Much-easier-than-it-looks triple chocolate torte

 
              Much-easier-than-it-looks Triple Chocolate Torte
 
 Recipe By     : Joshua Brown 
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         TORTE
    1      pound         cake, frozen
    2      cups          creamy ricotta cheese
    3      tablespoons   sugar
    3      tablespoons   semisweet chocolate
    2      tablespoons   Bacardi White Rum 
    1      cup           Raspberry freezer-jam 
    1      teaspoon      vanilla extract
 
                         FROSTING
    2      cups          powdered sugar
    4      tablespoons   butter
    3      tablespoons   dutch processed cocoa powder
      1/3  cup           boiling water
 
   Keep the chocolate in the freezer until you need it. Let the Jam thaw
  out on the counter.
 
   The hardest part of this is cutting and frosting the cake. To cut it,
  measure the frozen cakee into three equal, stackable sections. Here is an
  illustration:
 
 
      +---------+
     /         /!
    +---------+ !
    !_ _ _ _ _!/!
    ! _ _ _ _ !/!
    !_________!/
 
    Mark your measurements with toothpicks. Turn the cake on its side and
  gently cut it into three layers. Use an electric knife if you have one!
  Put the cake back into the freezer while you complete the next step.
 
    In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla until well
  blended. You may mix with a spoon or a hand mixer. Take the chocolate
  from the freezer and use a knife to flake off the chocolate into small
  chips (about 1/4 the size of chocolate chips or smaller). Gently mix the
  flaked chocolate into the ricotta cheese. You want the chips to be large
  enough that they are just slightly crunchy when chilled.
 
    Heat your rasperry jam or other fruity filling on the stove until it is
  hot but not scalding to the touch. Add the rum (Grand Mariner or Brandy
  is also Acceptable) to the fruit filling. Remove from the heat.
 
    Pull your cake out of the freezer in the interest of a nice looking
  finished product, place the bottom layer of your cake on your serving
  plate and cut four pieces of waxed paper. Put a piece of waxed paper
  about 1" under each edge of the cake, like so:
 
       %%%%%%%%%
       %%%wax%%%
       %%paper%%
       %%%%%%%%%
  %%%%%XXXXXXXXX%%%%%
  %%%%%XXXcakeXX%%%%%
  %%%%%XXXXXXXXX%%%%%
       %%%%%%%%%
       %%%%%%%%%
       %%%%%%%%%
 
  don't push it more than about 1" under, or you will have a hard time
  getting it out without ruining the cake. The paper is there to catch any
  drippings from the fillings or frosting. If you have done this many
  times, or if you are very experienced and have a steady hand, you can
  probably omit this step.
 
    On top of the bottom layer, apply 1/3 C of your hot fruity filling.
  Start by drizzling some of the syropy part of the mixture, then add some
  of the chunky stuff as well. Apply this only to the CENTER of the cake,
  not to close to the edges. Now spread roughly half of the ricotta filling
  over the fruit mixture. Put the second layer of cake on top and use your
  spoon like a trowel to make the edges nices and smoothe, using the
  filling like mortar and the cake like bricks. Repeat this a second time
  with the next layer. You should reserve at least 1/4 cup of the more
  syropy part of the fruit mixture and a tablespoon of ricotta. When done,
  put the whole thing back in the fridge.
 
    In a deep bowl, mix the coca powder and the powdered sugar with a pinch
  of salt. Melt the butter and blend it into the powdered mixture with a
  hand mixer until it froms little balls. Add the rest of the warm fruit
  mixture (should be 1/4 cup)  and the 1/2 tsp vanilla and blend in HIGH
  for thirty seconds. Little by little, add boiling water and mix on HIGH
  until the mixture becomes smooth and runny enough pour (should be thicker
  than maple syrop or gravy, but not as thick as fudge!). Spread this
  mixture over the TOP of the torte, and let it run down the sides,
  aspecially at the corners. It should be thick enough that it does not run
  all the way down the sides.
 
  Let this cool for a few minutes and then pull out the wax paper. Use
  the remaining ricotta mixture to make a decorative dallop on top of the
  frosting right in the middle of the torte.
 
    You should cover the torte and let it sit in the fridge for about 1 hr
  before serving. Use a bell or a large bowl to cover it, NOT saran wrap!
  (This tends to stick to the frosting and ruin the way it looks.)
 
  The whole thing is a little complicated, but there is no baking or
  cooking involved. After a couple of tries, I was able to make this in
  about 35 minutes every time, which is pretty good for how it looks when
  you're done. I made this for many people, and they were invariably
  IMPRESSED by the way it looked and by how good it tasted.
 
  Giving credit where credit is due, I got the idea for this from a nice
  little cookbook which I can't remeber the name of. I think it was a
  make-a-mix book or something by the same author. I modified it to suit my
  own tastes.
 
  Please enjoy and let me know what you think!
 
 
 
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