Tortilla Torte

Our California Girl turned twenty eight this week.


Twenty Eight.


How is that even possible? Wasn't it just yesterday that she was in Mrs. Garrison's fourth grade class? And just the week before that, that all the kids in the neighbourhood crowded into our bedroom to hang over the sides of her crib and coo at the wonder of her, all curvy lips and petal-soft ears folded around her tiny-ness like a little pink rosebud? Not that life racing by me at breakneck speed is news....


Since I'm not there to bake her a cake, she decided to make one herself. One that doesn't even require baking. One she has loved since her teens. In a word [or two...] Tortilla Torte!

I searched and searched through my admittedly disorganized recipe "files." I almost gave up, but then it appeared, in a fairly predictable place. So without further ado, here it is, for California Girl, and you......



Tortilla Torte


1 12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips

2 8 oz. cartons sour cream

10 8" plain flour tortillas


In a medium saucepan melt chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally.

Stir in sour cream.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.


Place`one tortilla on a plate.

Spread a scant 1/3 cup chocolate mixture on top.

Repeat until all the tortillas and chocolate are used.

Chill, covered, several hours or overnight.


Decorate the top with whipped cream [or 1/2 cup sour cream mixed with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar] and strawberries.



While I was typing this on here for her, I got a call from California Girl.


"So mom, where's the recipe?"


"I'm typing it onto my blog for you, even as we speak! This way, next time you want to make it, and I have once again lost the recipe, we'll both know where to find it."


She had gone grocery shopping earlier in the day, knowing that she needed, at least, tortillas, sour cream and chocolate chips.


I started to tell her how to make it when, suddenly, she stopped. Silence.


"You're not going to believe this mom! I got the sour cream; I got the chocolate chips; I even got the strawberries, but I forgot the tortillas!"


Kind of like trying to build a house without the bricks!


This cake looks like one of those expensive European tortes with the multiple layers of paper-thin sponge cake! And it tastes surprisingly good for something requiring so few ingredients and so little time.


So, Happy Belated Birthday, Cali Girl! Don't eat it all at one sitting!