Chocolate Walnut Torte

(serves 8). Butter, line with paper, butter and flour a 9" springform pan Heat oven to 300F. Cream butter. Add sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes. Add yolks one at a time. Stir in chocolate and walnut mixture using rubber spatula. Sprinkle sugar in egg whites, whisking until glossy. Fold into chocolate mixture. Transfer to springform pan, smooth top with spatula. Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 60-70 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Remove ring, leave torte on pan bottom because it is delicate. Brush melted chocolate onto shiny side (leave some of stem uncovered) of rose leaves. Cool, refrigerate until set. Peel leaves away from chocolate. Whip cream in bowl set in ice water until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla, whipping until soft peaks form again . Spread over top and side of cake, chill about 1 hour. Make paper piping cone and fill with melted chocolate, and pipe lines over top of cake. Or drizzle from a spoon. Arrange chocolate leaves around cake. Chocolate Almond Torte (variation of Chocolate Walnut Torte, nondairy if you use margarine) Replace walnuts with whole blanched almonds. Instead of cream and chocolate, decorate as follows: Cut 4-5 3/4" wide strips of cardboard, lay parallel on top of cake. Sprinkle confectioners sugar over. Lift off strips, shake off sugar. Lay back on cake on diagonal to sugar lines. Sift cocoa powder over cake. Remove strips.