Pyramida Torte

While having a cooking play date with my friend Nina on Monday, she shared another favorite recipe of hers.  I measured quantities and wrote down the instructions while she created this very rich confection of layered cream and butter biscuits, covered in dark chocolate. The concept for this torte came from a dear friend of Nina’s in Israel who is no longer with us, and so Nina was entrusted with this legacy recipe and technique.

She calls it the ‘Pyramida’ or ‘The Pyramid’ because of its three dimensional triangular shape. It is deceptively easy to make and involves no baking, only the fun assembly part of a dessert.  My husband said it is delicious. ^[1]

You will need:

Filling

2 packages Osem brand instant vanilla pudding mix 2.8 oz size

2 cups or 1 pint whipping cream

2 cups of 2% milk

To Wet the Biscuits:

1 tablespoon of instant espresso

1 tablespoon 2% milk

1 cup 2% milk

1 and ½ packs of Petite Beurre, Israeli biscuit cookies (or 63 whole 2 inch by 3 inch biscuits)

Chocolate Frosting:

3 bittersweet chocolate bars 3.5 ounces each

3 tablespoons milk

2 ounces white chocolate shavings

Place the powdered instant pudding mix in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add the milk and whipping cream and slowly start to beat, gradually increasing speed.  Beat until very thick.  Remove the beaters and refrigerate the cream for ½ hour. ^{[2] [3]}

Prepare a 2 and ½ foot long piece of aluminum foil.  Dissolve the instant espresso powder with 1 tablespoon of milk, then whisk in the remaining 1 cup of milk until combined.  Begin to dip each biscuit in the coffee milk (just a brief dip, no soggy biscuits) and assemble the biscuits into a rectangle of 3 x 7 biscuits large on the aluminum foil.   Remove the chilled cream pudding from the refrigerator.  Using a spatula spread 2 cups of the cream pudding edge to edge of the biscuit rectangle you have formed.  Repeat with a second layer, dipping biscuits in the coffee milk and then covering with cream pudding.  For the third layer use all of the remaining cream pudding. ^[4]

Using your two hands on the outside of the aluminum, begin to press together the outer columns of the biscuits with cream to create a 7 biscuit long triangle.  Refer to the picture.  Press the two sides until they close at the top point of the triangle.  Finish wrapping the aluminum foil to secure the whole long triangle pyramid and place it on a baking sheet in order to be able to move it easily.  Refrigerate it while you make the chocolate glaze. ^{[5] [6]}

Break up the chocolate bars into pieces and place them in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Stir to melt the chocolate.  Stir in the 3 tablespoons of milk, when the chocolate is melted.  Stir until smooth.

Remove the Pyramid from the refrigerator.  Unfold the aluminum foil from the top and sides of the torte.  Using a spatula spread the chocolate glaze over the Pyramid.  It will harden very quickly because of the cold torte. Press the white chocolate shavings into the glaze as it hardens.  Refrigerate the cake another 2 hours before serving.  Servings are about 1 inch or more thick. ^{[7] [8] [9]}