Chocolate Walnut Torte Bon Appetit May 2000 Recipes

CHOCOLATE-WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Heat over to 350°F. Place cooking parchment paper or waxed paper in bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, mix walnuts, crushed cookies, brown sugar and butter until crumbly. Spread about 3/4 cup mixture in each pan; reserve remaining mixture.
• In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour about 1 1/4 cups batter over topping in each pan; refrigerate remaining batter.
• Bake about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Immediately remove from pans to cooling rack; peel off paper. Repeat with remaining topping mixture and batter. Cool completely.
• In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream, granulated sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Place 1 cake layer, walnut side up, on serving plate; spread with about 3/4 cup of the filling. Repeat with remaining layers and filling.
• Or place whipped cream for top layer in decorating bag fitted with star tip number 6. Pipe rosettes in center of cake; garnish with chocolate leaves. To make chocolate leaves, wash and dry leaves. In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. Using small brush, brush chocolate about 1/8 inch thick over backs of leaves. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until firm. Peel off leaves, handling as little as possible. Cover and refrigerate torte about 4 hours or until chilled. Store in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 10-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with waxed or parchment paper. Flour the sides of the pan with matzo cake meal.
• In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until very light and fluffy. Fold in the hot chocolate mixture. In a small bowl, mix the matzo meal and ground walnuts. Fold into the chocolate-egg mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until firm and dry on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean (a few crumbs are OK), about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let cool 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a serving plate and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, whisk the egg whites and sugar together until the mixture is very hot and the sugar has dissolved somewhat. Remove from the heat and whip the mixture in a mixer (or using a hand mixer) until cooled, smooth, and fluffy. Add the butter and whip until smooth; the mixture might look broken at this point, but keep whipping and it will smooth out.
• Drizzle in the melted chocolate and coffee, and whip until smooth and fluffy. Using a flexible spatula, frost the chilled cake on the top and sides.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 10-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with waxed or parchment paper. Flour the sides of the pan with matzo cake meal.
• In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until very light and fluffy. Fold in the hot chocolate mixture.
• In a small bowl, mix the matzo meal and ground walnuts. Fold into the chocolate-egg mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until firm and dry on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean (a few crumbs are OK), about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let cool 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a serving plate and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, whisk the egg whites and sugar together until the mixture is very hot and the sugar has dissolved somewhat. Remove from the heat and whip the mixture in a mixer (or using a hand mixer) until cooled, smooth, and fluffy. Add the butter and whip until smooth; the mixture might look broken at this point, but keep whipping and it will smooth out.
• Drizzle in the melted chocolate and coffee, and whip until smooth and fluffy. Using a flexible spatula, frost the chilled cake on the top and sides.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE-CASHEW TORTE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Mix cold water, corn oil and vanilla extract in large bowl. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide batter among prepared pans, spreading with spatula (batter will be about 1/4 inch high). Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes (cakes will be scant 1/4 inch high). Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.
• For icing:
• Bring whipping cream to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add 1 pound chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Cool icing until thick enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on rack set over baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup icing over cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped cashews. Top with second cake layer. Spread 3/4 cup icing over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cashews. Top with third cake layer. Chill cake until icing sets, about 1 hour.
• Stir remaining icing in saucepan over low heat just until pourable. Pour icing over cake, allowing icing to run down sides. Smooth cake sides with rubber spatula. Press remaining 3/4 cup chopped cashews onto sides of cake. Refrigerate until icing sets, about 1 hour. (Cake can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let cake stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.)

CHOCOLATE PLUM AND WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment; butter paper. Dust pan with flour. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. Remove from over water. Add butter 1 piece at a time, mixing until melted and smooth. Mix in sugar. Mix in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour, then walnuts and stir to combine. Transfer batter to prepared cake pan. Bake just until springy to touch, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack, remove paper and cool completely.
• For Glaze:
• Bring whipping cream, slivovitz and light corn syrup to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add semisweet chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Let glaze stand until cool but still pourable, whisking occasionally.
• Place cake on serving platter. Slide waxed paper under edges. Spread jam over top. Pour glaze over top and sides of cake. Smooth top and sides with spatula. Sprinkle walnuts in 1-inch border around top edge. Let stand until glaze sets. (Torte can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

CHOCOLATE-WALNUT TORTE (BON APPETIT MAY 2000)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Butter and flower 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
• Finely grind walnuts with 3 tablespoons sugar in processor.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl until mixture is thick and pale and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 3 minutes. Beat in rum. Stir in walnut mixture and chocolate.
• Using electric mixer with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and 1/8 teaspoon salt in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into chocolate-walnut mixture in 3 additions.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center of torte comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool rote in pan on rack. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen torte. Release pan sides; transfer to cake plate. Sift cocoa powder over, if desired. Serve at room temperature.