Chocolate Cinnamon Torte

Photo: flickr user moonrat42

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups (1 pt.) heavy cream

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 pt. fresh red raspberries

Preparation

In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs until well mixed. At low speed, beat in baking powder, 2 cups flour and cinnamon until soft dough forms. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and enough of remaining flour until dough is firm enough to spread and keep its shape. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Tear three 14-inch lengths of heavy-duty foil. Draw a 12-inch square on each piece of foil. With flexible bladed metal spatula, spread a third of dough into 12-inch square on each foil. (To make layer as even as possible, cover with piece of waxed paper and with rolling pin, roll out dough to fill square. Remove paper carefully.)

Place foil with rolled dough on large baking sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned on edges but still soft in center. While cookie is still soft and warm, measure and cut cookie through foil into three 4-inch wide rectangles. Cool and handle rectangles carefully.

In saucepan, combine 1 cup cream and chocolate. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and bubbles. Pour into bowl; cover and chill. When chocolate is cold, stir in remaining 1 cup cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whip chocolate cream until peaks form. Do not over beat; it can curdle.

To assemble torte, remove foil from 1 rectangle; place cookie on serving plate. Spread with 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup chocolate mixture. Repeat to use up cookies and filling, ending with chocolate on top. Rinse and pat berries dry. Place on top of torte. Refrigerate torte 2 hours to let cookies soften. Serves 10.