Caramel Pistachio Torte With Halvah And Dark Chocolate Food

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO FUDGE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the crust: Place the pistachios, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to roughly chop. Add the graham crackers and pulse until finely chopped. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the springform pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream, vanilla and salt until just beginning to simmer around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, and then whisk until smooth and shiny. Pour the chocolate filling over the crust and sprinkle with the chopped apricots. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.
• Serve with whipped cream if desired.

CARAMEL-PISTACHIO TORTE WITH HALVAH AND DARK CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine flour, halvah, sugar, and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, process until blended to sandy texture. Add butter. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg yolks and 2 tablespoons ice water in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture. Using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into 2 balls; flatten into disks. Wrap separately in plastic. Chill 1 hour.
• For filling:
• Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil until syrup turns deep amber or clip-on candy thermometer registers 360°F, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 11 minutes (time will vary depending on size of pan). Remove from heat. Carefully stir in cream (mixture will bubble). Add butter and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in pistachios. Cool until lukewarm but still pourable, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Roll out 1 dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper to 11-inch round (dough will be about 1/3 inch thick). Remove top paper. Invert dough into prepared pan. Remove remaining paper. Trim dough overhang. Roll out second dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper to 10-inch round. Pour filling into prepared crust. Brush edges of crust with egg white. Remove top paper from second dough disk. Invert over filling. Remove paper. Press dough around pan edges to trim and seal.
• Place torte on baking sheet and bake until crust is golden, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Chill overnight.
• For glaze:
• Bring cream and butter just to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and corn syrup; whisk until smooth. Cool 5 minutes.
• Place rack over rimmed baking sheet. Remove sides from tart pan. Invert torte onto rack. Remove bottom of tart pan. Pour warm glaze over torte (bottom of torte becomes top). Let stand until glaze sets. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)
• Slice into thin wedges and serve.
• *A sesame confection available at delicatessens, Middle Eastern markets, supermarkets, and Italian markets.

PISTACHIO, CHERRY AND CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Combine the biscotti, butter and sugar in a food processor. Blend until the mixture forms moist crumbs that stick together when pressed. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until golden and feels firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Spread the cherry preserves over the cooled crust leaving a 1/2 to 1-inch border.
• For the filling: Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the dried cherries and 1/2 cup of the pistachios. Pour the chocolate filling over the cherry preserves and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup pistachios on top. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.
• Loosen the tart from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the edge. Unmold the tart and transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt flakes, if using. Cut into wedges and serve.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TORTE

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs, buttermilk, and pistachios. Fold in flour mixture just until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes; run a knife around edge, and invert onto a wire rack. Remove paper, and let cool completely, about 3 hours. (To store, wrap in plastic, and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days).
• Make ganache: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer; remove from heat. Add chocolate, and let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Let cool until mixture falls back in ribbons when lifted with a spoon, 2 to 6 minutes.
• Set cake on a serving platter; tuck strips of parchment paper under edge of cake to prevent ganache from dripping on platter. Pour ganache onto center of cake; using a table knife, spread evenly over the top and down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes. Remove paper from under cake; sprinkle top with pistachios.

PISTACHIO TORTE

Steps:

• For the crust, mix together the flour, butter and nuts.
• Press in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.
• Bake at 325 for 15 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup cool whip.
• Spread on top of crust.
• Mix well the pudding and milk.
• Pour on top of cream cheese mixture and let set.
• Top with remaining cool whip.
• May top with chopped nuts if desired.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Line the base of a deep, round 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a circle of baking parchment. Line the sides with one long strip that comes just above the sides of the tin - staple or paper clip where the strip overlaps to hold it in place.
• Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag or bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Stir into the melted butter, then evenly press into the bottom of the tin. Chill for 10 mins.
• Reserve 2 tbsp of the caramel. Stir the sea salt into the remainder and spoon into the centre of the biscuit base. Gently spread so the base is evenly covered but a visible 1-2cm border of biscuit remains around the edge. Chill for 20 mins while you make the chocolate layer.
• Gently melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir 1 tbsp of the cream into the reserved caramel, then cover and chill until ready to decorate. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat but leave the bowl where it is, and gradually stir in the remaining cream until you have a smooth, shiny, thick chocolate sauce. Sift in the icing sugar and stir in with the vanilla extract. Lift off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 mins.
• Ladle or pour the chocolate mixture around the edge of the torte first, so it fills the biscuit border, sealing the caramel in the centre. Then ladle or pour in the rest and gently shake to smooth the surface. Chill for at least 5 hrs or up to 24 hours until firm.
• Remove the torte from the tin, then carefully peel off the strip of paper and transfer to a serving plate. Dot the chocolates on top. Spoon the reserved caramel-cream mixture into a small food or freezer bag. Snip off the tiniest tip of the corner to make a very small opening, then squiggle lines of caramel over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with a pinch or two of sea salt before serving, then thinly slice. Eat with a drizzle of single cream, if you like.

MILK CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TART

Steps:

• Coat a 9-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Make the crust: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, chopped pistachios, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar, and beat until pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add vanilla, then flour mixture; beat until just combined and dough holds together when pressed between 2 fingers. Press dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Roll out dough to an 11-inch round, 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Press dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan. Trim excess dough flush with edges of pan using a knife. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Bake until firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the pistachio paste: Pulse pistachios, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until mixture begins to clump together. Add oil, and pulse until smooth and pastelike. Spread evenly into bottom of cooled tart shell, pressing firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup until flat and smooth.
• Make the filling: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling; pour over chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in egg until combined. Place tart shell on a baking sheet, and pour in filling. Bake until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios.