According to Molly O’Neill, author of New York Cookbook: From Pelham Bay to Park Avenue, Firehouses to Four-Star Restaurants (one of my very favorite cookbooks), Serendipity’s Miss Milton’s Lovely Fudge Pie was “sometimes shipped to Marilyn Monroe on Movie Locations.” The finished “pie” is not really a pie at all, and is sort of a cross between a flourless chocolate cake, a chocolate soufflé, and a chocolate cake with a ribbon of strawberry jam running through it. Over the years, I have tweaked the basic recipe a little here and there to accommodate the requests of my catering clients. My version of this decadent dessert, which I call Miss Marilyn’s Lovely Fudge Torte is a 10-inch “pie” which serves 16 chocoholics. Rather than strawberry jam, which I think is very pedestrian, I usually use raspberry, although orange marmalade is also luscious.

This is not a difficult dessert to make; the key is to not overbake it - it should still be moist and soft in the center when taken from the oven.

16 Servings

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup raspberry jam (or substitute orange marmalade, apricot, or strawberry)

2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 300°.


2. Line an 10" springform pan with parchment, then butter the parchment or spray with non-stick spray.


3. Cream the butter and sugar until light; add the egg yolks and mix well.


4. Stir in the flour, salt, chocolate, and vanilla and mix until smooth.


5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold them carefully into the chocolate mixture.


6. Spread about 1/3 of the batter mixture over the bottom of the prepared springform pan.


7. Stir the jam to thin it, then drizzle it over the batter, making sure it doesn’t touch the sides.


8. Spoon the remaining batter over the top of the jam and spread evenly.


9. Bake about 45 minutes, checking often the last 10 minutes. The top of the cake should be set, but it will still be quite soft, especially in the middle; this is as it should be since it will continue to set a little more as it cools.


10. Whip the cream until soft peaks form.


11. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until stiff.


12. Pipe the cream decoratively onto the cake or spoon over each serving
    
13. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint sprigs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 404 Calories from Fat 254
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 63% Protein 5% Carb. 32%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 28 g
Saturated Fat 17 g
Cholesterol 152 mg
Sodium 227 mg
Total Carbohydrate 33 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 13 g
Protein 5 g

Vitamin A 20% Vitamin C 1% Calcium 0% Iron 5%