---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05 Title: Chocolate Torte with Apricot Filling Categories: Cheesecakes, Chocolate Yield: 1 servings Cake: 6 lg Eggs 3/4 c Sugar/ minus 1 tbs 1 ts Vanilla extract 1/2 c Plus 1 tb sifted all-purpose -flour 1/4 c Sifted unsweetened cocoa 1 ts Ground allspice 1 ts Ground cinnamon 1/4 ts Ground nutmeg Frosting and filling: 1 1/2 c Part-skim ricotta cheese 1/4 c Plus 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa 2 tb Instant espresso powder 3 tb Sugar 2 ts Vanilla extract 1/8 ts Salt 3/4 c Apricot all-fruit spread Garnish: strawberries Recipe by: NAFY67C@prodigy.com (DEBORAH EPSTEIN) Heat oven to 350. For cake: Spray two 8 inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at high speed, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thick and tripled in volume, abuot 7 minutes. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Using a large spatula, quickly and gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until smooth. Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean,a bout 15 minutes. Cool completely in the pans set on racks. For frosting: In a food processor or blender, process the ricotta cheese, cocoa powder, espresso powder, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Cover and chill the frosting until ready to use. Whent he cake is cool, turn it out of the pans. With a long serrated knife split each layer in half horizontally and spread the bottom of each layer wtih half of the apricot all-fruit spread. Carefully replace the top halfs. Spread half of the frosting evenly over the top of one of the filled layers. Stack the second layer on top of the first. Swirl teh remaining frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Garnish with whole strawberries, if desired. My note: to cut the cake layers another way, try using thread. From Creative Chef II.JM. -----