In 1993, my husband and I knew we were soon facing an empty nest. Wanting to capture as many family memories as possible before they flew the coop, we decided to take both Amy and Eric (our teenage kids) to Europe. Nothing screams family bonding time like vacationing together. Looking back at our trip by plane, train, and automobile, we cherish both the great moments, and laugh at the not-so-great ones. Our favorite stop was Vienna, home of the spectacular Schonbrunn Palace.

And oh, the desserts. Sachertorte. Every hotel and bakery had their own version, and we made it our goal to try as many variations as possisble.

The difference between a traditional cake and a torte? A torte calls from little to no flour, which fits in great with a low-carb, keto diet.

This recipe has been in my file for a long while. Not sure of it’s origins, but I’ve kept the splattered-on recipe card because it’s one of my favorite recipes to serve on special occasions, or when I’m having a major chocolate craving. The challenge for me was to eliminate the sugar and replace the white flour without losing any of the torte’s spectacular flavor and texture.

Two trial runs later, I hit pay dirt. Using only seven ingredients, it takes about 20 minutes to prepare, keeping with my “keto made simple” mantra. All tortes need to be chilled overnight, so you’ll want to plan ahead and make it the day/night before you serve.

Start by melting dark chocolate (85% cacao or higher), butter, and milk in a saucepan. Then beat eggs and flavorings with the Truvia and almond flour for ten minutes. I remember the days before free-standing mixers, hands cramping, standing over the electric mixer waiting for the timer. I cannot live without my free-standing mixer – a huge time saver. They’re reasonably priced and worth their weight in gold.

From there, you’ll add the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and pour into a springform pan. Then a 35 minute trip into the oven. Don’t worry when you notice the center of the torte has sunk below the outside.  That means you’ve done it right. After spending the night in the fridge, it becomes a dense, decadent chocolate dessert.  Serve with my low carb berry sauce chocolate glaze (see below for recipe) and whipped cream, or dust with Swerve Confectioners.

Lately I’ve been drizzling this chocolate glaze over the top: 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 ounces dark chocolate (85% cacao), 1 T butter and 1/2 t Truvia. Melt in microwave for 1 minute and stir. Takes 2 minutes start to finish and only adds 0.4 net carbs per serving. Husband, Mike, gives it 2 thumbs up. Double chocolate yum!

Using a sharp knife, slice into small wedges (that’s all you’ll be able to eat!), and wipe the knife off after each slice. If you’re serving a big group, cut into bite-size squares. It also freezes beautifully! Always bring to room temperature before serving.