$1,000 Chocolate Pecan Torte

This recipe won the 1985 Woman's Day "Yummiest Chocolate Recipe Contest". Worth every penny, if I do say so myself. I served it at a dessert party to several devout and well-traveled chocoholics, who all said it was as good as anything they had ever tasted.  It was featured in my never-quite-finished cookbook Sweet Fang.

The unusual combination of flavors was inspired by a torte I tasted in a Viennese pastry shop in Berkeley. I created my own version at home, even richer and more bittersweet. The blend of chocolate and ground pecans is especially luscious. The peach jam layer is subtler than the usual apricot or raspberry that often appears in French and Viennese tortes.

Chocolate Pecan Torte:
12 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sifted flour
2 Tbs. dark rum
2 teaspoons vanilla

Peach Filling:
1/3 cup peach jam
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Chocolate Glaze:
6 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons sweet butter

Decoration:
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 tablespoon sweet butter
1 tablespoon Peach Filling

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9" springform pan, and dust it with cocoa, shaking out the excess. Set aside.

In the top of a double boiler, over hot water, melt the two chocolates together. Stir until smooth, and completely combined. Remove from the heat, and allow the chocolate to cool slightly.

Using a food processor, grind the pecans fine with about 1/2 cup of the sugar. Add the butter and the remaining sugar, creaming together well. Beat in the egg yolks, the rum, and the vanilla extract. Now, add the flour and process it in with the rest. Add the melted and cooled chocolate, and process again. The mixture will be very dense.

Whip the egg whites until they are stiff and peaky. Mix about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the thick chocolate batter, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whites, folding thoroughly.

Spread the chocolate batter into the prepared springform pan, and bake in the preheated 325 degrees oven for 30 minutes or more, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes slightly moist. Remove the torte from the oven, and allow it to cool and settle in the pan. Take off the springform, and transfer the torte to its serving dish.

Sieve the peach jam into a small saucepan. Add the orange liqueur, rum, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat and simmer a moment, then remove the pan. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the finished glaze for the pecan trim, and spread the rest over the torte. Allow the peach filling to set, then top it with the chocolate glaze.

In the top of a double boiler, over hot water, melt the chocolate and the cream together. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter, whisking till smooth. Allow the glaze to cool until it will spread smoothly over the torte. Use a metal spatula to smooth it evenly over the top, and coat the sides with a thinner layer.

In a small sauce pan, combine the peach glaze, and the butter. Melt them together. Add the pecan halves, and stir until they are all coated. Drain the nuts, and allow them to set slightly, then press them around the edge of the torte. 

The torte serves 12-16 people, as it is very, very rich. It tastes best at room temperature, but also refrigerates well.