Mocha Pecan Torte Recipes

WALNUT MOCHA TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottoms of two 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans with parchment or waxed paper; grease and lightly flour pans. Set pans aside. In a medium bowl combine nuts, flour, and baking powder; set aside.
• In a blender or food processor combine eggs and sugar; cover and blend or process until smooth. Add nut mixture. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pans.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched (centers may dip slightly). Cool cake layers on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.
• Spread Mocha Frosting on each layer; stack layers. Loosely cover and chill frosted cake for 2 to 24 hours. If desired, top with chocolate curls.
• Makes 8 servings Mocha Frosting
• Mocha Frosting: In a chilled small mixing bowl dissolve instant coffee crystals in whipping cream; add sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

MOCHA-PECAN TORTE

Steps:

• For the torte:.
• Line the bottom of 4 8-inch round cakepans with waxed paper. Grease and flour the waxed paper and set aside.
• Combine egg yolks, sugar, and baking powder; beat at hight speed of an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes or until mixture is thick and lemon colored. Combine cocoa and breadcrumbs, and stir ino the yolk mixture. Stir in vanilla; fold in ground pecans.
• Beat egg whties (at room temperature) in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form; gently fold 1/4 of eggs whties into yolk mixture. Pour batter evenly itno the prepared pans, spreading top to smooth.
• Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes or until layers spring back when they are lightly touched. Do not overbake! Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then invert onto wire racks, gently peeling off the waxed paper. Let cool completely.
• Make the Mocha-Buttercream Frosting:
• Dissolve instant coffee powder in water; set aside. Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; add coffee mixture and cocoa. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with half-&-half, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
• Make the Chocolate Hearts and Shavings:.
• Melt the chocolate on topp of a double boiler over hot water. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; pour chocolate onto baking sheet.
• For rippled chocolate hearts, gently shake baking sheet until chocolate is level and about 1/4 inch thick. Let chocolate cool 5-10 minutes. Gently run a metal deocrating comb over chocolate to achieve a rippled effect and to flatten chocolate to about 1/8 inch thickness. Lest stand until chocolate is firm.
• Firmly press a 1-inch heart-shaped cutter into choclate, cutting through chocolate completly. Lift cutter up, and remove cutout by getnly pressing through cutter with a small wooden utensil. (Fingers leave prints). Cut out 12 chocolate hearts.
• Break remainign chocolate into small pieces. Shave edges of chocolate with a vegetable peeler, holding chocolate with paper towels so that the heat from your hand doesn't melt the chocolate. Reserve hearts and shavings.
• Frosting the Torte:.
• Measure and set aside 1 1/2 cups Mocha-Buttercream Frosting for piping. Spread remainging frosting between layers and top and sides of torte.
• Spoon reserved frosting inot a large decorating bag fitted with large metal tip No. 5 (star tip). Pipe 12 decorative mounds of frosting evenly around top edges of torte. Fit decorating bag with large metal tip No. 1. Pipe remaining frosting around base of torte ina shell design.
• Gently nestle a chocolate heart at an angle inot each mound of frosting on top of torte; place a maraschino cherry half at base of each on the inside. Sprinkle chocolate shavings in center of torte. Chill until ready to serve.

LAYERED MOCHA CREAM TORTE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend ground cookies and coffee powder in processor. Set aside 3/4 cup cookie crumb mixture. Add butter to remaining crumb mixture and process until crumbs are moist. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until just firm to touch, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Make fillings:
• Stir chocolate, butter and 1 teaspoon coffee powder in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Set chocolate mixture aside while preparing meringue.
• Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil syrup without stirring until candy thermometer registers 240°F, tilting pan to submerge bulb, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks.
• Gradually beat hot syrup into whites. Continue beating until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold 1/3 of meringue into lukewarm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining meringue. Set chocolate meringue aside.
• Combine 1/4 cup cream and 5 teaspoons coffee powder in large bowl; stir to dissolve. Add 2 1/2 cups cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat until firm peaks form. Fold 1 1/2 cups coffee whipped cream into chocolate meringue, forming mocha mousse.
• Spoon half of mocha mousse over bottom of crust. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons reserved crumb mixture over mousse. Spoon half of coffee whipped cream over crumbs. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons crumbs. Repeat layering with remaining mocha mousse, crumbs, coffee whipped cream and crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep refrigerated.) Run knife around pan sides to loosen torte. Remove pan sides and serve.

MOCHA PECAN BALLS

Steps:

• In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the vanilla, the espresso powder, the cocoa powder, and the salt, and beat the mixture until it is combined well. Add the flour, beat the dough until it is just combined, and beat in the pecans. Chill the dough, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and arrange the balls about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are just firm, and let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheets. Toss the warm cookies in batches in a bowl of the confectioners' sugar to coat them well. The cookies maybe made 2 months in advance and kept frozen in airtight containers.

MOCHA PECAN PIE WITH COFFEE WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Combine first 4 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in orange juice and enough water by tablespoonfuls to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling.) Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim edges and crimp decoratively. Freeze 15 minutes. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake crust until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack.
• For Filling:
• Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa, then cream and espresso powder. Pour into large bowl. Add corn syrup, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt; whisk until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake until puffed and set, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Cut pie into wedges. Transfer to plates. Serve with dollops of Coffee Whipped Cream.

FROZEN MOCHA TORTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk and chocolate syrup until smooth. Dissolve coffee granules in hot water; add to cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped cream. Pour over crust. Cover and freeze for 8 hours or overnight. , Remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with coffee beans if desired.