- 1 2/3 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted pistachios
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon hot water
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches. Beat granulated sugar, 3/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour and baking powder alternately with 2/3 cup milk on low speed. Fold 1/3 cup of the nuts into batter. Spread in pan.
- Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Cut cake horizontally to make 3 layers. (Mark sides of cake with toothpicks, and cut with long, thin serrated knife.)
- Mix ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread ricotta mixture over bottom and middle cake layers; stack layers. Add top cake layer.
- Heat 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon butter and the corn syrup in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted; cool slightly. Stir in water. Spread chocolate mixture over top of torte. Sprinkle with remaining nuts. Let stand until chocolate mixture is firm. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 48 hours.