Cherry Tortoni Food

CHERRY TORTONI

Steps:

• Cook cherries:
• If using frozen cherries, thaw, reserving juices. Simmer cherries, 1/2 cup sugar, and liqueur in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cherries are soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk together cornstarch and water until combined, then whisk into cherry mixture and boil 1 minute. Transfer to a shallow bowl and chill, uncovered, 1 hour.
• Make crust:
• Pulse 1 cup almonds in a food processor until finely ground (do not pulse to a paste). Transfer to a bowl and stir in wafer crumbs and butter with a fork until combined well. Pat crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of buttered springform pan, then freeze while making filling, about 30 minutes.
• Make tortoni filling:
• Beat egg whites with remaining 1/3 cup sugar, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water using a handheld electric mixer at medium-high speed until whites just hold soft peaks and instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from saucepan and continue to beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes more.
• Beat cream with Marsala in another bowl at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold in ground amaretti and half of whites gently but thoroughly. Fold in remaining whites and pour into crust in pan, smoothing top.
• Drain cherries in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve juices. Scatter cherries evenly over top of tortoni, then swirl cherries into tortoni with tip of a sharp knife for a marbled effect. Sprinkle top of tortoni with remaining 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds and freeze, loosely covered, until firm, at least 4 hours.
• Let stand in pan at room temperature 10 minutes to soften slightly before serving. Carefully remove side of pan, then cut tortoni into wedges and serve with cherry juices.

BISCUIT TORTONI

Steps:

• Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, slowly beat the almond paste, almond extract, and confectioners' sugar until completely blended. Add the egg white and beat until smooth. Let the batter rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Spoon the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip. Pipe out 1-inch mounds of the batter onto a parchment-lined or nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and tan. Set on a rack to cool. When completely cool and crisp, chop the macaroons in a food processor. You should have approximately 1 1/4 cups of crumbs.
• Tortoni Cream: Spread out almonds on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 325 degree oven for 3 minutes. Turn tray around, toss nuts with a metal spatula and toast for another 3 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of cream, the macaroon crumbs and confectioners' sugar. Chill for 30 minutes. Mix in the rum and vanilla and chill for another 30 minutes. Whip the remaining 1 cup of cream to soft peaks and fold into the macaroon mixture.
• Divide the mixture among eight 4-ounce paper cups. Top with the almonds and cherries, if desired. Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

CHERRY AND APRICOT COBBLERS

Steps:

• For the dough, place flour in a bowl and rub in butter until fine and mealy. Do not allow
• to become pasty. Stir in the buttermilk, adding more, one tablespoon at a time, if necessary.
• Press dough together on a floured surface, wrap and allow to rest while preparing filling.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and set a rack in the middle level. For filling combine apricots and cherries in a bowl and toss with sugar. Pour into a large gratin dish or 4 to 6 individual dishes. Dot with butter and sprinkle evenly with the almond extract.
• Divide the dough into the same number of pieces as the dishes. Press the dough out on a floured surface until roughly the size of the baking dish. Lift dough onto filling using a thin, flexible cookie sheet, and cut several vent holes in top. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake the cobblers about 20 minutes, until crust is well colored and filling is bubbling. Cool slightly
• on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

DREAM SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream together the butter or margarine with 1/2 cup of the brown sugar. Stir in the vanilla and the flour. Press this mixture into the bottom of one ungreased 8x8 inch square baking pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes.
• To Make Topping: Beat the eggs and add 1 cup of the brown sugar. Stir in the 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, the baking powder, pinch salt, chopped walnuts, glace; cherries, coconut and chocolate chips. Spread mixture over the baked pastry.
• Return to the oven and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool then cut into squares.

CHERRY-APRICOT COBBLER

Steps:

• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine next 5 ingredients in large bowl; toss well. Spread evenly in prepared dish.
• For topping:
• Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Stir in next 5 ingredients. Spoon topping over filling. Bake cobbler until topping is golden brown and juices from filling are bubbling thickly at edges, about 50 minutes. Serve cobbler warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

ALMOND TORTONI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, and continue beating until thick and glossy; set aside.
• Whip cream in a large bowl. Carefully fold in sherry, almond extract, macaroon crumbs, ground almonds, and chopped red and green cherries. Gently fold egg white into cream mixture.
• Spoon into 8 paper baking cups placed in medium size muffin tray. Sprinkle with slivered almonds. Cover muffin tray with clear plastic wrap, then wrap with aluminum foil. Freeze overnight.
• To serve: Let sit for 5 minutes at room temperature, then garnish with maraschino cherry halves.

TORTONI

Steps:

• Scoop ice cream into a bowl; stir until smooth but not melted.
• Stir in pecans, chopped cherries, rum extract and vanilla.
• Spoon into foil baking cups; freeze until firm.
• To serve, garnish each with 1 t whipped cream and a cherry.

TORTONI, FROZEN ALMOND CREAM DESSERT

Steps:

• Put the cookies in a small heavy-duty plastic bag and crush them with a heavy object.
• There should be about 1/4 cup crumbs.
• Combine the cream, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and almond extract in a large chilled bowl.
• Beat with a hand-held electric mixer on high speed until the cream holds soft peaks when the beaters are lifted.
• In a clean bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the salt on low speed until foamy.
• Gradually increase the speed and beat until the the whites hold soft peaks.
• Fold the whites into the whipped cream.
• Spoon the mixture into 8 wine goblets.
• Sprinkle the tortoni with the amaretti crumbs.
• Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

CHERRY-MISU

Steps:

• Drain cherries, reserving juice and 9 cherries; set aside. Chop remaining cherries., In a large bowl, combine the cheese, sugar, Amaretto, vanilla and 1 tablespoon cherry juice. In another bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; gently fold into cheese mixture., Combine water and remaining cherry juice. Arrange 14 ladyfingers in an ungreased 9-in. square pan. Brush with 3/4 cup cherry juice mixture. Spread 1-1/3 cups cheese mixture over ladyfingers. Sprinkle with half of the chopped cherries and grated chocolate. Repeat layers., Top with remaining ladyfingers and cheese mixture. Garnish with chocolate curls and reserved cherries. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.