Hoppin John Huguenot Torte Recipes

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Soak the blackeyed beans overnight in cold water.
• Strain the beans, put in a saucepan and cover with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
• Fry the bacon and set aside. Fry the onion and garlic until soft, not brown, in the residual bacon fat then add the tomatoes, fry lightly for 1 minute. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, bacon, bay leaf, thyme, cayenne and black pepper, to taste, to the cooked blackeyed beans and taste for salt.
• Cook for a further 20 minutes, the water should have evaporated by this time. In the meantime, cook the rice and add to the blackeyed bean mixture.
• Transfer to a serving dish.

JOHN MARTIN TAYLOR'S HUGUENOT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two nine-inch cake pans. Cut circles of parchment paper for the bottom of each one, place in the bottom and butter again. Sprinkle a little flour in each pan and shake to coat bottom and sides thoroughly.
• Chop the nuts to a fine meal or place in a food processor and process in short bursts. Do not overprocess; the nuts will become oily.
• Peel and core the apples and mince. (Measure and use one and three quarter cups of chopped apples.)
• Beat the eggs and the egg yolk in a bowl for about five minutes or until the eggs have expanded greatly in volume. Continue beating and add the sugar, little by little, beating well after each addition. When all the sugar has been incorporated, beat an additional two to three minutes, until the eggs are very thick and have turned a pale cream color. Sift the flour over the eggs and sprinkle the chopped nuts and apples over the flour. Using a spatula, quickly turn and fold the mixture together. The batter should be thoroughly mixed: use your spatula to reach down to the bottom of the bowl.
• Divide the batter between the two cake pans and place them in a preheated oven. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until tops are brown and edges have started to pull away. Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool.
• When they are thoroughly cool, invert the cakes, remove the paper from the bottoms and turn them right side up again. Beat the whipped cream until it is stiff. Sandwich the cakes with whipped cream and spoon whipped cream over the top. Garnish, if desired, with toasted pecan or walnut halves. Serve immediately.

HUGUENOT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Spray two rimmed baking sheets (17 1/4-by-11 1/2-by-1 inch) with cooking spray; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs on medium speed until pale yellow and thickened, about 4 minutes. Gradually add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add flour mixture. Beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add apples, pecans, and vanilla; beat to combine.
• Divide mixture between prepared baking pans, spreading evenly. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool 20 minutes. Using a spatula, break into pieces, and stack on a large serving platter. Serve topped with whipped cream and nuts.

HUGUENOT TORTE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Butter the bottom and sides of 2 cake pans, each measuring 9 inches across by 1 1/2 inches deep. Cut 2 rounds of wax paper to fit inside the bottom of the pans. Place rounds in pans and butter lightly. Sprinkle the paper with flour; shake out excess.
• Process the pecan meats in a food processor or electric blender until fine, but not to a paste.
• Put the processed pecans in a mixing bowl and add the flour, salt and baking powder. Blend well.
• Destem and peel the apples and cut into quarters. Cut away the cores. Cut each quarter into thin slices, and the slices into thin strips. Cut the strips into very small cubes. There should be about 2 cups. Add to the pecan mixture and stir to blend well.
• Beat the eggs with a whisk or electric mixer about 2 minutes. Continue beating while gradually adding 1 cup sugar in small amounts, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
• Gradually fold the apple mixture into the beaten eggs.
• Pour an equal portion of the batter into each of the prepared pans and smooth over the tops.
• Place the pans on center shelf of oven and bake 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Transfer cake pans to a rack and let stand 10 minutes.
• Run a knife around the rim of each cake and unmold. Let stand on a rack until the layers are cool.
• Put cream in a mixing bowl and start beating. Gradually add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and continue beating until cream is stiff.
• Spread one cake layer with slightly more than half the whipped cream. Top with the second layer.
• Spoon the remaining whipped cream into a pastry bag outfitted with a No. 5 star tube. Pipe 8 rosettes of whipped cream on top of the cake.
• Chill the cake briefly. Top each rosette with a pecan.