More Chocolate for Renee

Recently I accidentally created a major onset of Chocolate Lust during a phone conversation with Renee. I was describing the taste and texture of this decadent dessert!

Hershey's Dark Chocolate Fudge Torte, Adapted Version

1 cup - 2 sticks - of butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla 

3 eggs, separated

2/3 cup cocoa powder * see note at the bottom!

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons water

1 package chocolate or vanilla chips, or a mix

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar  (this can be omitted if need be, but it helps the structure a bit)

1 ) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 or 10 inch Springform pan, a 9 x 11 inch pan, a Bundt pan, or something similar. remember that your pan shape will affect the cooking time and maybe even the texture somewhat. 

2 ) Melt the butter in a glass bowl or measuring cup, then stir in the cocoa powder. Let it all stand a bit until it has cooled. This will develop the cocoa flavor.

3 ) In a large mixer bowl, combine butter/cocoa, sugar and vanilla. Add egg yolks and beat very well. Gently add flour, chocolate chips and water. 

4 ) In another mixer bowl, beat egg whites with optional cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. This means that you can turn the mixer off and pull the beaters out and the egg white will stay standing in peaked mountains where the beaters were removed. 

5 ) Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Folding means that, instead of stirring as usual, you should use a spatula and pass it gently from the top to the bottom and around the sides. Here is a video about folding, if you want it.

6 ) Pour your exceedingly delectable batter into your pan and bake it. Bake from 30 to 45 minutes, until the top begins to crack a bit. The cake will not test done in the center.

7 ) Cool for a while on the counter, then refrigerate for a few hours until firm and chilled. Remove the side of the pan if you used a Springform, or gently loosen and dump the cake if it's Bundt. Let the others sit in their pans or take out if you wish.  Decorate with powdered sugar, melted chocolate chips, or whatever else strikes your fancy. This cake does not need icing!

Here is the book that this recipe is adapted from.

* Cocoa Powder Note : For the cocoa powder I use Hershey's Special Dark. It adds a much stronger, more intense flavor. Too much is too much, though, so I mix it half and half with regular cocoa powder. We all love it so much that we get it Subscribe-and-Save from Amazon every three months. On the other hand, if you use regular cocoa powder, it will still be delicious, just in a lighter, gentler way.