Choc Pecan Torte Wstrwbry Bttrcrm Wchoc Ganache Recipes

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Cook the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan with the sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring continuously until the sugar is melted. Bring to the boil, then quickly remove from the heat, pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth and glossy. Use straight away or leave to cool down a little until thick enough to spread on a cake. Alternatively, leave to cool completely, then beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy and spread on a cake.

SUPER SIMPLE PERFECT CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Pour cream into a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave on high until very hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chocolate chips to heated cream; whisk until smooth.
• Place chocolate-cream mixture in the freezer until ganache is cold and starting to thicken, stirring every 5 minutes, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Spoon ganache into a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate until completely cooled, 15 to 30 minutes.
• Cut a corner from the plastic bag and pipe ganache.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum if desired.
• Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream, butter and salt. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely., Meanwhile, for the crust, cream butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in chopped pecans. Press onto bottom and 1/2 in. up sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet., Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly. Spread with 1/2 cup caramel sauce. Cool on a wire rack., Spread ice cream over caramel layer. Freeze 15 minutes. Top with additional chopped pecans or pecan halves. Freeze, covered, several hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining caramel sauce., Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Heat caramel sauce and serve with torte.

PECAN TORTE

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and lemon-colored, about 5-6 minutes. Combine pecans and bread crumbs; stir into yolk mixture with vanilla. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Divide evenly among three greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. For frosting, combine milk and cornstarch in a saucepan until well blended. Add chocolate chips. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Cool to room temperature. In a bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate mixture; beat until fluffy. Spread between cooled cake layers. Frost top and sides. Garnish with pecans if desired.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter two 8- by 2-inch round cake pans. Line each pan with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
• Make cake layers:
• In a food processor pulse 2 cups pecans with flour, salt, and baking powder until finely ground (do not pulse to a paste). Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in orange juice. Separate eggs and in a large bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks until pale yellow. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale, and fold in pecan mixture gently but thoroughly. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites until they hold stiff peaks. Stir about one fourth whites into pecan mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter between cake pans and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until cakes pull away from sides of pans. Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 10 minutes and invert onto rack to cool completely. Carefully remove wax paper from bottoms of cake layers.
• While cake layers are cooling, on a baking sheet toast remaining 1/2 cup pecans until fragrant and a shade darker, about 8 minutes. Cool nuts and chop.
• Make filling:
• In a medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat cream with zest until it just holds stiff peaks.
• Arrange 1 cake layer, top side up, on a serving plate and spread filling evenly onto layer. Put remaining layer, bottom side up, on filling.
• Make frosting:
• Chop chocolate. In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in sour cream and a pinch salt until smooth.
• Immediately spread frosting on top and side of torte and pat toasted pecans around side. Chill torte, loosely covered, until frosting is set, at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.
• Serve torte chilled or at room temperature.

PECAN SQUARES WITH DIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• MAKING THE CRUST:.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approxiamtely, 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs and the vanilla, and mix well.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined.
• Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18x12x1" baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
• TOPPING:.
• Combine the butter, honey, brown sugar and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir.
• Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. BE VERY CAREFUL - IT IS HOT CARAMEL!
• Stir in the heavy cream and the pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is set.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into small bars(as they are rich).
• MAKE GANACHE:.
• Cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee(if using) in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until very smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Dip only one end of pecan bars in the ganache, & place on white muffin cup liners; smoosh(for lack of a better word - this word is mine, not Ina Garten's) to open and place the dipped pecan bar in it. This way it can drip into the liner! Serve with or without liners.

DARK CHOCOLATE PECAN TORTE

Steps:

• Remove the side from an 8" springform pan.
• Line the bottom of the pan with waxed paper, extending the paper over the bottom edge.
• Attach side to bottom of the springform pan, making sure paper is secured to the pan.
• Trim paper to just beyond edge of pan.
• Grease paper and 1 inch up sides of pan with shortening or butter; set aside (or, grease the bottom of a 9x1 1/2" round baking pan; line bottom of pan with waxed paper. Grease the paper and side of pan. Set aside).
• Place the 1 cup of chocolate pieces and the 1/3 cup butter in a large microwave-safe bowl.
• Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 1 minute to 1 minute and 15 seconds or until chocolate is smooth when stirred; cool slightly.
• Add granulated sugar and the 1 1/2 tsp vanilla to melted chocolate mixture.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in flour and water on low speed, just until combined.
• Stir in the 3/4 cup pecans.
• Thoroughly wash beaters.
• In a bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with electric mixer on high speed just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
• Stir a small amount of the beaten egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture to lighten the batter.
• Carefully fold the remaining egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• If using the springform pan, place it in a shallow baking pan on the oven rack.
• If using the 9" baking pan, place it directly on the oven rack.
• Bake cake in a 350°F oven about 45 minutes for the springform pan or about 35 minutes for the 9" pan or until the top is evenly puffed.
• Torte will not test done in center.
• Top will have a sugary crust that will crack.
• Remove springform pan from baking pan.
• Cool cake in pan on wire rack.
• Loosen edge of cake from pan.
• Remove side of pan.
• Invert onto serving plate.
• Remove pan bottom.
• Peel off paper.
• If using 9" pan, cool cake in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes; loosen side of cake and invert onto plate.
• Peel off paper.
• Cool.
• Spoon Chocolate Glaze over cake, spreading to cover top and allowing glaze to drip over sides.
• If desired, sprinkle top with chopped pecans.
• Cover; refrigerate about 30 minutes or until glaze is set.
• Chocolate Glaze.
• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons water.
• Microwave on 100 percent (high) about 45 seconds.
• Add 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
• If necessary, add hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time to make a glaze consistency.
• Notes:.
• Because the torte has very little flour and lots of sugar, the top will puff up during baking and crack.
• Don't worry about the cracks.
• Before glazing, invert the cake so the smooth bottom becomes the top.
• My cake did not crack on top.
• Use a large spoon to spread the glaze on the torte, letting some of the glaze spill oven the side.
• For a fancier dessert, use a spatula to carefully smooth the glaze around the sides of the torte and over the top.