My husband is great at reading me, sometimes scarily so because he might know something about me before I even know it. When my husband and I eat out for dinner and order dessert, he knows that I will pick a chocolate dessert, not like that takes much of his skills to know. I always gravitate to my precious chocolate desserts so if you know me even a little then you know sorbet will be my last choice. Let’s face it, if I’m spending calories on dessert I’m going to go for something I know I’ll love.
This chocolate tort will satisfy any chocolate lover’s craving, even for chocoholics like me.
Chocolate Tort Recipe
(Makes about 12 servings)
Ingredients:
- 1 package (6 squares*) Baker’s Bittersweet Baking Chocolate (divided per the directions)
- 3/4 cups (equivalent to 1 and 1/2 sticks) butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with wax paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, microwave 4 of the chocolate squares* and butter until melted. (Do 30 second increments and stir after each time)
- Mix in the sugar.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Mix in the flour and salt.
- Mix in the pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (You really don’t want to over cook this dish.)
- Let the tort cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the outside edge of the pan to loosen the tort. Invert the a serving platter onto the pan and flip everything over together. The tort should fall out onto the platter. Remove the wax paper.
- Melt the remaining 2 chocolate squares* and drizzle it over the torte with a spoon.
- Let it stand until firm before serving.
* It seems Baker’s has recently changed the package of chocolate to be 16 little rectangles instead of 6 individually wrapped squares. This was to allow the chocolate to be easily divided into ounces. Unfortunately that doesn’t help for this recipe. If you get a box that isn’t 6 squares, your math will be a little trickier when you divide it, but you are still using the whole box. 4 squares now equals 10 and 2/3 of the rectangles. 2 squares now equals 5 and 1/3 of the rectangles.
Store it in an air tight container or place in a freezer friendly bag in the freezer.
Before I concentrate on melting the chocolate and butter, I like to get the chopping out of the way. Yes, I said “concentrate” because I have a tendency to multi-task and I’ve been known to burn chocolate in the microwave when I’m not paying attention. 😉
Don’t be scared to melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave. It’s easy and painless as long as you time it in short increments and stir thoroughly in between sessions. You are generally less likely to burn a good chocolate, but paying attention doesn’t hurt.
Okay, the below picture looks kind of gross, but I wanted to show you the consistency of the melted chocolate and butter. The white stuff is just some bubbles from the melted butter. Also, if ever there was a substance that was more awesome than chocolate with butter in it, I’m not sure what it is, regardless of what it looks like. 🙂
Torts notoriously contain very little flour. This one only has 1/3 cup. It’s weird, but I swear it’s enough. Plus, they do not have any leavening ingredients (i.e. baking soda or baking powder). The end result will be dense and decadent.
Baking tip: Don’t over bake it. I realize I mentioned this above in the directions too, but it really is super important. With most cakes you know it’s cooked once a tester inserted comes out clean. However, torts should look kind of raw in the middle and that means the cake tester will come out with fudgy crumbs on it instead.
The tort is mad rich and sweet. I recommend not eating it too late at night unless you’re looking to stay up late from all the sugar. Also due to being very rich, having large pieces of it all at once may not be a good idea. If you don’t think you’ve had enough of it, come back for a fourth or seventh piece later.
If the tort itself doesn’t contain enough chocolate in it, I’ve drizzled more chocolate on top. Mmm, chocolaty. 🙂 All this talk of chocolate I almost forgot those lovely pecans! They add great texture and nutty flavor.
I’ve made this recipe so many times because it’s always a huge it. In fact last year, for the holidays, I took this tort, cut it up into small square pieces, and handed it out as bar cookies to family and friends. They had no idea it was the same chocolate tort they’ve had in a wedge shape.
Are you craving chocolate now? Sorry (no not really). 😉 Reach for the nearest piece of chocolate. That should hold you off until you make this heavenly tort. 🙂
Source: Kraft
Chocolate lovers alert! You’ll love these other chocolaty creations.
Since you mentioned chocoholics, I definitely have to make this!
LOL! I always love your comments. 🙂 You will not be disappointed with this tort. It’s a crowd pleaser for chocoholics and those who don’t realize they are chocoholics. 😉
You sure can drizzle! My drizzling never turns out that nice:) This would be what I would order at a restaurant – I’m not a fan of cake and they ALWAYS have that has their chocolate dessert. THIS is what I want after dinner! I would be the one on their fourth or seventh piece:)
Lol. I’m the same way! I want chocolaty chocolate. 🙂 For me, the key to a good drizzle is the utentsil. I have the best luck using a spoon.
This looks so rich and fabulous!
Thank you Dorothy! 🙂
Now THIS is what I’m making for any chocoholics birthday!
Exactly! Move over birthday cake…here comes birthday tort chocolate heaven. 🙂
Oh wow, this looks like chocolate heaven! How I wish I could have a piece of it right now! And hooray for the drizzle on top: it’s never enough chocolate! x
Hehe. You are so right…it’s never enough chocolate. 🙂
Oh my, this looks so rich and chocolatey! And so good! haha I love all the pecans in it too – they’re my favorite nut!
Thank you! Pecans are my favorite nut too. 🙂
Mmm definitely saving this recipe for the next time I’m craving chocolate!!
Sweet! Thanks Ashley. 🙂
Oh my, where’s the milk?!! This looks so rich and fudgy good!
Hehe. Got milk? We do go through a lot of milk in our house because I love it with most of the desserts I make…and I do tend to make a lot of them. 🙂
This looks absolutely amazing Tina! I’d like a big slice of this please with some milk! Delicious! 🙂
Thank you so much Anne!