Chocolate Amaretto Torta

First of all I'm so sorry I forgot to post yesterday. I'll post twice today to make up for it. Plus I have to in order to get all of the chocolate recipes on here.

This particular recipe is one of the more involved ones. One nice thing is that it calls for a pre-prepared pound cake. Now, it calls for one that has been baked in a 9 inch spring form pan, but I'm sure you could make it with a store-bought cake if you so desired. I'm more of a "make it yourself" person, but I completely understand that sometimes you're in charge of making dessert for a party and you just have no time to bake anything or your oven's not cooperating. The recipe does require you to chill it overnight, but anything that can be done the day before and finished on the day of is good in my book.

I'd put good money that this recipe came from Michelle's catering days. From what I know of catering (admittedly not very much), things that can be partially done a day or two in advance are always good. The less you leave to do right before serving, the better off you are. I, sadly, never got to know Michelle during her catering days, but I did get to see her planning and preparing a few different luncheons or dinners that she and her friend auctioned off to benefit Children's Hospital. It always sounded fantastic, and she always put her heart and soul into it every time.

Chocolate Amaretto Torta

One pound cake, baked in a 9 inch springform pan
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tsp sugar
3 eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/4 cup amaretto
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tb sugar
1 tsp vanilla
12 cup toasted, sliced almonds
Chocolate curls for decoration

Melt chocolate chips, then beat in 2 Tb amaretto. Add 1 tsp sugar to egg yolks and beat until thick and lemon colored. Beat (quickly) into the chocolate mixture.

Beat egg whites just (this is underlined) until stiff peaks form. Stir in 1/4 of the whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites. Whip 1/2 cup cream and fold in.

Cut cake into two layers. Put bottom back into the pan and sprinkle with 1 Tb amaretto and spread with 1/2 of the chocolate filling. Sprinkle with 2 Tb almonds. Cover with other layer, cut side up. Sprinkle with 1 Tb amaretto and spoon on remaining chocolate filling. Chill overnight.

Whip remaining ingredients (1/2 cup cream, 1 Tb sugar, 1 tsp vanilla as far as I can tell). Loosen cake and unmold. Spread cream on sides and pat with almonds. Arrange chocolate curls on top.