Divinely Decadent Chocolate Torte

Perfect ending to your Easter feast, and to add color, you could top it with fresh raspberries*.
(serves 12)

Torte:
14 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup unsalted Kerrygold* butter, cubed
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
3/4 cup white sugar, divided
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. dark rum (optional)
Cooking spray
Parchment paper
Foil
Waxed paper

Ganache:
1&1/4 cup heavy cream
1 lb. bittersweet chocolate chips

Spray a  9" springform pan with non-stick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and wrap outside of pan with foil. Combine 14 oz. of the bittersweet chocolate with the cubed butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on half power for one min. Stir. Microwave 30 secs. at a time until chocolate and butter are almost completely melted. Stir until completely melted and incorporated. Cool. In a med. bowl, whip egg yolks with half of the sugar (6 T.), until thick and pale, about 5 mins. Fold cooled chocolate in the yolks along with vanilla and rum. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar. Continue to whip to med. stiff peaks. Fold in egg whites into the chocolate mixture a third at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake a 350 for 45-50 mins., until the top of the cake is puffed and cracked. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack. The top will fall. To make the ganache: Pour heavy cream into a sauce pan and heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and stir in remaining lb. of chocolate. Press down gently on top of the cake to make it somewhat uniformly flat. Remove sides from pan and invert cake onto a plate with edges lined with waxed paper. Remove parchment paper from cake and ladel warm ganache over the top. Spread out to cover the sides of the torte. Let stand until set. You can then remove the waxed paper and have a drip-free plate for presentation.

"Let your soul shine" today. And, I thank God for the life of Alan George Hipps on the day of his birth.

Love,

MM