Chocolate Torte Recipe

Prepare oven and pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the parchment and lightly dust the sides with cocoa powder or flour, tapping out excess.

Melt chocolate and butter

Place chopped bittersweet chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a simmering pot of water (double boiler) or microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (2–3 minutes).

Whisk eggs and sugar

In a large bowl, whisk the 6 whole eggs with 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until mixture is glossy and slightly thickened (about 2–3 minutes by hand or 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer).

Combine chocolate and eggs

Temper the egg mixture by spooning 1/3 of the warm melted chocolate mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly, then fold the tempered eggs back into the remaining chocolate until fully combined and smooth.

Add dry ingredients

Sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Gently fold the dry mixture into the chocolate-egg batter using a spatula until no streaks remain. Do not overmix.

Bake

Pour batter into prepared springform pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 28–35 minutes, until the center is set but still slightly soft (a toothpick inserted near the center should come out with a few moist crumbs). Exact time depends on oven and pan; err on slightly underbaked for a fudgier torte.

Cool and release

Remove from oven and let the torte cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the pan edge, release the springform, and let cool further to room temperature. For cleaner slices, chill for 1–2 hours before slicing.

Finish

Just before serving, dust the top lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Slice with a sharp knife warmed in hot water and dried between cuts for neat slices.

Make simple syrup

Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Prepare raspberry purée

Place 12 oz raspberries and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds, using a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible.

Combine and chill

Stir the cooled simple syrup into the strained raspberry purée. Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon to balance acidity. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least 1 hour) until cold.

Churn and freeze

Freeze the chilled raspberry mixture in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until it reaches a soft-sorbet consistency (typically 20–30 minutes). Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and freeze at least 2 hours to firm up. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, pour into a shallow metal pan and freeze, stirring vigorously every 30 minutes until smooth (about 2–3 hours).

Spoon or place one generous slice of chocolate torte on each dessert plate. Add a scoop or quenelle of raspberry sorbet beside the torte. Garnish with 1–2 fresh raspberries and a mint leaf. Serve immediately so sorbet remains firm while torte is slightly chilled or room temperature.