Walnut Torte with Bourbon Creme Chantilly

I made this torte for Valentine's day this year. About a month ago I bought the Chez Panisse Dessert cookbook and I finally decided to try my first recipe from it this Valentine's day. I didn't want an incredibly rich dessert so after looking through the cookbook I finally decided on the Pecan Torte. I didn't have pecans but I did have walnuts so settled for a walnut torte.

The original tells you to grate the nuts in a nut grater but I chopped mine into very small, fine pieces in a food processor and it worked just fine.

Here is the recipe I used for the walnut torte (adapted from Chez Panisse Desserts)

Ingredients for torte
6 oz raw walnuts
2 T flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for Bourbon Creme Chantilly
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup agave or sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Toast walnuts in oven until they just barely start to brown, about 8 minutes. Cool and then quickly pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground. Toss together in a small bowl with the flour.

Separate the eggs and beat the egg yolks with half of the sugar, on high speed, until they form thin ribbons (about five minutes at high speed). Set aside.

Warm the egg whites over hot water until barely warm. Beat them with the cream of tartar and salt on high speed until they form thick peaks. Add remaining sugar and beat again until stiff peaks form. Fold in vanilla, egg yolk mixture and 1/4 of nut mixture. Continue folding in the nut mixture in 1/4 increments. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake at 300 about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Beat whipping cream, bourbon and sugar on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread thickly over cooled cake. Garnish with toasted walnuts.