Recipes From The Saucy Sisters

Chocolate Pecan Torte

This torte is one of our all-time favorite chocolate dessert recipes - and always a smashing last course at dinner parties. It was given to Barbara by her one-time Washington, D.C. roommate, Ann Arnold. Barbara has dolled it up a bit over the years to suit her sense of the dramatic.

Torte
4 egg whites
1 c. sugar
35 Ritz Crackers, processed into crumbs
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped pecans
1 T baking powder

Topping
1 pt. heavy cream
4 T sugar (or to taste)
4 T cocoa powder

Chocolate Curls
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat egg whites until peaks begin to form. Add sugar and beat until stiff. In a separate bowl, combine cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, pecans and baking powder. Fold the crumb mixture into the egg whites. Pour into a greased pie plate and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and cocoa powder and beat until stiff. Top the torte with the chocolate cream and refrigerate.

Melt the chocolate chips and spread in a thin layer over the surface of a cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan. Refrigerate for a few minutes until the chocolate is firm but not hard. Use a metal spatula to scrape strips of chocolate to form curls. Decorate the top of the torte with chocolate curls.