Chocolate Ganache Torte

With two pounds of chocolate, it's over-the-top rich.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated June 30, 2023
Elise Bauer
Chocolate Torte with caramel sauce
Elise Bauer

This over-the-top chocolate torte recipe comes here by way of my friend Rob Kent, who is famous among his friends for showing up at various birthday parties and special events bringing what is affectionately known as "Death by Chocolate".

I can only handle eating a piece of Rob's Chocolate Ganache Torte once every few years. It serves at least 20, so it's a great dessert to make for a gathering. Think giant chocolate truffle, in a chocolate cookie pecan crust, covered with a caramel sauce.

Chocolate Torte with caramel sauce
Elise Bauer

The Best Cookies for Making The Torte Crust

The crust for this torte is similar to a graham cracker crust, but made with pecans and thin chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco’s Famous chocolate wafers.

Process them together in a food processor, then add melted butter until the mixture holds together when pressed.

Simple Tip!

Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers are not longer available, but you can easily make this with other cookies. Here's what Rob says: "Instead of the wafers I’ve used a good crispy chocolate chip cookie in the mixer with enough butter to form a shell. Works pretty well. Shortbread cookies or pecan sandies would probably work well too."

Can This Recipe Be Made Gluten-Free?

The cookies contain the only gluten in this recipe, so swap them out for gluten-free chocolate wafers if you'd like to make a gluten-free dessert.

What to Make-Ahead (and What to Do Last Minute)

The crust and the ganache filling can be made the day before you plan to serve the torte. Keep refrigerated until you're ready to serve.

Wait to make the sauce until just before serving. The warm sauce over the chilled torte is what makes this dessert so special.

More Decadent Chocolate Desserts

Chocolate Ganache Torte

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 60 mins
Total Time 75 mins
Servings 20 servings

Rob Kent, who shared this recipe, says, "This torte was conceived by Freshfields restaurant in West Cornwall, CT. Astoundingly, they give away recipes, and I was merely brave enough to have asked for it."

Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers are not longer available, but you can easily make this with other cookies. Here's what Rob says: "Instead of the wafers I’ve used a good crispy chocolate chip cookie in the mixer with enough butter to form a shell. Works pretty well. Shortbread cookies or pecan sandies would probably work well too." I’ve also used just another brand of chocolate wafer cookie, any brand I can find will do.

Ingredients

For the shell:

  • One 9-ounce box Nabisco’s Famous chocolate wafers, or your favorite chocolate nut cookies (see recipe note)

  • 2/3 cup pecans

  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter, melted (you may need less)

For the filling:

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds the best available semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces (use brick chocolate, not chips)

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces/ 1 stick) butter, melted

  • 1 cup (or more) heavy whipping cream

For the sauce:

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces/ 1 stick) butter, melted

  • 2 1/4 cups (1 pound) sugar

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Special Equipment

  • Springform pan

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
  2. Prepare the crust:

    Process the wafers and pecans in a food processor (or chop by hand) until fine, then add enough melted butter so that it holds together when you press a little in your fist.

    Press this mixture evenly into the spring-form pan along the bottom and halfway up the sides.

    Bake in a 350°F oven at for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool.

  3. While the crust is baking, prepare the ganache filling:

    In double boiler (or a heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water), melt the butter and then add the chocolate.

    When chocolate has melted and is swirl-able, slowly add the whipping cream, stirring slowly, until mixture is blended and smooth. Pour ganache mixture into the prepared shell.

  4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  5. Prepare the caramel sauce before serving (the sauce, served warm, should accompany the torte, served cold):

    Melt the butter over medium high heat in a thick bottomed, high sided pot (at least 3-qt).

    Add the sugar. Stir to combine. Increase the heat to high. Stir as the sugar melts. It will take a few minutes.

    Once the mixture is melted, there may still be some lumps. Use a whisk and whisk to dissolve the lumps.

    When the mixture is brown and smooth, and the sugar all dissolved, remove from heat.

    Slowly add the cream, a quarter cup at a time, stirring briskly until well blended and smooth. Note that the mixture will bubble up and steam significantly as you add the cream. This is why we are using a high sided pot. Protect your hands with oven mitts or use a long handled wooden spoon to stir.

    The mixture will be very hot. Let cool until warm, but not hot, before serving.

    One nine-inch torte has been known to serve twenty adults, so be careful...

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
568 Calories
42g Fat
43g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 568
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g 54%
Saturated Fat 24g 122%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 180mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 60mg 5%
Iron 7mg 36%
Potassium 350mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.