Toasted Hazelnut Torte Recipes

HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Chop the hazelnuts in a food processor or mini-chopper to small bits-not to a powder. Set aside. Whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Butter and flour the cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350˚ with a rack in the center.
• In the mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light, smooth, and fluffy; scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Incorporate the eggs, olive oil, and orange zest in several additions, blending each in at slow speed, scraping the bowl, then beating at high speed for a couple of minutes to lighten.
• On slow speed, incorporate the dry mix in several additions, alternating with splashes of milk. Scrape the bowl when both are added, and beat briefly on high. Fold in the chopped nuts and chocolate by hand, and blend in well.
• Scrape the batter into the cake pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and just spring back to a light touch.
• Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes or so, remove the side ring of the springform, and let the cake cool completely. Cut in wedges, and serve topped with powdered sugar or whipped cream.
• The torte will keep in the refrigerator for a week, well wrapped in plastic, or you can freeze it for longer storage. When serving torte that has been chilled or frozen, toast the cut pieces in the oven (or toaster oven) to bring out the flavors.

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN HAZELNUT CREAM TORTE RECIPE

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour an 8-inch round springform cake pan. Toast the hazelnuts , let them cool completely and grind them finely (to a sawdust consistency). Set aside.
• To make the batter: Heat the oven to 375 F/190 C. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the flour and set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Wash the beaters thoroughly.
• In a third medium bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, beating in the remaining confectioners' sugar. Alternately fold the egg whites, ground hazelnuts, and flour-breadcrumb mixture into the sugar-egg yolk mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Once cooled, remove the cake from the pan.
• To make the cream filling: To make the nut cream filling, start by toasting the almonds . When cooled, coarsely chop the toasted nuts and set aside.
• Melt 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring all the while until it caramelizes. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the nuts. Promptly spread onto a lightly oiled baking sheet or a silicone mat to cool. Once cooled, break into chunks, then pound coarsely (or more finely, depending on your preference) in a mortar. Reserve 4 tablespoons for the topping.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 pasteurized egg until light and fluffy, then stir in the caramelized almonds and the rum until well incorporated.
• To assemble the torte: Slice the cake in half horizontally and spread two-thirds of the filling between the two layers. Spread the remaining filling over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top with the reserved caramelized almonds. Source: Adapted from " The Viennese Kitchen: Tante Hertha's Book of Family Recipes " by Monica Meehan and Maria von Baich (Interlink Books, 2011).

HAZELNUT CITRUS TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch springform pan with parchment and brush pan with olive oil.
• Combine a third of the sugar (about 1/3 cup), the hazelnut flour and the quinoa flour in a bowl.
• In another bowl, use an electric mixer to whip another third of the sugar with the egg yolks on medium speed until thick and pale yellow in color, about 5 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest and the citrus juices. Fold in the dry ingredients.
• In a clean bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites and salt until frothy. Beat in remaining sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 5 minutes. Fold a third of the egg-white mixture into batter. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture in 2 batches. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Remove pan sides. Invert pan, remove parchment and turn cake right side up onto a plate.

HAZELNUT-PRALINE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over each short side; set aside.
• Whisk nuts and confectioners' sugar in a bowl; reserve 1/2 cup, and set aside. Put yolks and remaining nut mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale, about 3 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.
• Put egg whites and salt into the clean bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high. Gradually add granulated sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla.
• Fold egg whites into yolk mixture in two additions. Whisk flour and remaining nut mixture in a small bowl; fold into egg mixture in two additions.
• Transfer half the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #808). Starting in one corner of a prepared baking sheet, pipe batter in diagonal lines, filling sheet. Repeat with remaining batter in second baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Lift parchment onto wire racks, and let cakes cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife, trim edges of cakes to be straight. Halve cakes crosswise. Place one half on a serving plate. Brush with 1/4 cup hazelnut syrup. Spread 1 1/2 cups caramel cream over top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup praline. Repeat to make two more layers of each. Top with remaining cake half. Refrigerate 2 hours (or overnight). Dust with confectioners' sugar, and garnish with praline.

TOASTED HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• 1. PROCEDURE: 1. Separate eggs. Beat egg yolks and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer for a minute until they turn lemon colored. Add nuts and bread crumbs, and mix well.
• 2. 2. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake or torte pans, line bottom with greased parchment or waxed paper. Grease top of paper.
• 3. 3. Beat egg whites until soft-peak stage. Stir about a quarter of the egg white foam into the batter to lighten consistency (you may need to add a little milk as well if too thick). Gently fold in the rest of the foam.
• 4. 4. Divide batter into two cake pans. Bake at 375F degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until firm but not dry. Check tortes very gently by touching top after 35 minutes without shaking the oven or pans. If they feel firm and spring back and sides begin to pull away from cake pans, the tortes are done. Cool for 15 minutes then remove from pans. Strip off paper and cool completely on wire racks. Trim off any burnt parts and trim top flat if domed.
• 5. 5. Place one torte layer on serving plate, spread with little less than half the frosting. Cover with second torte layer and spread a very thin layer of frosting over top and sides. Chill 15 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top. Decorate torte as you wish or simply add hazelnut halves around rim on top. Chill for several hours before serving.
• 6. ***Keeps well for a week in refrigerator. Develops its flavor best after two days.
• 7. HAZELNUT FROSTING PROCEDURE: 1. Cream butter and icing sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add rum or Brandy.
• 8. 2. Beat eggs with sugar in top half of a double boiler, place it over steam on bottom half. Beat continuously until mixture thickens to the consistency of honey, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• 9. 3. Blend the two mixes and stir in hazelnut. Stir until uniform. Use frosting when cooled to room temperature.
• 10. ***Enough icing for one 8-inch torte.

HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Stir in nuts. In another bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Fold a small amount into batter until no streaks of white remain; add remaining egg whites. , Pour into an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. , Just before serving, remove sides of pan. If desired, drizzle with icing, sprinkle with nuts and garnish with mint.