Ukrainian Viennese Orange Torte Recipes

VIENNESE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three 9-inch round cake pans with waxed paper, then grease the waxed paper.
• Sift flour with cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 6 egg yolks. On high speed of an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla.
• Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Spread batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly; set aside.
• In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat 6 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Dividing evenly, spread meringue over the batter in each pan.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake is done and meringue is lightly browned. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Carefully remove from pans; peel off paper. Cool layers completely on wire racks, meringue side up.
• Meanwhile, prepare orange curd: In the top of a double boiler, stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water, orange juice and orange zest. Blend in 4 beaten egg yolks.
• Cook over hot (not boiling) water, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Cover with waxed paper; let cool completely.
• To assemble: Place a cake layer, meringue side up, on a cake plate. Spread a third of the orange curd over the meringue. Repeat twice, using remaining layers and curd. Garnish with whipped cream and sliced almonds, if desired.
• Note: If desired, replace 1 tablespoon of orange juice with 1 tablespoon orange liqueur.

UKRAINIAN KYIVSKY TORTE

Steps:

• Beat the 12 egg Yolks until light and beat in the sugar gradually (a tablespoon at a time).
• Beat until lemon colored, light and fluffy.
• Fold in the bread crumbs and the nuts.
• Beat the 12 egg whites until stiff.
• Lighten the nut mixture with a bit of the egg whites and then genly fold into the mixture the rest of the whites.
• Butter 2 deep layer pans 9 or 10 inch springform pans (shallow pans may cause the batter to run over in the oven) with soft butter and sprinkle with fine bread crumbs.
• Regular pans can be used, in this case use parchment paper for the bottom of pan and grease the paper also.
• Bake in a 325 F.
• oven for about 30--35 minutes.
• Test cake with a toothpick in the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean the cake is done.
• Cool for 10 minutes and gently with a knife go around the cake to loosen and gently invert and place on a cake rack.
• Fill and frost the cake with the filling.
• If you wish more layers cut each cake in half and fill so that you will have 4 layers.
• FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FILLING AND ICING: Over simmering water in a double boiler add 1 cup HOT strong coffee and add the chocolate, mixing well to melt.
• In a separate bowl-- Beat the 5 egg yolks until light and set aside.
• Blend 2 1/2 Tablespoons of the flour in the remaining 1/2 cup COLD coffee and blend well until smooth and free of any lumps.
• Add the flour mixture to the whipped egg yolks and mix well.
• Add this mixture whisking quickly to the melted chocolate (in the double boiler) and cook until thickens stirring frequently for about 10 minutes.
• When mixture has thickened set it aside to COOL.
• Beat 1 cup unsalted butter with the 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy and gradually beat in the cold chocolate pudding mixture little at a time into the butter and beat until fluffy.

UKRAINIAN-VIENNESE ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• CAKE BATTER: Mix sugar, orange rind, and orange juice. Cook over low heat for several minutes, until thick. Let cool. Preheat oven to 325-350F degrees (see below). Beat egg yolks until light and fluffy, and add ground almonds and the above orange syrup to yolks gradually; mix well. Add breadcrumbs and mix. Whip egg whites well (until soft peaks form), and fold them thoroughly into above mixture. Butter and lightly breadcrumb two 25 cm. (10") round cake pans. (Use the spring-form type with removable sides.) Pour half the batter into each pan. Bake in pre-heated 350F oven until done, perhaps 30 minutes (or use 325F oven for up to 45 minutes). Let cool to room temperature, and remove from pans. FILLING/ICING: Mix milk, egg yolks, and flour together. Cook over double boiler (or very carefully over low heat, stirring constantly for the first five minutes and frequently thereafter--it burns easily, so do not walk away and leave it!) until mixture is like very thick cream. (This may take 30 to 40 minutes.) Let cool to room temperature (to speed up cooling, you can stir it). Mix butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Combine the two above mixtures together with remaining filling ingredients. Mix well. ASSEMBLY: Take one of the cake layers and spread with 1/3 to ½ of the filling/icing mixture. Place second cake layer on top. Ice the cake (top and sides) with the remaining filling. (If wish, can decorate top with whole almonds.) Refrigerate. Wait a day or two before serving, to let the taste develop fully. It will keep well for at least a week, but may get a bit soggier over time.

UKRAINIAN-VIENNESE ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• CAKE BATTER: Mix sugar, orange rind, and orange juice. Cook over low heat for several minutes, until thick. Let cool. Preheat oven to 325-350F degrees (see below). Beat egg yolks until light and fluffy, and add ground almonds and the above orange syrup to yolks gradually; mix well. Add breadcrumbs and mix. Whip egg whites well (until soft peaks form), and fold them thoroughly into above mixture. Butter and lightly breadcrumb two 25 cm. (10") round cake pans. (Use the spring-form type with removable sides.) Pour half the batter into each pan. Bake in pre-heated 350F oven until done, perhaps 30 minutes (or use 325F oven for up to 45 minutes). Let cool to room temperature, and remove from pans. FILLING/ICING: Mix milk, egg yolks, and flour together. Cook over double boiler (or very carefully over low heat, stirring constantly for the first five minutes and frequently thereafter--it burns easily, so do not walk away and leave it!) until mixture is like very thick cream. (This may take 30 to 40 minutes.) Let cool to room temperature (to speed up cooling, you can stir it). Mix butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Combine the two above mixtures together with remaining filling ingredients. Mix well. ASSEMBLY: Take one of the cake layers and spread with 1/3 to ½ of the filling/icing mixture. Place second cake layer on top. Ice the cake (top and sides) with the remaining filling. (If wish, can decorate top with whole almonds.) Refrigerate. Wait a day or two before serving, to let the taste develop fully. It will keep well for at least a week, but may get a bit soggier over time.

UKRAINIAN PRUNE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 5 (8 inch) round pans.
• Grind the blanched almonds in a food processor with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Cream the butter with the remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the almond extract, salt, and ground almond mixture. Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Roll each piece between 2 sheets of waxed paper or parchment paper to fit the pans, or pat each piece of dough into the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pans while still hot.
• To make the Prune Filling: Place the prunes in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Puree the prunes in a food processor.
• Return the prune puree to the saucepan and add the white sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and 4 tablespoons reserved prune liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat. Assemble the torte layers, spreading them with warm prune filling. Let stand for 24 hours before slicing.

VIENNESE TORTE RECIPE

Steps:

• In heavy saucepan, heat together chocolate pieces, butter, and water over medium heat. Stir until blended; cool slightly. Add egg yolks, powdered sugar, vanilla. Stir until smooth. Chill until mixture is of spreading consistency, about 45 minutes. Slice cake horizontally in 6 layers. Spread about 2 tbls. of chocolate mixture between each layer, then frost top and sides with remaining chocolate. Chill at least 45 minutes before serving. To serve, cut cake in 1/4 inch thick slices.

VIENNESE TORTE

Steps:

• Line two 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat in egg yolks, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Pour into prepared pans.
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread evenly over batter, sealing edges to sides of pan.
• Bake at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with coconut and almonds. Bake 20-30 minutes longer or until meringue and coconut are lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Cool meringue side up.
• In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped cream. Place one cake layer on a serving plate, meringue side up; spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining cake. Chill overnight. Refrigerate leftovers.