Kathy's Gluten Free Chocolate Torte

You won't believe it's gluten free. Ground nuts replace the flour in this recipe.

KATHY'S GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE TORTE

1/2 cup soft butter
5 egg yolks

1 cup chocolate chips melted

5 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1 Tablespoon

1 1/4 cups ground walnuts, pecans or almonds

The original recipe: Cream butter, and egg yolks one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chips.

In a separate bowl beat egg whites to soft peaks, gradually add sugar to stiff peaks. Fold 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites.

Add ground nuts. Fold in. Pour into greased and floured (REMEMBER if you are making this gluten free, don't dust pan with flour, used ground nuts) 9" springform pan. Bake 350 for 35-40 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out clean. Cool 15 minutes, run knife around edges to loosen, remove sides. Cool completely.

NOTE: I have also made this recipe by mixing all ingredients together without beating up the egg whites. I thought it came out just as good...in fact perhaps better. Try it either way, then add the Chocolate Glaze below.


CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup chocolate chips

Put ingredients in microwave for 60 seconds on high, stir, heat another 30 seconds, stir. if necessary heat another 20 seconds and stir until all chocolate is melted. Spread on torte. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Serve with whipped topping. For an extra touch serve with raspberry sauce. I didn't have raspberry sauce so I put a spoon of raspberry jam on the plate and microwaved for 60 seconds to melt then put wedge on melted jam, microwave again for 20 seconds to soften torte, add whipped topping and eat. Yummy!

NOTE: To find more gluten free recipes click on Kathy's Gluten Free Chocolate Torte in the column at the left under recent posts.

Update on the Black Hole

Remember the Black hole? The original post was on October 23, 2007. The Black Hole is not looking very large here but it has been a few years...I think! We are finally getting to use it for fire wood. It is also the downed tree I thought was going to turn me into a Bee Keeper. But sadly, that did not happen. My bees (that weren't really mine at all) went away. :( Most likely it is for the best. I really don't have time for all the extra attention they would need. Of course I don't know how much attention that would be, I only know I don't have any extra time. But I sure would love to have all that extra honey and having bees around can't be all bad. I mean we have to have cross pollination don't we? Here is what is left of my Honey Bees. I don't know where they went but I was sure hoping for some of their delicious honey. Guess I'll have to buy it.

There was a lot of what a gardener would refer to as Black Gold around the roots of that monster tree. And I am planning to haul much of it back to add to my veggie gardens. I haven't added much in the way of soil amendments recently so it is high time I did.

Here is what we needed to get hold of that tree. I'm told it was a huge Oak Tree however I neglected to check that out when I was back there taking these pics. Of course it was two years ago that it fell so perhaps there are no leaves. I can not distinguish trees by looking at their bark and when it first went down it was hung up on some other trees so with all the branches mixed together it was difficult to tell if it was maple or oak.

The guys also made a larger trail to get my dad's tractor and cart back there. No lawn tractor and cart for this job. I was standing on the end of the tree trunk for this shot and you still can't see the full length of it. They are still working on cutting it up. I am interested in seeing the inside of this tree where the honey bees made their honey.