Chocolate Orange Mix Torte

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: one hour, five minutes

Ingredients:

Strawberry Sauce:
two cups fresh strawberries, cut in half, divided use
1/2 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
.
Torte:
3/4 pound margarine, unsalted or pareve
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
two Tablespoons orange liqueur
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 cup miniature chocolate chips for garnish, optional

Preparation:

Place one cup of halved strawberries (retain the rest for garnish) in a zip-top bag. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar & shake to coat. Refrigerate while you make the torte.

Place margarine, sugar, orange juice, orange liqueur, & coffee in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir until combined & smooth. Remove from heat & stir in vanilla. Add chocolate & stir until melted & blended. Let cold.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

When chocolate mixture is cold, whisk in the eggs until thoroughly combined. Pour in to prepared pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until top has a slight crust & middle is set.

Let chocolate torte cold to room temperature, then refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

When prepared to serve, place sugared strawberries in a blender or food processor & pulse to puree. Pour strawberry sauce over the cake, sprinkle with chocolate chips, & decorate with remaining strawberry halves.

Yield: 14 to 16 servings