Would it be possible to create say a very clean empty template. Then put a paragraph in it (for SEO) and using CSS, set the paragraph to display:none; (Stops the text appearing on the page) BUT it will still be in the HTML. Will google notice? it's in the HTML, it's just the CSS which is preventing the user from seeing it.
It seems there are some instances where display:none can be used http://www.456bereastreet.com/archive/200510/google_seo_and_using_css_to_hide_text/ However, a better, less black-hat, implementation would be using javascript to have a "read more" button that the user can click on. It is not hiding the text from anyone and it will still appear to search engines.
use the javascript like createdevelop allready mentioned, its more clear for search engines and you achieve the same result.
In the same way that Google "knows" you have put a transparent gif on a page with a link elsewhere, or that you are cloaking your website, or that you are stuffing your page with keywords....
But google will only see the HTML for the CSS... not the css it self? so i would appear like <div id="test">text</div> which google will see...but on page load will be hidden? um..
Yes you can do this but it is usually called black hat SEO and that is similar to making the background and the copy the same colour. Black hat SEO tends to get you marked down in seo. If you have lots of copy either put it onto more than one page or use a javascript library like jQuery to show and hide the text. some javascript stuff google can have a little trouble reading.
In your head area you will make a link to your CSS which google will be able to follow and look at. If you stop google from following that link then it will think something strange is up. You can search for your website and see what google caches but it does not tell you all the notes that google makes for your website