Nutty Poppy Seed Torte With Creamy Mocha Frosting Recipes

POPPY SEED TORTE

Steps:

• Place poppy seeds and milk in a small bowl; soak for 1 hour. Add vanilla. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add poppy seed mixture. , Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture. Fold in egg whites. Spread into two well-greased and lightly floured 8-in. round baking pans. , Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in vanilla and nuts of desired. , Split cakes in half and spread filling between layers. Chill. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

POPPY-SEED TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 7-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper; butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a small bowl, combine poppy seeds, walnuts, flour, almond extract, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the poppy-seed mixture, but do not stir in.
• Place egg whites in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water until warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with a clean, dry whisk attachment, and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar until stiff and glossy peaks form. Fold egg whites into egg-yolk mixture in three batches.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan, and bake until lightly golden and firm on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully remove sides of pan, and transfer torte to a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve in wedges.

POPPY SEED TORTE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until the dough begins to come together. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch round on a lightly floured surface. (If it gets too soft, return to the refrigerator until firm.) Ease the dough into the prepared pan and press into the bottom and up the sides, trimming any excess. Pierce the bottom all over with a fork. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet. Line the crust with foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven; bake until the crust edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden all over, 15 to 20 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely. (The tart shell can be made up to 1 day ahead.)
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and salt in a bowl until combined. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat (do not boil). Gradually whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture, then pour back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cook, whisking, until thick like pudding, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the butter and vanilla. Pour the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes.
• Beat the heavy cream with a mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream and poppy seeds into the cooled filling. Spoon into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or overnight.

POPPY SEED TORTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak poppy seeds in 3/4 cup milk and 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla for 1 hour. Meanwhile, separate eggs. Let butter and egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Set egg yolks aside until needed. Grease the bottoms of two 8x1-1/2- or 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line pans with waxed paper; grease and lightly flour. Set pans aside. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• For filling: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in 1-1/2 cups milk and egg yolks. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour filling into a bowl. Cover the surface with clear plastic wrap. Chill until completely cooled. Do not stir.
• For cake: In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups sugar to butter, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on medium to high speed until sugar is nearly dissolved. Alternately add flour mixture and poppy seed mixture to butter mixture, beating on low to medium speed after each addition just until combined. Thoroughly wash beaters.
• In another large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter. Evenly divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans or 25 to 30 minutes for 9 -inch pans or until a wood toothpick inserted near the centers of the layers comes out clean.
• Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.
• To assemble, carefully split each cake layer horizontally in half. Place one cake layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread with one-third of the filling. Top with second cake layer, rounded (top) side up. Spread with one-third of the filling. Top with 1 more cake layer, cut side up; spread with remaining filling. Top with the remaining cake layer, placing it rounded side up.
• For frosting: In a chilled large mixing bowl beat whipping cream and 1/2 cup sugar with chilled beaters of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spread top and sides of cake with frosting. Chill up to 2 hours, or until ready to serve.

SEEDED SARATOGA TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Trace an 8-inch circle on top with a pencil; turn marked-side down.
• Spread sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast, stirring once, until golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely. Finely grind baked seeds in a spice grinder or food processor; transfer to a bowl. Stir in poppy seeds.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whisk egg whites on medium-high until soft peaks form. Slowly add 3/4 cup sugar, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Fold in graham-cracker crumbs and 3/4 cup seed mixture. Dab meringue under corners of parchment to secure to baking sheet. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue within marked circle. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until top is crisp and brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let torte cool completely.
• Spread preserves on top of meringue. In another bowl, whisk cream with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop on top of preserves and sprinkle with some of remaining seed mixture. Cut into wedges with a sharp knife, wiping between slices, and serve. (Torte is best the day it's made.)

OLD-FASHIONED POPPY SEED TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Coat three 9-in. round baking pans with cooking spray; line with waxed paper and coat the paper. Sprinkle with flour; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar blend until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in applesauce and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Combine 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in poppy seeds., Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form; fold into batter. Spread into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 12-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and remaining flour. Stir in sour cream until smooth. Bring to a boil. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir in remaining vanilla. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate until chilled., Place one cake layer on a serving platter; top with a third of the filling. Repeat layers twice., Combine the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and enough coffee to achieve a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate until serving.

POPPY SEED TORTE

Steps:

• CRUST: Mix together the cracker crumbs, flour, butter and nuts.
• Pat into a 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Let cool.
• FILLING: Prepare pudding with milk.
• Add the poppy seeds.
• Whip and lightly sweeten the cream.
• Fold the cream into the pudding.
• Pour the mixture onto the graham cracker crust.
• Refrigerate.

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.