Holiday Chocolate Torte Food

HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13x2-inch pan.
• In small bowl, mix crust ingredients, and press into pan.
• Bake until lightly browned (15 minutes).
• Cool completely.
• Beat ingredients for 1st layer until creamy, and spread over cooled crust.
• Combine ingredients for 2nd layer and mix thoroughly.
• Spread over cream cheese layer.
• Cover with remaining cool whip.
• Sprinkle with almonds and chocolate to garnish, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve, cut torte into bars.

DECADENT HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Line bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with foil; grease foil.
• In small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. In large bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, melted butter and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, cocoa and water; stir in pecans. Gradually fold reserved egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; spread into prepared pan.
• Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until firm to touch; cool completely in pan on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate; remove foil. Cover; refrigerate. Prepare SEMI-SWEET GLAZE. Spread top and sides of torte with prepared glaze. Cover; refrigerate. Garnish top of torte as desired.
• SEMI-SWEET GLAZE: In a small bowl, place 1 cup Hershey's semi-sweet chips and 1/3 cup whipping cream. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Use immediately.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS TORTE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine butter, water and white chocolate; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in the buttermilk, eggs and extracts.
• In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour and pecans. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, baking soda and remaining flour. Gradually beat in the butter mixture. Stir in the flour mixture.
• Pour into three greased and floured 9-in round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, in a small saucepan, melt white chocolate over very low heat. Cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and extracts. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• To assemble, spread 2 tablespoons of jam over one cake layer; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers twice. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of torte. Warm remaining jam; drizzle over dessert plates. Top with a slice of torte.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with foil. Grease foil.
• Melt margarine and chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth and let cool.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat whites until stiff; about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, beat together yolks and sugar until thick and pale; about 1 minute. Blend in chocolate mixture and stir in almonds. Fold in beaten whites, 1/3 at a time, into chocolate until no streaks of white remain. Scrape into prepared pan.
• Place an 8 inch baking pan with 1 inch of water in it on the bottom rack of the oven (to make the torte more moist).
• Bake torte on center rack at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center. Cover the torte loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking. Note: Don't worry if the cake cracks because the top will be on the bottom later.
• Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then carefully remove sides of pan. Invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-CRANBERRY TORTE

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; cook until cranberries burst, about 5 minutes. Transfer to processor; puree. Strain puree into bowl; discard seeds. Mix in Chambord. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight (sauce will thicken).
• For torte:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Stir 3/4 cup cranberries and Chambord in small saucepan over medium heat until liqueur simmers, about 1 minute. Cool to room temperature. Drain cranberries; reserve liqueur and cranberries separately.
• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until beginning to bubble at edges. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in sugar, then eggs 1 at a time (batter will look grainy). Whisk in reserved liqueur. Add flour and salt; whisk gently until blended. Stir in reserved cranberries; transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake torte until top is puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with moist (not wet) batter attached, about 1 hour. Cool completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)
• For glaze:
• Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in Chambord. Let stand until glaze is thick but still pourable, whisking occasionally, about 2 hours.
• Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; place cake rack in center. Cut around torte to loosen; remove pan sides. Place 8-inch-diameter cardboard round or 8-inch tart pan bottom on top of torte. Holding cardboard and springform pan bottom, turn torte over and place on rack. Remove pan bottom; peel off paper. Pour 1 1/2 cups glaze over torte. Using icing spatula, smooth glaze over top and sides (re-apply any glaze from foil if necessary). Freeze torte until glaze is set, about 10 minutes. Pour remaining 1 cup glaze over torte and smooth evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup dried cranberries around top edge. Freeze until glaze is firm, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to platter. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)
• Arrange fresh mint leaves between cranberries at top edge of torte. Cut into wedges and serve with sauce.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, combine butter, water and white chocolate; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in the buttermilk, eggs and extracts. , In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour and pecans. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, baking soda and remaining flour. Gradually beat in butter mixture. Stir in pecan mixture. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a microwave, melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and extracts. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth., To assemble, spread 2 tablespoons of jam over one cake layer; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers twice. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of torte. Warm remaining jam; drizzle over dessert plates. Top with a slice of torte.

SOUTHERN CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift the cake and pudding mixes. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and oil. Add to dry ingredients; beat until well blended. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Finely chop eight candy bars; stir into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped topping. , Spread frosting on cake plate, between layers and over the top and sides of the cake. Chop the remaining candy bars; sprinkle over top and along bottom edge of cake. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE BAR TORTE

Steps:

• Pour both amounts of milk into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring milk almost to a simmer, stirring often. Add marshmallows and chocolate candy bars. Stir until marshmallows and chocolate melt and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Whip cream in a large bowl until fluffy and cream holds stiff peaks when beaters are lifted straight up, about 5 minutes. Gently fold cooled marshmallow mixture into whipped cream.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until crust mixture is evenly moist. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish. Spread marshmallow filling evenly over the crumb crust. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE TORTE

Steps:

• For Frosting:
• Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and just begins to bubble, about 8 minutes. Refrigerate until just thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 1/2x10 1/2x1-inch baking sheet with foil, leaving overhang. Grease foil. Sift 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa powder, cake meal and potato starch into medium bowl.
• Combine egg whites and salt in large bowl. Using handheld electric mixer, beat whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Using same beaters, beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in another large bowl until thick, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in oil, then nondairy creamer. Add dry ingredients; beat just until blended. Fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 additions.
• Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out dry and cake feels firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. Freeze cake just until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Using foil as aid, lift cake onto work surface. Cut cake crosswise into 3 rectangles, each about 5x10 inches. Slide large spatula under 1 cake rectangle; transfer to platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second layer. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with third layer. Spread very thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake to coat thinly and anchor crumbs. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set thin coat of frosting. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over cake. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover loosely with foil; keep refrigerated.)
• Cover top of cake with chocolate shavings and garnish with mint, if desired. Cut crosswise into slices and serve.