Truffle Torte

If you are looking for a satisfying, rich, delicious chocolate dessert - this is it! The best way to describe this is a chocolate truffle in cake or pie form, which truly melts in your mouth. It takes a few extra steps to make, especially if you choose to decorate it, but it doesn't require many ingredients. It doesn't need a lot of decoration, but a few simple things can transform this into a really special dessert. 

Truffle Torte
9-inch chocolate crust
16 squares (one ounce/ 28 grams each) semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup hard margarine, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the bottom outside of the pan with foil. Preheat oven to 425◦F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

Press the crust firmly into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in a larger pan. 
In a medium bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave for one minute. Stir, then microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth. Add the butter and stir until melted, then add the vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, one at a time. Then gently fold in the egg whites. Pour over prepared crust. 

Pour boiling water into the larger pan so it reaches halfway up the sides of the round pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until outer edge is set. Middle may appear soft. Remove from water bath, then remove foil and side of pan. Let cool, then chill for several hours. 
Garnish with chocolate glaze, ganache, frosting, sauce, fruit, chocolate curls, flakes, or as desired. 

I used what I thought was the perfect chocolate crust recipe to match this torte, but I wonder if it would work without a crust, as it doesn't seem absolutely necessary. I may try that next time. I decorated mine with chocolate ganache, chocolate piping, chocolate filigree hearts, and strawberries.