Chocolate Pistachio Torte Recipes

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TORTE

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs, buttermilk, and pistachios. Fold in flour mixture just until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes; run a knife around edge, and invert onto a wire rack. Remove paper, and let cool completely, about 3 hours. (To store, wrap in plastic, and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days).
• Make ganache: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer; remove from heat. Add chocolate, and let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Let cool until mixture falls back in ribbons when lifted with a spoon, 2 to 6 minutes.
• Set cake on a serving platter; tuck strips of parchment paper under edge of cake to prevent ganache from dripping on platter. Pour ganache onto center of cake; using a table knife, spread evenly over the top and down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes. Remove paper from under cake; sprinkle top with pistachios.

FLUFFY PISTACHIO DESSERT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat margarine until smooth. Add flour and sugar; blend until crumbly. Stir in walnuts. , Press onto the bottom of a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over the crust. In another bowl, combine milk and pudding mixes; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. , Spread over first layer. Carefully spread whipped topping over second layer. Sprinkle with walnuts. Chill at least 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO FUDGE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the crust: Place the pistachios, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to roughly chop. Add the graham crackers and pulse until finely chopped. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the springform pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream, vanilla and salt until just beginning to simmer around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, and then whisk until smooth and shiny. Pour the chocolate filling over the crust and sprinkle with the chopped apricots. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.
• Serve with whipped cream if desired.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TORTE WITH WARM CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• For pistachio paste:
• Finely grind nuts and sugar in processor. Add egg whites and blend well. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to small bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
• For torte:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter springform pan. Line pan bottom with parchment paper; butter paper. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool chocolate to lukewarm.
• Measure 1/3 cup pistachio paste and transfer to small bowl (cover and reserve for another use). Place remaining pistachio paste in large bowl; add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, then melted chocolate. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until firm peaks form. Sift brown sugar over and fold in. Using flexible rubber spatula, fold egg-white mixture into chocolate mixture in 4 additions; transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake torte until center is slightly puffed and tester inserted into center comes out with some batter still attached, about 1 hour. Cool torte completely in pan on rack. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
• For ganache:
• Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until smooth. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm before using.
• Cut torte into wedges; place on plates. Pour warm ganache over. Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.

MILK CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TART

Steps:

• Coat a 9-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Make the crust: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, chopped pistachios, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, and beat until pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add vanilla, then flour mixture; beat until just combined and dough holds together when pressed between 2 fingers. Press dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Roll out dough to an 11-inch round, 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Press dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan. Trim excess dough flush with edges of pan using a knife. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Bake until firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the pistachio paste: Pulse pistachios, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until mixture begins to clump together. Add oil, and pulse until smooth and pastelike. Spread evenly into bottom of cooled tart shell, pressing firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup until flat and smooth.
• Make the filling: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling; pour over chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in egg until combined. Place tart shell on a baking sheet, and pour in filling. Bake until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios.