New England Blackberry Torte Food

BLACKBERRY CUSTARD TORTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in egg until dough forms a ball. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. , For filling, beat the egg yolks, sour cream, sugar and vanilla in another small bowl just until combined. Sprinkle 2 cups blackberries over crust. Carefully pour sour cream mixture over berries. Place pan on a baking sheet. , Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack (center will fall). , Remove sides of pan. Top with whipped cream and remaining blackberries. Refrigerate any leftovers.

FROZEN BLACKBERRY AND MERINGUE TORTE

Steps:

• For meringues:
• Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 200°F. Line baking sheets with foil. Brush foil with margarine; dust lightly with matzo cake meal. Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until whites are very thick, stiff and shiny, about 5 minutes. Drop meringue onto prepared sheets by rounded tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 inch apart.
• Bake meringues until dry and crisp to touch and pale ivory, about 2 hours 45 minutes. Turn off oven. Cool meringues 1 hour in closed oven. Place in large resealable plastic bags and freeze.
• For sabayon and sauce:
• Place 6 cups frozen berries in large bowl and remaining berries in medium bowl; thaw berries. Puree 6 cups berries with their juices in blender; press through sieve into large measuring cup to yield about 2 1/2 cups puree. Transfer 1 1/4 cups puree to small bowl; chill while making egg mixture. Add remaining puree to berries in medium bowl for sauce; mix in 1/2 cup sugar. Cover; chill.
• Using handheld electric mixer, beat 1 1/4 cups sugar, wine and yolks in large metal bowl to blend. Set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and beat until mixture is very thick and thermometer registers at least 160°F, about 12 minutes. Remove from over water. Add 1 1/4 cups cold berry puree. Continue to beat until sabayon is cool, about 8 minutes.
• Place 1 layer of meringues on bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Pour sabayon over. Top with more meringues pressed into sabayon at slight angle and arranged in 2 concentric circles. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. (Sauce and torte can be made 3 days ahead. Keep sauce refrigerated. Cover torte; keep frozen.)
• Cut around torte; remove pan sides. Cut torte into wedges. Spoon sauce over wedges and serve.

NEW ENGLAND BLACKBERRY "TORTE"

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift cornmeal through a fine sieve, discarding any coarse grit (there may be 1 to 2 tablespoons grit). Resift cornmeal through fine sieve with baking powder and salt, discarding any coarse grit in sieve (up to 1 tablespoon more).
• Beat together butter and 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in cornmeal mixture, then beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended.
• Spread batter in a buttered 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass or ceramic pie plate or gratin dish.
• Toss berries with lemon juice and strew over batter. Mix remaining tablespoon sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over berries.
• Bake "torte" in middle of oven until top is crusty (berries sink to bottom during baking) and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• Serve warm.