Grand Marnier Chocolate Pecan Torte Recipes

CHOCOLATE & GRAND MARNIER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a chilled large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until very cold., For filling, in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over orange juice concentrate; let stand 1 minute. Stir in sugar. Heat and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup Grand Marnier and orange zest. Let filling stand at room temperature just until spreadable, stirring occasionally. (If mixture becomes too firm, warm in microwave to soften, about 10-15 seconds.), Meanwhile, using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Brush layers with remaining Grand Marnier. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with one-third of the filling. Repeat twice. Top with remaining cake layer., To frost cake, cut a hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag and insert #829 or other large star pastry tip. Gently stir whipped cream; spoon into bag and pipe onto top and sides of cake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter two 8- by 2-inch round cake pans. Line each pan with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
• Make cake layers:
• In a food processor pulse 2 cups pecans with flour, salt, and baking powder until finely ground (do not pulse to a paste). Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in orange juice. Separate eggs and in a large bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks until pale yellow. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale, and fold in pecan mixture gently but thoroughly. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites until they hold stiff peaks. Stir about one fourth whites into pecan mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter between cake pans and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until cakes pull away from sides of pans. Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 10 minutes and invert onto rack to cool completely. Carefully remove wax paper from bottoms of cake layers.
• While cake layers are cooling, on a baking sheet toast remaining 1/2 cup pecans until fragrant and a shade darker, about 8 minutes. Cool nuts and chop.
• Make filling:
• In a medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat cream with zest until it just holds stiff peaks.
• Arrange 1 cake layer, top side up, on a serving plate and spread filling evenly onto layer. Put remaining layer, bottom side up, on filling.
• Make frosting:
• Chop chocolate. In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in sour cream and a pinch salt until smooth.
• Immediately spread frosting on top and side of torte and pat toasted pecans around side. Chill torte, loosely covered, until frosting is set, at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.
• Serve torte chilled or at room temperature.

FROZEN GRAND MARNIER TORTE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE CRUST AND SPICED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• For crust:
• Finely grind cookies, chips, and sugar in processor. Add melted butter; blend until wet crumbs form. Set aside 1/2 cup crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
• For filling:
• Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium metal bowl. Set over saucepan of simmering water and whisk vigorously until candy thermometer registers 175°F, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add spices. Using mixer, beat until thick and cool, about 5 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream, sour cream, Grand Marnier, orange juice concentrate, and grated orange peel in large bowl until peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture and fold together. Pour 2/3 of filling into crust. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup crumb mixture. Gently spoon remaining filling over. Cover; freeze overnight or up to 3 days.
• For topping:
• Whisk Port and cornstarch in large skillet to blend. Add sugar, honey, and spices. Bring mixture to boil over high heat, stirring often. Add 3 cups cranberries; cook until mixture boils and cranberries begin to pop but still hold shape, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining 2 cups cranberries. Chill topping at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Release pan sides from torte. Transfer torte to platter. Spoon topping over filling. If desired, garnish torte with white chocolate curls.

GRAND MARNIER CHOCOLATE PECAN TORTE

Steps:

• Stir 1/4 of egg whites into chocolate mixture; fold in remaining egg whites.
• Pour batter into a buttered 9\" springform pan lined with waxed paper.
• Bake at 350 on bottom rack for 45-50 minutes or until center is firm.
• Cool on rack.
• Cake will sink slightly in the center.
• Remove pan and liner.
• Top with Chocolate Ganache Glaze and Grand Marnier Whipped Cream Decoration.
• Chocolate Ganache Glaze: Finely chop chocolate.
• Heat cream until hot and on very low heat add chocolate, stirring until smooth and thick.
• Remove from heat and stir in liqueur.
• Turn torte, top side down, onto serving plate.
• Arrange strips of waxed paper under cake edge to catch excess glaze.
• Pour glaze over top and sides of cake.
• After a short time, run excess glaze up sides of cake.
• Cover sides of cake with nuts and remove waxed paper strips.
• Chill cake while preparing topping.
• Grand Marnier Whipped Cream Decoration: Whip cream with sugar and liqueur until it holds a shape--do not overbeat.
• Pipe rosettes or form a ring of whipped cream around top of chocolate glazed torte.
• With a sharp knife cut peel from orange and slice into circles; cut into quarters.
• Place oranges around cake on top of whipped cream.
• If preferred, sprinkle grated orange rind over whipped cream.
• Cake should be stored in a cool place until served.
• Torte: Melt broken chocolate in double boiler, stirring constantly, or microwave on medium for about 3 minutes.
• Set aside and in the small mixer bowl, cream butter, gradually adding 1/2 cup of the sugar; mix until very fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, liqueur and vanilla; beat until creamy.
• Transfer to larger bowl.
• Fold melted chocolate into creamed mixture.
• Use a food processor or blender to chop pecans to a coarse powder.
• Combine nuts with crumbs and fold into chocolate mixture.
• Beat egg whites with salt, gradually adding remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat until soft peaks form.

CHOCOLATE GRAND MARNIER TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Butter the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan and line it with wax paper; set aside.
• In a small bowl, cover uncracked eggs with very hot water (not boiling); let stand 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a 2-quart glass bowl, heat semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and butter in a microwave on high 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, stirring twice, until melted and smooth; set aside to let cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed, until thick and light yellow, about 5 minutes.
• Add chocolate mixture and Grand Marnier and beat until well blended.
• Turn into the prepared springform pan.
• Bake 15-18 minutes, or until almost set.
• Let cake cool 1 hour, then cover with foil and refrigerate several hours or until firm.
• Remove cake from refrigerator at least one hour before serving.
• Run a sharp knife around sides of cake and remove sides of springform pan.
• Cut into slices, taking care not to cut/include wax paper with serving.
• Serve in a pool of Raspberry Sauce and top with whipped cream.
• Raspberry Sauce: In a food processor, combine thawed raspberries and powdered sugar; process until smooth; add Grand Marnier and process to blend well.
• To remove seeds, press puree through a wire strainer placed over a non-reactive (glass or plastic) bowl; using a rubber spatula, scrape inderside of strainer and discard seeds.
• Serve sauce immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days; mix before serving.

GRAND MARNIER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment or wax paper and grease again. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in medium-sized bowl, stirring until well-blended and no lumps appear.
• In large mixing bowl, beat butter until very creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy - at least 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time and then add vanilla and beat until blended.
• Turn mixer to low and beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk, beating only until mixed after each addition. Beat in another 1/3 of flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk and then remaining flour mixture. Beat only until evenly blended - overbeating will toughen cake.
• Divide batter evenly between pans, then bang pans on counter several times to remove air bubbles. Bake in centre of 350 degree oven until centre of cake springs back when lightly touched and sides of cake start to pull away from pan. This should take between 30 and 35 minutes. Let cakes cook in pans on rack for 10 minutes before turning out. Remove paper and cool cakes completely on racks. When ready to assemble cake, slice each half horizontally so you will have 4 layers.
• Filling: Combine frozen concentrate, sugar, gelatin in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar and gelatin are disolved - about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange peel and 1/4 cup of the liqueur. Press sheet of waxed paper into surface of orange mixture and refrigerate just until it no longer feels warm to the touch - about 20 minutes.
• In large mixing bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in icing sugar until combined. Fold in liqueur mixture until evenly blended.
• To Assemble: Place a layer of cake, cut side up on a serving plate, Brush with 1 Tbsp of liqueur. Spoon a scant 1/5 of filling onto middle of layer and gently spread almost to edge. Top with a cake layer, brush with 1 Tbsp liqueur and then spread with scan 1/5 of filling. Repeat until all layers have been added. Use remaining frosting to frost top and sides of cake. Refrigerate immediately for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight, so flavours blend. Serve at room temperature.