Chocolate Pomegranate Torte

 

Ingredients:

20 Oreo cookies

4 T butter, melted

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate

2 sticks butter, cubed

1/4 c orange liqueur

8 eggs

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

Pomegranate seeds

Confectioners' sugar

White Chocolate Hearts (if desired)

Preheat oven to 325*

Cover bottom of 9" springform pan with parchment.  Wrap outside with heavy duty aluminum foil. Set aside.

Place cookies in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer until small crumbs.

Place in a bowl and add melted butter.  Stir until well combined and press into the bottom of the springform pan.

In a bain marie or double boiler, add butter, chocolate and liqueur.  Heat over medium heat until melted.  Place eggs, vanilla & salt in the bowl of a mixer and beat until doubled in size and frothy.

Fold into chocolate mixture a small amount at a time to avoid cooking the eggs.  Once completely folded in, pour on top of crust and place springform pan in a large roasting pan.  Place on center rack in oven and pour hot water into roasting pan until it reaches halfway up cake pan.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until the outside edges of the torte are firm.

Turn off heat, remove from water bath and let cool to room temperature.  Afterwards, chill in frig for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove torte from springform pan and turn out onto a cake plate.

Place a doily on top and sift confectioners' sugar over it.  Lift off doily and add pomegranate seeds.  You can also melt white chocolate and make hearts on wax paper. Add a stem to the hearts in order to stick into the torte. When chocolate hardens, carefully remove and attach to the center of the torte.