Chocolate Torte Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly butter an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan or cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the parchment as well. If using a regular pan, you can also ring a layer of foil around the outside to prevent batter from escaping.

Melt chocolate and butter

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate and cubed unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir gently until fully melted and smooth, about 5–8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (3–5 minutes).

Whisk eggs and sugar

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the 6 whole large eggs with the granulated sugar until the mixture is pale, slightly thickened, and ribbons form when the whisk is lifted — about 3–4 minutes by hand or 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Whisk in the vanilla extract.

Combine chocolate and egg mixture

Temper the egg mixture by pouring about one-third of the warm melted chocolate mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Once combined, pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining chocolate and stir until homogeneous and glossy.

Fold in dry ingredients

Sift the all-purpose flour and salt together. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the sifted flour and salt into the chocolate batter just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix — you want to keep the batter airy.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared 8-inch pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated 325°F (165°C) oven for 25–35 minutes. The torte should have a thin crust on top; a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter. Baking time will vary with oven and pan; start checking at 20 minutes.

Cool and release

Remove the torte from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow it to cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes. Run a small knife around the edge and release the springform, or invert and lift the cake from the pan if using a removable-bottom pan. Let cool completely for best slicing, or serve slightly warm for a more molten texture.

Dust the top of the cooled torte lightly with unsweetened cocoa powder or powdered sugar using a fine mesh sieve. Serve slices with fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream to taste.