Raspberry Cream Torte

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• Shortbread:
• 1 Tb. softened butter
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1-1/4 c. flour
• Cake:
• 4 eggs, separated, PLUS 2 egg yolks (make meringue AIR COOKIES with the whites)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3.4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• Filling:
• 1/2 lb. fresh raspberries
• 1 Tb. raspberry liqueur (or Brandy)
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• scant 1/4 c. water
• 2 c. heavy whipping cream
• generous 1/2 c. powdered sugar (sifted)
• Decorations:
• 1 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tb. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. toasted slivered almonds (opt)

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Shortbread Base:
Cream butter and sugar in med. bow. Add flour; work into a dough. Press into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap; Refrigerate 2 hrs.

Grease 15-1/2"x10-1/2" pan. Line with waxed paper, and grease paper too. PREHEAT oven to 425.

Cake:
Beat 6 egg yolks & half the sugar in medium bowl until pale and creamy (5-10 min). Beat egg whites (separate bowl) until stiff; beat in remaining sugar. Fold egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture. Sift flour and cocoa powder onto egg mixture; fold in carefully (rubber scraper is best). Spread evenly in prepared pan (above). Bake 8 min (or until wooden pick comes out clean). ** Do not turn off oven; reduce heat to 375. ** Sprinkle a sheet of waxed paper with sugar; turn out cooked cake onto it. Peel off lining paper. Cover with a damp towel and roll up with towel on the inside. Cool.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out shortbread dough to fit the bottom of a 10" springform cake pan. Place dough round in pan. Bake 15-20 min, or until golden. Cool in pan.

Filling:
Lightly crush 2/3 of raspberries in small bowl; stir in liqueur. (Reserve other raspberries to decorate top) Dissolve geltin in water over low heat; cool slightly. Whip cream with powdered sugar until stiff. Fold in cooled, dissolved gelatin and crushed berry mixture. ... Unroll cooled cake and spread evenly with fruit & cream mixure. Cut lengthwise into 6 even strips. Roll up one of the strips; stand it upright in the center of the cooled shortbread. Shape the other strips carefully into circles around the center roll, until the whole shortbread base has been covered. Refrigerate until filling is firm.

Decorate: Whip cream with powdered sugar, until stiff. Remove cake from sides of pan and place on serving plate. Spread whipped cream over sides and top of cake. You can garnish with dollops of cream and a raspberry on top; sprinkle with almonds (if desired)