Hungarian Walnut Torte Recipes

HUNGARIAN WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar for 10 minutes or until light lemon-colored. Beat in vanilla. Combine cake flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture alternately with water, beating well. Fold in walnuts., In another bowl and with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter; fold in remaining whites. , Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small saucepan, whisk the milk and pudding mix. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl; press a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap over pudding. Refrigerate for 30 minutes., In a bowl, cream the butter, shortening and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and cooled pudding. Split each cake into two layers. Place one bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with about 3/4 cup filling. Repeat layers. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

HUNGARIAN WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar for 10 minutes or until light lemon-colored. Beat in vanilla. Combine cake flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture alternately with water, beating well. Fold in walnuts.
• In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour into two greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpicks come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• In small saucepan, whisk the milk and pudding mix. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl; press a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap over pudding. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and cooled pudding. Split each cake into two layers. Place one bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with about 3/4 cup filling. Repeat layers. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

STREAMLINE HUNGARIAN TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 11x17 inch jelly roll pan. Mix together the walnuts, ground cinnamon, and 3/4 cup of sugar in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the yeast mixture, egg yolks, sour cream, and butter. Gradually stir in the flour until the dough becomes too stiff to use a spoon. Use your hand to knead the dough in the bowl until it becomes smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into three equal parts, form into balls, cover, and set aside to rest for about 15 minutes.
• Roll one of the balls of dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to fit the pan. Place the dough in the bottom of the prepared baking pan and spread with 3/4 of the nut mixture. Roll out another ball of dough in the same way, place this over the nut layer in the pan and spread the apricot preserves evenly over the dough. Roll the third ball in the same way and place on top of the layer of preserves.
• Place the torte in the preheated oven and set the timer for 40 minutes. When the timer goes off, the top of the torte should be golden brown, if not then wait a few minutes. Place the egg whites into a clean glass or metal bowl. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add 2/3 cup sugar while beating the egg whites to stiff peaks. Spread the meringue evenly over the top of the torte and sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture.
• Bake the meringue-covered torte for an additional 15 minutes. Cool the torte in the pan set on a wire rack. Trim the edges for a cleaner presentation. Serve at room temperature.

HUNGARIAN CHOCOLATE-WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Have all ingredients at room temperature.
• Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or wax paper.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a heavy-bottomed 2-or 3-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium heat. Continue boiling and stirring until all the grains of sugar have completely dissolved and the mixture forms a simple syrup. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until light and thickened, about 4 minutes. Grind the walnuts with the remaining sugar and the matzoh meal in a food processor using the pulse motion and stir into the egg yolks. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and combine thoroughly.
• Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites in another bowl until they hold stiff peaks. Gradually fold the whites into the chocolate-walnut mixture, incorporating them gently but thoroughly so that no whites are visible. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed and almost set but still a little gooey in the center. A wooden toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge should come out clean.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack. When completely cool, unmold the cake by running a thin-bladed knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan (or release the springform); invert onto a platter. Peel off the parchment paper. Serve the torte at room temperature.
• If desired, lightly dust with Passover confectioners' sugar. For a lovely, simple presentation, place a doily or a stencil-handmade by you or, even better, your children-over the torte, then sprinkle with the sugar. Carefully remove the doily or stencil.
• Or glaze with the chocolate icing. Lay long strips of wax paper or foil on a cake plate or serving platter and place the cake on top. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Using a spatula, evenly spread the glaze over the top and sides. Now, pull out and discard the paper strips or foil strips--the plate will be clean and ready for serving. If you'd like, garnish with a few walnut halves attractively placed in the center of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to set the glaze, but bring it to room temperature before serving.
• The plain or frosted torte is heavenly with generous dollops of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• Passover Confectioners’ Sugar:
• In a blender, mini-food processor, or clean coffee grinder, whirl 1 cup minus 1/2 tablespoon regular granulated sugar until it is powdery. Place in a small bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon potato starch. Sift before using. (Recently commercial Passover confectioners' sugar, made without cornstarch, has appeared in some stores with large kosher-for-Passover sections. If available, by all means use it here.)
• Chocolate Icing:
• Melt the butter or margarine slowly in a heavy saucepan over very low heat. When half is melted, gradually whisk in the chocolate, stirring well as it melts. After all the chocolate has been added, stir in 2 tablespoons water and beat well until the glaze is completely smooth. Let the mixture cool about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

HUNGARIAN HAZELNUT TORTE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until nuts are ground as fine as flour.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until mixture falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Sift half of flour mixture over; fold in gently. Sift remaining flour mixture over and fold in, adding any nuts from sifter. Drizzle butter over batter, folding in gently (do not overmix or batter will deflate).
• Transfer batter to prepared pan; bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool cake 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; release pan sides. Invert cake onto rack. Remove pan bottom and parchment paper. Cool.
• For buttercream:
• Place cornstarch in heavy small saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring until cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in egg yolks. Whisk constantly over medium-high heat until custard comes to boil and thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Chill 30 minutes.
• Finely grind 1 cup nuts with powdered sugar in processor, about 30 seconds. Using electric mixer, beat vanilla into custard. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, then beat in ground nut mixture in 4 additions. Refrigerate until firm enough to spread, stirring often, about 30 minutes.
• Stir apricot preserves in small saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Push preserves, including fruit pieces, through strainer into small bowl. Cool.
• Finely chop 1/2 cup hazelnuts. Using long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on 8-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round. Spread evenly with apricot preserves. Top with second layer, cut side down. Transfer 3/4 cup buttercream to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of cake. Press 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts onto sides of cake.
• Pipe 12 rosettes around top edge of torte. Place 1 hazelnut and 1 apricot sliver into each rosette. Refrigerate until buttercream sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

HUNGARIAN FLOURLESS HAZELNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Grind hazelnuts until very fine. Add baking powder and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow in color. Beat in the ground hazelnut mixture.
• In a separate CLEAN bowl, with a CLEAN whisk, whip the egg whites until stiff. Quickly fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then add the remaining whites and fold in until no streaks remain.
• Pour into a 9 inch springform. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until top of cake springs back when lightly tapped. Cool on wire rack.
• When cake is cool, slice horizontally into 3 layers. Whip the cream until stiff, and spread generously between layers, on top and on the sides of the cake. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top for decoration.