Grandma Irvines Four Layer Torte Recipes

GRANDMA'S PARTY TORTE RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring egg whites to room temperature.
• Add vanilla and vinegar to egg whites and beat until soft peaks form.
• Add sifted sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Continue beating until very stiff peaks form and all sugar is dissolved.
• Spread into three 9-inch round cake pans. Use pans with a blade scraper, or line pans with brown paper.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Cool thoroughly in pans, then turn out.
• Whip heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar (optional) until medium to stiff peaks form.
• Spread whipped cream between layers and on top and sides.
• Chill in refrigerator 12 hours or overnight.
• Top with diced fruit before serving, if desired.

GRANDMA'S RHUBARB TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Combine butter, 1 1/2 cups flour, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a mixing bowl; beat until combined with an electric mixer. Press mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish.
• Bake crust in preheated oven until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove and let crust cool.
• In large mixing bowl, combine 6 egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup flour, evaporated milk, 2 cups sugar, and rhubarb. Stir together and pour over cooled crust.
• Bake pie in oven until filling is set, about 1 hour.
• For meringue, beat 6 egg whites in a large bowl using an electric mixer until whites are foamy. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Spread meringue over rhubarb filling.
• Return pie to oven and bake until meringue is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

4-LAYER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• For filling, in a small saucepan, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Stir in milk and syrup until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. , Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring often., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with syrup and water. Beat just until combined., Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool., Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with a third of the filling. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake., For frosting, combine the sugar, egg whites, water and cream of tartar in a large heavy saucepan over low heat or double boiler over simmering water. With a portable mixer, beat mixture on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating on low speed over low heat until frosting reaches 160°, about 8-10 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add vanilla. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 7 minutes., Pipe or spread over top and sides of cake. If desired, garnish with chocolate curls.

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.

GRANDMA ZAUNER'S DOBOSH TORTE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper and grease and flour the waxed paper; set aside., In a large bowl, beat egg yolks for 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat for 3 minutes until mixture is thick and pale yellow and falls in a ribbon from beaters. Beat in vanilla., In another large bowl, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Fold flour into egg yolk a third at a time. Stir in a third of the whites. Fold in remaining whites. Spread into prepared pans., Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in another large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, chocolate, milk and vanilla until smooth. In a chilled small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form; fold into chocolate mixture., To assemble, split each cake into two horizontal layers. Spread 1 cup frosting on one layer. Repeat using all layers. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with grated chocolate if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

UKRAINIAN GREAT GRANDMA'S PRUNE TORTE

Steps:

• Use vegetable spray to butter 5 round layer cake pans (8-inch pans) and dust with flour, remove excess.
• Cream the butter with the sugar until light. Add the egg and beat well. Stir in the extract, salt, and almonds. Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Roll each of them between 2 sheets of waxed or parchment paper to fit the pan, or pat the dough evenly into the pans gently. Bake in a moderate oven 325 to 350°F for 20 minutes, or until delicately browned. Reduce temperature if it starts to get too brown. Remove from the pans while still hot. Cool. Prepare the filling.
• FOR THE FILLING: Cook the prunes in water just to cover until they plump up. Take prunes out of the liquid, pit them and grind them.
• Bring to the boiling point the ground prunes with the 1 cup sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and prune liquid. Put the layers together with the warm filling. Let the torte stand for about a day (24 hours) before cutting it. Serve in slices.

GRANDMA IRVINE'S FOUR LAYER TORTE

Steps:

• Layer 1: Mix together flour, margarine, and 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Press into a 9x13" pan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Layer 2: Whip cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Fold in 1 carton of Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust and refridgerate.
• Layer 3: Mix pudding as directed on package. Let cool and pour over layer 2.
• Layer 4: Spread Cool Whip over layer 3. May sprinkle with additional chopped nuts. Chill until firm.