Flourless Chocolate and Pecan Torte

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and flour a 6 inch/16 cm cake tin (pan). Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, then mix in the melted chocolate, pecans and cinnamon.

2. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form stiff peaks. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen the texture, then, using a large metal spoon, fold in the remaining egg whites.

3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin. Level the top with the back of a spoon and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Leave to cool for at least 20 minutes, or until just slightly warm.

4. Meanwhile, warm the rum and sugar in a small saucepan and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool before mixing in the crème fraiche. Semi-whip the double (heavy) cream so it is still quite slack in a large bowl and fold through the crème fraiche mixture until fully blended.

5. Cut the torte into 8 equal sized pieces and serve warm with the cream.

Excerpted from Cooking with Curtis by Curtis Stone. Copyright 2006 by Whitecap Books Ltd. Excerpted with permission of Whitecap Books Ltd.