I am making a Chocolate Eclair Torte recipe for french class the recipe i found online is very vague.... under how to assemble it it says to split the cake, put the bottom half in the baking pan, cover with pudding mixture, and place other cake over it... I have noooo idea what this means...its a 9 by 13 pan.. do i cut the top layer off and have one huuge cake or split the pan by cutting down the middle creating a left and right half? There is no picture sooo..... The web address with the recipe is: http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/3622/chocolate-eclair-torte.html sorry i couldn't copy and paste it .. too many characters PLEASE HELP... THANK YOU!

Cut the cake so you have one 9 x 13 bottom and one 9 x 13 top. That means top layer off. .

Yes, it wants you to cut the top layer off. Does the shape really matter? if not I would suggest using 2 round pans so you don't have to move something so large around alot. Also if this is something your making at home to bring to class, I would make cupcakes - they travel better & you wouldn't need any serving utinsels.

I would split it horizontally, so the 9 by 15 shape was there yet. It is really hard but I think the thin layers is what you want. You have to get it out of the pan to do the cutting. Sounds really good!

Hi there. This is choux pastry so you cannot bake it in two separate tins and then assemble without cutting. When you have baked your choux pastry in the 9x13 tin (which *is* large and unwieldy, so you'll need to take care throughout), unmould it from the tin and rack and cool. When ready to assemble, have the tin you baked it in ready, clean and pristine. Slice the pastry in two horizontally and, where necessary trim the interior of the choux to remove any overmoist bits at the centre -- choux just behaves like that: it doesn't mean you have cooked it badly! Now place the bottom half back into your baking tin. (You're going to be using the baking tin to restrict the filling from spilling beyond the torte before it has been refrigerated and set.) Fill the bottom half of the choux with the custard filling and level it as best you can. Then place the second half, like a lid, on top of the filling *inside the tin* and press down very gingerly just to engage the top 'lid' with the custard filling. [here your recipe misses a step] Now refrigerate this assembly, in the tin, until the filling has fully set. Next get yourself *two* wire cooling racks. Take the torte from the refrigerator, place the first wire rack over the torte in the tin, and invert the tin swiftly but gently, to unmould the torte upside down on to the rack. Place the second rack on top of the base of the torte and invert again. Remove the first wire rack, now on top. Your torte is now right side up on the second wire rack. Now proceed to dress and finish with the chocolate glaze as per recipe. Hope this helps, and good luck!