A Recipe to Share: Chocolate-Cranberry Torte

Photo by Mark Thomas, Bon Appetit, December 2003

This Thanksgiving, we celebrated at our friends' house with five other couples and our children. What a multi-ethnic gathering! There were guests from Mexico, China, Germany, Russia, and Israel. I felt extremely monolingual, but also very proud to be an American, as all the immigrant guests gave thanks for this country that truly does welcome, incorporate, and celebrate people from all over the world.

One of the fun things about having such a diverse gathering was that everyone brought a dish to pass. My personal favorite was a traditional Rosh Hashana dish of carrots, raisins, and date syrup--not your traditional glazed carrots. As you might have expected, I asked to bring dessert. In addition to the traditional apple and pumpkin pies, I made a decadent Chocolate-Cranberry Torte that I have had my eye on for years now. I knew it was going to be extremely rich and also time consuming, and I was waiting for a large enough gathering to warrant making it. This thanksgiving afforded the perfect opportunity.

Here is the link to the recipe, again, for those of you who would like to try it out. It was truly one of the most delicious desserts I have ever made, and certainly among the most beautiful. I don't have a photo to upload at the moment, but my version ended up being just as beautiful as the picture here, and trust me, I'm not the world's most accomplished cake decorator.

I give you fair warning, though--it is over-the-top rich! The recipe says it serves 8-10, but in reality, it seems you could double--if not triple!--that estimate. So, if you're going to make it, be sure you have lots of mouths to feed. In any case, it was well worth the effort, and would make a fabulous Christmas dessert, as well. Bon Appetit!