Hungarian Chocolate-Walnut Torte

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar (if using half semisweet and half sweet chocolate) or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (if using all semisweet chocolate)
• 6 ounces fine-quality chocolate
• preferably half dark sweet (sometimes labeled German's Sweet Chocolate)
• and half semisweet
• but all semisweet is also delicious; cut into small pieces
• 6 large eggs
• separated
• 6 ounces shelled walnuts (1 3/4 to 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons matzoh meal
• Optional accompaniments: Passover Confectioners' Sugar (recipe below) or Chocolate Icing (recipe below); heavy cream
• freshly whipped to soft drifts and barely or very lightly sweetened; or vanilla ice cream
• Optional garnish: walnut halves
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter or margarine
• 6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
• cut into small pieces

Instructions

1. 1

   Have all ingredients at room temperature.

2. 2

   Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or wax paper.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 350°F.

4. 4

   In a heavy-bottomed 2-or 3-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium heat.

5. 5

   Continue boiling and stirring until all the grains of sugar have completely dissolved and the mixture forms a simple syrup.

6. 6

   Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth.

7. 7

   Set aside to cool.

8. 8

   In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until light and thickened, about 4 minutes.

9. 9

   Grind the walnuts with the remaining sugar and the matzoh meal in a food processor using the pulse motion and stir into the egg yolks.

10. 10

    Add the cooled chocolate mixture and combine thoroughly.

11. 11

    Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites in another bowl until they hold stiff peaks.

12. 12

    Gradually fold the whites into the chocolate-walnut mixture, incorporating them gently but thoroughly so that no whites are visible.

13. 13

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed and almost set but still a little gooey in the center.

14. 14

    A wooden toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge should come out clean.

15. 15

    Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack.