Hazelnut Cream Torte _torta I Crema I Nuciddi_ Food

HAZELNUT CREAM TORTE (_TORTA 'I CREMA 'I NUCIDDI_)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 10- by 2-inch round cake pan or 10-inch springform pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper. Butter paper. Dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.
• Sift together 1 1/4 cups flour and 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat together yolks, 1‰ cups sugar, and warm water with an electric mixer until thick, pale, and doubled in volume, 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then gradually beat in flour on low speed until incorporated.
• Beat whites in a large bowl with cleaned beaters until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into yolk mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold in remaining whites.
• Pour batter into cake pan and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and a tester inserted 1 inch from center comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 30 to 40 minutes. Turn off oven and cool cake in oven with door ajar 30 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake and invert onto a rack. Remove pan and paper, then cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Toast hazelnuts in a baking pan in middle of oven until golden and skins are blistered, 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let them steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins (don't worry about skins that don't come off).
• Grind warm nuts in a food processor until they form a paste and chill until cold.
• Beat 2 cups cream with 5 tablespoons confectioners sugar with electric mixer until it holds stiff peaks. Chill until ready to assemble cake.
• Beat remaining cup cream with remaining 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar until cream just holds stiff peaks, then beat in cold hazelnut paste. Chill hazelnut filling until ready to assemble cake.
• Trim off any loose, crusty pieces from top and sides of cake. Halve cake horizontally with a long serrated knife and remove top half. Brush bottom half with two thirds of Strega, then spread all of hazelnut filling over it. Cover with top half of cake and brush with remaining Strega. Frost side and top of cake with whipped cream.
• Freeze cake until firm, at least 3 hours. Let cake stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving, then sprinkle top with chocolate shavings.

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 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.

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.