Fran Mcgoverns Torte Recipes

VEGAN CHOCOLATE - ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat to 350°F and line a 9" springform pan with parchment.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, salt, baking powder and ground almonds.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, oil, zest, vinegar, vanilla and almond extracts.
• Pour into the dry mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Rotate the pan to level the batter and tap it lightly on the counter. Bake for 43 to 45 minutes.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack.
• Sprinkle cake with 1 tbsp ground almonds and cool completely.
• When cool, sprinkle serving plate with remaining almonds and invert cake onto it. Set aside while preparing glaze.
• Glaze / Topping:.
• Combine orange zest, orange juice concentrate and chocolate in a small saucepan and melt gently over low heat.
• Stir in oil, flavoured stevia and salt.
• Pour into a bowl and let sit 15-20 minutes to thicken before use.
• Pour glaze over the cake and sprinkle generously with flaked almonds.

GRAND MARNIER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment or wax paper and grease again. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in medium-sized bowl, stirring until well-blended and no lumps appear.
• In large mixing bowl, beat butter until very creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy - at least 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time and then add vanilla and beat until blended.
• Turn mixer to low and beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk, beating only until mixed after each addition. Beat in another 1/3 of flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk and then remaining flour mixture. Beat only until evenly blended - overbeating will toughen cake.
• Divide batter evenly between pans, then bang pans on counter several times to remove air bubbles. Bake in centre of 350 degree oven until centre of cake springs back when lightly touched and sides of cake start to pull away from pan. This should take between 30 and 35 minutes. Let cakes cook in pans on rack for 10 minutes before turning out. Remove paper and cool cakes completely on racks. When ready to assemble cake, slice each half horizontally so you will have 4 layers.
• Filling: Combine frozen concentrate, sugar, gelatin in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar and gelatin are disolved - about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange peel and 1/4 cup of the liqueur. Press sheet of waxed paper into surface of orange mixture and refrigerate just until it no longer feels warm to the touch - about 20 minutes.
• In large mixing bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in icing sugar until combined. Fold in liqueur mixture until evenly blended.
• To Assemble: Place a layer of cake, cut side up on a serving plate, Brush with 1 Tbsp of liqueur. Spoon a scant 1/5 of filling onto middle of layer and gently spread almost to edge. Top with a cake layer, brush with 1 Tbsp liqueur and then spread with scan 1/5 of filling. Repeat until all layers have been added. Use remaining frosting to frost top and sides of cake. Refrigerate immediately for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight, so flavours blend. Serve at room temperature.

FINNISH RUNEBERG TORTES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a muffin tin.
• Mix flour, crushed gingersnaps, almond flour, and baking powder together in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter, white sugar, and brown sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until thoroughly combined. Mix in rum extract. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add cream and beat until smooth.
• Divide cake mixture evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Press a small hole in the middle of each cake and fill with a small amount of jam.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add egg white and stir until smooth and shiny. Pipe icing onto the cooled cakes in a ring around the jam.