Let Them Eat Truffeltorte

The Swiss are justly famous for their sweets. Though they didn’t exactly invent chocolate, many will argue that they perfected it.

Here’s one example, a truffle cake that comes from the venerable Sprungli pastry shop in Zurich. In business since the middle of the last century, Sprungli is probably among the best half-dozen pastry shops in the world. It’s certainly a Swiss institution, and this cake is one of their specialties that is shipped the world over.

Basically, it’s a chocolate nut cake sandwiched and topped with the same chocolate filling that’s in a chocolate truffle--rich, luscious, and just the thing to woo that special someone.

Chocolate-orange tarts use the same type of filling for a delicate tartlet. By the way, if you can’t find tiny tartlet pans, use mini-muffin pans to bake the pastry shells. Just be sure they’re very well buttered.

The last dessert isn’t chocolate, but it’s a real Swiss classic. From the Engadin in southeastern Switzerland--where the really tall mountains are--comes the Nusstorte (walnut cake). Two crumbly layers of pastry encase a caramelized walnut filling--a perfect combination of flavor, texture and tailored appearance. Walnuts are common in the region, so it’s really native Swiss.

Whether you are a chocolate lover or not, Swiss desserts satisfy everybody’s sweet tooth, and I’ll bet they are just the key for any special day.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE (Truffeltorte)

CAKE BATTER

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely cut

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

2/3 cup sugar

8 eggs, separated

1 1/3 cups ground almonds

2/3 cup dry bread crumbs

TRUFFLE FILLING

2 cups whipping cream

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Cocoa powder for finishing

An adaptation of the truffle cake from the famous Sprungli pastry shop in Zurich, this dessert is easy to make in advance. Since it makes two cakes, one may be used immediately and the other refrigerated or frozen for later use.

Butter a 12x18-inch (or 11x17-inch) jelly roll pan and line with sheet of parchment. Butter paper.

CAKE BATTER

Melt chocolate in small bowl over hot water, stirring occasionally. Beat butter with 1/3 cup sugar until soft and light. Beat in melted chocolate. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine almonds and crumbs and stir into batter. Beat egg whites until very soft peaks form, then beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar in slow stream and beat until firm peaks form. Stir 1/4 of whites into batter, then fold in rest of whites with rubber spatula. Spread cake batter in buttered 11x17-inch jelly roll pan lined with buttered parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost dry, about 30 minutes. Slide cake from pan to rack to cool.

TRUFFLE FILLING

Meanwhile, combine cream, butter and corn syrup in pan and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and allow to stand 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Strain into bowl. Cover and refrigerate until thickened. Immediately before using filling, whisk by hand to lighten slightly.

To assemble cakes, divide baked cake into 6 (4x9-inch) layers. Place 2 layers on pieces of cardboard to make handling easier. Spread each with 1 thin layer of filling. Repeat with 2 more layers of cake. Place last layers on cakes and frost outside with thin layer of filling.

Divide remaining filling in half and place half on top of each cake. Smooth filling into wedge shape on top of each cake--slant short ends inward toward center of cake. Chill cakes to set filling. Dust very lightly with cocoa powder before serving.

20 servings. Each serving:

508 calories; 148 mg sodium; 141 mg cholesterol; 40 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.65 gram fiber.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE TARTS

CHOCOLATE DOUGH

1 cup unbleached flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

Dash salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces

1 egg, beaten

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE FILLING

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 pound semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces

1/2 cup orange liqueur

Candied orange peel to decorate

CHOCOLATE DOUGH

Sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and baking soda into mixing bowl. Cut in butter finely. Add egg and stir until dough holds together. Shape into disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE FILLING

Combine cream, butter and corn syrup in saucepan and stir well to mix. Bring to boil over low heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and allow to stand 5 minutes. Whisk smooth. Add liqueur and pour into bowl to cool.

Roll chilled dough on floured surface 1/8 inch thick. With floured fluted cutter, cut dough into 24 disks. Line 24 tartelette pans with disks of dough. Fill with dried beans. Bake tartelettes at 350 degrees until dough is baked through, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans. Remove beans and unmold.

Beat filling with electric mixer until light. Use pastry bag fitted with medium star tube to pipe large rosette of filling into each shell. Top each tart with strip of candied peel.

24 tartelettes. Each tartelette:

225 calories; 61 mg sodium; 33 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.24 gram fiber.

ENGADINER NUSSTORTE

DOUGH

3 cups unbleached flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

FILLING

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon water

2/3 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon honey

2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

The valley in southeastern Switzerland known as the Engadin has the distinction of having had more pastry cooks born to its population than any other part of the world. During the 19th Century, residents of Engadin emigrated to almost every inhabited area on earth and opened pastry shops. This walnut pastry is one of the great Engadin specialties.

DOUGH

Pulse flour and sugar in bowl of food processor to mix. Add butter and pulse again until powdery but not sticky. Add eggs and egg yolk and pulse to form ball of dough. Divide dough into 2 unequal pieces--1/3 of dough in one portion and 2/3 in other. Press each into disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

FILLING

Combine sugar and water in large saucepan. Stir to distribute water throughout sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar turns to deep amber caramel. Remove from heat. Add cream and honey. Return to heat and bring to boil. Boil about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts. Pour mixture into buttered bowl to cool slightly.

To assemble, roll larger piece of dough to line bottom and sides of a buttered, 9-inch springform pan. Pour in cooled filling and smooth top. Roll remaining dough into 9-inch round and place over filling. Ease extra dough on side of pan onto and over top crust to make border around edge.

Bake Nusstorte at 350 degrees on rack in lower third of oven until deep golden in color and somewhat firm when pressed with fingertips, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Cover loosely and keep at room temperature about 24 hours before serving.

12 generous servings: Each serving:

549 calories; 175 mg sodium; 118 mg cholesterol; 34 grams fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 1.01 grams fiber.