Wheat-Free Chocolate Decadence

This is La Maxine (sorry, I think I said La Maxim before). Anyway:

You can really go all out decorating this one but it's still yummy with just the cake and the frosting. Also, if milk is also an issue, Baker's baking chocolates do not have milk fat added to them (surprisingly, many dark chocolate products have milk fat added to
them); you can substitute chopped semi-sweet baking chocolate for the chips), and you can substitute margarine for the butter (*not* a low-fat margarine, though --- most are half water and you'll end up with mush)

CAKE/TORTE
Heat oven and prepare pans as in Killer Cake (350 degrees, grease and
paper 9" pans)

Heat until warm over low heat, stirring constantly
1-1/2 C sugar
1/3 C water
1-1/2 t. instant espresso powder (plain instant coffee will do)

Stir in
1-1/2 C chocolate chips
1-1/2 t. vanilla extract
Warm and stir till chocolate melts, then cool 5 minutes

In a large mixer bowl, cream
9 T unsalted butter

Add one at a time, beating well after each addition 12 egg yolks (whites go in later)

Gradually beat in
Chocolate mixture (above)
1-1/2 C finely ground walnuts
3 T fine dry bread crumbs (can make with a wheat-free bread if gluten
a problem)

In yet another bowl, beat till still peaks form
12 egg whites
1/4 t salt

Fold a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder

Bake 50-60 minutes, till cake tester comes out dry.
Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pans. (Will settle as it cools)

COFFEE-CHOCOLATE ICING
Heat over low heat till chocolate melts
1-1/3 C chocolate chips
1/3 C water
4 t. instant espresso powder

Refrigerate till cold (about 20 minutes)

In a large mixer bowl, cream 1 C PLUS 2 T. unsalted butter

Beat in
3 egg yolks (sorry, you don't use the whites this time --- go make a low-cholesterol omelet, because you're going to need it!)

Gradually beat in
1 C powdered sugar
Cool chocolate mixture

Assemble the cake as per usual (If you want to decorate, use about 2 C to frost and reserve the rest to decorate). Then, if you want to really glitz it up, make

CHOCOLATE TRIANGLES
Melt together
1 C. chocolate chips
1 t. vegetable shortening
1 t. instant espresso powder

When smooth, pour onto baking sheet lined with foil so you have a 6"x5"x1/8" rectangle.

Repeat the above using 1 C milk chocolate chips (plus the shortening and coffee powder)

When hardened, cut rectangles in half crosswise, then in quarters lengthwise (so you have 8 rectangles). Cut each along the diagonal so you have 16 triangles.

Take 1-1/2 C chopped walnuts and press them into the sides of the cake.
Pipe a pretty little border around the top edge of the cake.
Alternating the colors, press 10-12 triangles into the top of the cake (so you have a little windmill effect) and press the rest around theedges of the cake. People will oooo and aaaaah.

Thanks to Karen Webb!