Decadent holiday chocolate torte

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
  
       Title: Decadent Holiday Chocolate Torte
  Categories: Cheesecakes, Chocolate
       Yield: 1 servings
  
       3    Eggs; separated
     1/8 ts Cream of tartar
   1 1/2 c  Sugar
       1 c  Butter or margarine; melted
       2 ts Vanilla extract
     1/2 c  All-purpose flour
     1/2 c  Hershey's cocoa
            Or hershey's european style
            -cocoa
     1/4 c  Water
       1 c  Finely chopped pecans
            Semi-sweet glaze (recipe
            -follows)
            Snowy white cut-outs
            -(optional)
            Hershey's holiday candy
            -coated bits
            (optional)
  
   Recipe by: www.hersheys.com
   Heat oven to 350F. Line bottom and sides of 9-inch
   springform pan with foil; grease foil. In small bowl, beat
   egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. In
   large bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, melted butter and
   vanilla until well blended. Add flour, cocoa and water;
   stir in pecans. Gradually fold reserved egg white mixture
   into chocolate mixture; spread into prepared pan. Bake 45
   to 55 minutes or until firm to touch; cool completely in
   pan on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate; remove foil.
   Cover; refrigerate. Prepare SEMI-SWEET GLAZE. Spread top
   and sides of torte with prepared glaze. Cover; refrigerate.
   Prepare SNOW WHITE CUT-OUTS, if desired; garnish top of
   torte with cut-outs. Press holiday bits onto sides, if
   desired. 12 servings.
   SEMI-SWEET GLAZE:
   In small microwave-safe bowl, place 1 cup HERSHEY'S
   Semi-Sweet Chips and 1/3 cup whipping cream. Microwave at
   HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir until smooth. Use immediately.
   SNOWY WHITE CUT-OUTS:
   Line tray with heavy duty foil. Melt 1-2/3 cups (10-oz.
   pkg.) HERSHEY'S Premier White Chips and 1 teaspoon
   shortening (do not use butter, margarine or oil) as
   directed on package. Immediately spread mixture about
   1/8-inch thick on prepared tray. Before mixture is firm,
   using small cookie cutters cut into desired shapes; do not
   remove from tray. Cover; refrigerate until firm. Gently
   peel off shapes. Decorate with writing gel, if desired.
   JMHershey's  is a registered trademark of Hershey Foods
   Corporation. This recipe may be reprinted (with
   attribution) courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens.
  
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