Holiday Walnut Torte Food

WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line three greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. , In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale yellow. Beat in the water, zests and vanilla. Combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt; add to batter. Beat until smooth., In another bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of egg whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites., Pour into prepared 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. Carefully peel off waxed paper. , For frosting, in a large bowl, cream shortening and butter. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Garnish with toasted walnuts.

HUNGARIAN WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar for 10 minutes or until light lemon-colored. Beat in vanilla. Combine cake flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture alternately with water, beating well. Fold in walnuts., In another bowl and with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter; fold in remaining whites. , Pour into two 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 small saucepan, whisk the milk and pudding mix. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl; press a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap over pudding. Refrigerate for 30 minutes., In a bowl, cream the butter, shortening and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and cooled pudding. Split each cake into two layers. Place one bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with about 3/4 cup filling. Repeat layers. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400. Mix together walnuts and three-fourths cup sugar. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in walnut mixture. Divide into three round eight- or nine-inch cake tins that have been well buttered and floured. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until delicately browned. Cool in tins.
• Mix egg yolks, coffee and one-half cup sugar and heat over low flame, stirring briskly until thick and creamy. (Do not boil.) Cool.
• Stir chopped walnuts and remaining one tablespoon sugar over low heat until browned. Add to coffee and egg mixture. Spread filling between layers.
• Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar.

APPLE AND WALNUT TORTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan, heat the orange liqueur. Turn off the heat and add the cranberries, making sure all the cranberries are submerged in the liquid. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and the orange zest. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add the apples, walnuts, and drained cranberries. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 8 by 8 by 2-inch glass baking dish or 8-inch cake pan. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• To serve, while still warm cut into squares or wedges and serve with ice cream.

WALNUT-DATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously grease a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan with softened butter or vegetable oil and dust with some matzo meal, knocking out excess.
• Pour hot water over dates in a large bowl and let stand 15 minutes to soften.
• Pulse walnuts in a food processor until chopped, then add 1/4 cup sugar and pulse until nuts are finely ground. Add matzo meal (2/3 cup), zest, cardamom, and salt and pulse until combined.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow stream, beating until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.
• Whisk yolks into date mixture. Fold one third of yolk mixture into whites, then fold in remaining yolk mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold all of nut mixture into batter.
• Spoon batter into cake pan and bake until golden and springy to the touch and cake just begins to pull away from side of pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

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.

HUNGARIAN CHOCOLATE-WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Have all ingredients at room temperature.
• Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or wax paper.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a heavy-bottomed 2-or 3-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium heat. Continue boiling and stirring until all the grains of sugar have completely dissolved and the mixture forms a simple syrup. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until light and thickened, about 4 minutes. Grind the walnuts with the remaining sugar and the matzoh meal in a food processor using the pulse motion and stir into the egg yolks. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and combine thoroughly.
• Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites in another bowl until they hold stiff peaks. Gradually fold the whites into the chocolate-walnut mixture, incorporating them gently but thoroughly so that no whites are visible. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed and almost set but still a little gooey in the center. A wooden toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge should come out clean.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack. When completely cool, unmold the cake by running a thin-bladed knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan (or release the springform); invert onto a platter. Peel off the parchment paper. Serve the torte at room temperature.
• If desired, lightly dust with Passover confectioners' sugar. For a lovely, simple presentation, place a doily or a stencil-handmade by you or, even better, your children-over the torte, then sprinkle with the sugar. Carefully remove the doily or stencil.
• Or glaze with the chocolate icing. Lay long strips of wax paper or foil on a cake plate or serving platter and place the cake on top. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Using a spatula, evenly spread the glaze over the top and sides. Now, pull out and discard the paper strips or foil strips--the plate will be clean and ready for serving. If you'd like, garnish with a few walnut halves attractively placed in the center of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to set the glaze, but bring it to room temperature before serving.
• The plain or frosted torte is heavenly with generous dollops of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• Passover Confectioners’ Sugar:
• In a blender, mini-food processor, or clean coffee grinder, whirl 1 cup minus 1/2 tablespoon regular granulated sugar until it is powdery. Place in a small bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon potato starch. Sift before using. (Recently commercial Passover confectioners' sugar, made without cornstarch, has appeared in some stores with large kosher-for-Passover sections. If available, by all means use it here.)
• Chocolate Icing:
• Melt the butter or margarine slowly in a heavy saucepan over very low heat. When half is melted, gradually whisk in the chocolate, stirring well as it melts. After all the chocolate has been added, stir in 2 tablespoons water and beat well until the glaze is completely smooth. Let the mixture cool about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

RASPBERRY WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground walnuts.
• In a small bowl, beat 1½ cups of whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
• In a large bowl, combine 1½ cup of sugar, 3 teaspoons vanilla and eggs; beat for 5 minutes at highest speed.
• Fold in dry ingredients and whipped cream alternately into sugar mixture beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Pour batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 15 minutes; remove from pans.
• Cool completely.
• To prepare frosting, in another small bowl beat 1½ cups of whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1-cup sugar, 1/8-teaspoon salt and 1-teaspoon vanilla; blend well.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• To assemble cake, split each layer in half horizontally to form 4 layers.
• Place one layer on a serving plate, spread with 1/2 cup of frosting.
• Top with second layer; spread with 1/2 cup of raspberry preserves.
• Top with third layer, spread 1/2 cup of frosting.
• Top with fourth layer.
• Frost sides of cake with frosting reserves and keep about 1 cup for decorating.
• Top fourth layer with raspberry preserves.
• Pipe lattice design on top and bottom using remaining frosting Store in refrigerator.

GEORGIAN GOLDEN RAISIN WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 14x16-inch or larger baking sheet.
• Spread walnuts out onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake in the preheated oven until walnuts smell toasted and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool; process nuts into tiny chunks in a food processor, pulsing several times to avoid turning them into nut butter.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add raisins to the steamer, cover, and steam until plump and moist, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Combine walnuts, raisins, 1/2 cup white sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
• Place 1 pie crust in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Cover with 1/3 of the raisin mixture, spreading it into a layer about 1/2-inch thick and leaving a 1-inch margin at the edge of the crust. Dot filling with 1 tablespoon butter chunks. Place 2nd crust over filling and spread 1/3 of the raisin filling as before; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Repeat with 3rd crust and remaining 1/3 of raisin filling and remaining 1 tablespoon butter chunks. Place final crust on top and press edges together to make a dome with the filling sealed inside the crusts. Use your fingers to crimp the edges into a fluted shape.
• Whisk egg with milk in a small bowl and brush the top of the pie with the mixture. Cut 5 2-inch-long slits into the top crust in a star pattern.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Combine 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and white grape juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil until mixture thickens into a syrup, 7 to 10 minutes. Drizzle syrup over the hot torte to make a glaze. Cool slightly before cutting into 16 slices for serving.