Torte recipes - birthday celebration

Bittersweet Chocolate Torte

Ingredients:

14 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam

1 1/2- 2 cups fresh raspberries

Sifted powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

Grease the bottom of an 8-inch heart-shape cake pan with a removable bottom or an 8-inch round spring form pan; set pan aside. In a heavy medium saucepan combine chocolate, butter, and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; cool mixture for 20 minutes.

In a mixing bowl beat eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add granulated sugar and flour; beat on high speed for 10 minutes. Stir chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 30 minutes (35 minutes for springform pan) or until outer one-third of top is slightly puffed. (Because this torte is so dense, you're unable to use a traditional cake doneness test. The torte should be done after 30 minutes, even though the center will still appear to be under baked.)

Cool torte on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use a knife dipped in warm water to loosen torte from sides of pan. Cool torte thoroughly. Remove sides of pan. Wrap torte in foil; chill overnight or up to 2 days.

To serve, bring torte to room temperature. In a small saucepan melt jam; cool. Spread jam on top of torte. Cover jam with raspberries, stem sides down. If desired, before serving, dust with powdered sugar. Makes 16 servings.

Chocolate Velvet Torte

Ingredients:

1/2 17.3 ounce package  Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
2 cups fresh raspberries
OR strawberries

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Cut off the corners to make a circle. Press the pastry into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Prick the pastry with a fork.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let the pastry cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Heat and stir the chocolate and cream in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over low heat until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir some chocolate mixture into the egg yolk. Return the egg mixture to the remaining chocolate mixture. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pastry crust. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Top the torte with the raspberries.

Tip:

Stirring a bit of the warm chocolate mixture into the egg before adding it to the rest of the chocolate is an important step called "tempering". Tempering keeps the egg from scrambling and the filling smooth

Sweet Cheese Tortes

Ingredients:

1/2 8 ounce tub cream cheese with pineapple
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 10 3/4 ounce frozen pound cake, thawed
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
Chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until combined. Stir in carrot and the 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger.

Trim the crust from the thawed cake. Cut the cake in half crosswise; cut each half horizontally into thirds. Spread the cream cheese mixture over 3 of the 6 slices of cake. Place remaining cake slices on top. Cover and chill for 3 to 24 hours.

Cut up any large pieces of preserves; melt preserves in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Uncover the 3 tortes and brush the tops of each with some of the apricot preserves. Place each torte on a small serving plate. Cut each torte in half; then cut in half again forming four squares. Cut each square in half diagonally, forming eight small triangles per torte. If desired, top each torte triangle with chopped crystallized ginger. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Makes 3 tortes.

Walnut Mocha Torte

Ingredients:

2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

Chocolate curls (optional)

Mocha Frosting

1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals

1 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

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).

Chile Chocolate Torte and Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

All-purpose flour

1 cup whole blanched almonds

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 pound Mexican chocolate, such as Ibarra, or 1 lb. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup butter

6 egg yolks

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (divided use)

6 egg whites

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Whole blanched, unblanched or candied almonds

Crushed chipotle chile pepper (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with flour; shake excess; set aside.

In food processor bowl combine the 1 cup almonds, sugar, and 2 tablespoons flour. Cover; process until ground, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine Mexican chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate and butter are melted; cool 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl combine egg yolks, coffee, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Stir in almond mixture, chocolate mixture, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. In another large bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold whites into chocolate mixture. Pour into pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until just set. Transfer pan to rack; cool 1 hour. Center will sink as cake cools. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

To unmold cake, use a small sharp knife to loosen cake from sides of pan; remove sides of pan. Invert cake onto plate and remove pan bottom and parchment paper. Invert cake again onto platter.

In chilled bowl combine whipping cream, sugar, and remaining cinnamon. Beat until soft peaks form. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle almonds and crushed chipotle chile pepper. Makes 12 to 16 servings.