl cream together egg yolks

and 2/3 cup of the sugar until fluffy and lemon colored. Gently fold in egg-white

mixture alternately with bread crumbs and half of the reserved chestnuts. Pour

batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out

clean (30 to 35 minutes). Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Turn

cake out of pan and split cooled cake in half crosswise to form 2 layers. Crack

the whole egg into a mixing bowl and add the 1/2 cup butter, the 2 tablespoons

sugar, and rum. Cream until thick and smooth. Beat in the remaining chestnuts

until well blended. Prepare Chocolate Frosting as directed and keep warm.

Spread chestnut mixture over 1 layer of cake and top with second layer. Pour

warm frosting over top. Whip cream until stiff peaks form, then pack into a pastry

bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe whipped cream decoratively on sides of torte.

NOTES : Yield: 8 servings (serving size: one 9 inch torte ).