Date, Dried-Cherry and Chocolate Torte

4.5(32)

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

by Deborah Madison·published 2004-08-20

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Servings

(6–10)

Total time

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Calories / serving

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Ingredients (18)

serves

1 cup Deglet Noor or Medjool dates (6 oz), pitted and each cut into 6 pieces
1/2 cup Black Sphinx or Medjool dates (3 oz), pitted and each cut into 6 pieces
1 cup dried cherries (preferably tart; 6 oz)cherry
1 teaspoon baking sodabaking-soda
1 cup boiling waterwater
1/4 cup brandybrandy
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flourflour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/2 teaspoon saltsalt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softenedbutter
3/4 cup sugarsugar
2 large eggs at room temperatureegg
1 teaspoon vanillavanilla
3/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zestorange
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped
3/4 cup pecans (4 1/2 oz), finely choppedpecan
Garnish: confectioners sugarsugar
Accompaniment: brandied whipped creamcream

Instructions (5 steps)

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04Beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until just combined. Beat in vanilla and zest. Add half of flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Add date mixture with liquid and beat at low speed until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate and pecans.

05Pour batter into a generously buttered 24-cm (9-inch) springform pan, smoothing top. Bake in middle of oven until center is slightly rounded and top of torte is cracked (edges will be dark brown), about 55 minutes. Let torte stand 5 minutes in pan on a rack. Run a sharp small knife around side of pan to loosen, then remove side. Cool torte on rack.