MOCK CHESTNUT TORTE

A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman
Makes 14 to 18 servings. This makes a rich but surprisingly light, torte.

Ingredients

Torte
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted Passover margarine
* 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 6 large eggs, separated
* 1 1/2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, fresh or canned
* 1 teaspoon Passover rum extract (optional)
* 10 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
* 1/2 cup water
* 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Toppings
* (optional)
* Unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
* Curls of semi-sweet chocolate
* Pureed strawberries or raspberries

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with baking parchment.

Torte:
In a mixing bowl, cream the unsalted margarine or butter with the 1/3
cup sugar. Blend in the egg yolks, then the mashed sweet potatoes, rum
extract (if using), and cooled chocolate.

In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites gently until
they are a bit foamy. Then add in the salt and whip on a higher speed,
slowly dusting in the two tablespoons of sugar to form stiff, glossy
(but not dry) peaks. Fold one third of the egg whites into the sweet
potato/chocolate mixture and work them in well to loosen the batter.
Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites, blending well but
taking care not to deflate the mixture. Spoon the batter into the
prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The cake rises and looks
dry, and slightly cracked on top when done. The middle should be soft
but firm. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
At this point, the cake can be frozen for up to a month. Even if
serving it the same day, chill the cake for an hour or two before
finishing it with the ganache glaze.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
In a double boiler, bring the water to a gentle boil and add the
chopped chocolate all at once. Remove from the heat and stir briskly
with a wire whisk until all the chocolate melts and you have a thick
glaze or sauce-like topping. Refrigerate for an hour or so. (You can
also make this ahead and refrigerate it for up to a week or two.
Simply warm it to the right temperature for glazing the cake.)

Invert the cake onto a cardboard circle or cake board so that the
smooth, flat bottom faces up. Do not be dismayed if this is not a high
cake — it is a torte and is meant to be a little less than statuesque.
Pour the glaze over the cake and, using a metal spatula, even out the
glaze and spread it along the sides.

Instead of the glaze, you can also simply sift some cocoa over the top
of the cake or decorate it with curls of chocolate (using a vegetable
peeler and a warmish chocolate bar). The cake can also be offered with
a pureed raspberry or strawberry sauce, garnished with chocolate
shavings, or left as is, with a citrus leaf, a sweetheart rose, or
several berries in the center.