Walnut Date Torte Recipe Epicuriouscom

MAPLE-WALNUT ESPRESSO TORTE

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until syrup thickens slightly and is reduced to 1 generous cup, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil inside of 8-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Blend 2 cups walnuts and matzo meal in processor until nuts are finely ground. Using electric mixer, beat eggs, maple syrup, sugar, and salt in large bowl at high speed 5 minutes. Add espresso, lemon peel, and cardamom and beat until beginning to thicken, about 5 minutes longer. Gently fold in nut mixture in 4 additions. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake torte until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer torte to rack. Spoon 4 tablespoons syrup over hot torte. Decorate top with walnut halves. Cool completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover remaining syrup and torte separately and let stand at room temperature.)
• Cut around pan sides to loosen torte. Remove pan sides. Cut torte into wedges. Serve with remaining syrup and whipped topping, if desired.
• *Kosher-for-Passover nondairy topping mix is usually available in the frozen foods section of kosher markets and some supermarkets. Prepare it according to directions on the label.

WALNUT-DATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously grease a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan with softened butter or vegetable oil and dust with some matzo meal, knocking out excess.
• Pour hot water over dates in a large bowl and let stand 15 minutes to soften.
• Pulse walnuts in a food processor until chopped, then add 1/4 cup sugar and pulse until nuts are finely ground. Add matzo meal (2/3 cup), zest, cardamom, and salt and pulse until combined.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow stream, beating until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.
• Whisk yolks into date mixture. Fold one third of yolk mixture into whites, then fold in remaining yolk mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold all of nut mixture into batter.
• Spoon batter into cake pan and bake until golden and springy to the touch and cake just begins to pull away from side of pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 10-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with waxed or parchment paper. Flour the sides of the pan with matzo cake meal.
• In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until very light and fluffy. Fold in the hot chocolate mixture. In a small bowl, mix the matzo meal and ground walnuts. Fold into the chocolate-egg mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until firm and dry on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean (a few crumbs are OK), about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let cool 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a serving plate and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, whisk the egg whites and sugar together until the mixture is very hot and the sugar has dissolved somewhat. Remove from the heat and whip the mixture in a mixer (or using a hand mixer) until cooled, smooth, and fluffy. Add the butter and whip until smooth; the mixture might look broken at this point, but keep whipping and it will smooth out.
• Drizzle in the melted chocolate and coffee, and whip until smooth and fluffy. Using a flexible spatula, frost the chilled cake on the top and sides.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

DARK CHOCOLATE AND WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with butter. Chop the untoasted walnuts and flour in a food processor fitted with the blade until smooth, set aside.
• Combine the chocolate and butter in a heatproof glass bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute; stir mixture then microwave for additional 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is melted; set aside.
• Beat the egg yolks, ¾ cup sugar and vanilla on high in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, until pale yellow, 5-8 minutes. Stir in chocolate mixture then stir in reserved walnut and flour mixture.
• Combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and a small amount of the remaining ¼ cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixture. Whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until the whisk leaves visible paths in the egg whites and the mixture looks light, glossy and fluffy. Beat in the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes
• Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture in thirds until it is well blended. Gently transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan.
• Bake until a toothpick or cake tester comes out of the cake clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan; the center will sink a little as it cools, don't worry. Run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to make sure the edges are free before unmolding and removing the top part of the pan
• Use a fine sieve to sprinkle confectioner's sugar over top. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and raspberries before serving.

WALNUT TWEED TORTE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Insert bottom of springform pan upside down (so that turned-up edge faces down for easier removal of cake).
• Pulse walnuts with 3 tablespoons matzo cake meal in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped (be careful not to pulse to a paste). Add remaining 5 tablespoons matzo cake meal and pulse until mixture resembles a grainy flour.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they form soft peaks. Add 2/3 cup sugar a little at a time, beating until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• Beat together yolks and remaining 2/3 cup sugar with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl at medium-high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or about 5 minutes with a handheld. Fold in nut flour, then zest, juice, and vanilla. Fold grated chocolate into batter gently but thoroughly. Fold in one third of whites to lighten batter, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Pour batter into ungreased springform pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then run a thin sharp knife between cake and side of pan. Remove side of pan and cool cake completely. Invert cake onto rack and run knife between cake and bottom of pan to remove bottom, then flip onto a plate.

CHOCOLATE-WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Heat over to 350°F. Place cooking parchment paper or waxed paper in bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, mix walnuts, crushed cookies, brown sugar and butter until crumbly. Spread about 3/4 cup mixture in each pan; reserve remaining mixture.
• In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour about 1 1/4 cups batter over topping in each pan; refrigerate remaining batter.
• Bake about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Immediately remove from pans to cooling rack; peel off paper. Repeat with remaining topping mixture and batter. Cool completely.
• In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream, granulated sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Place 1 cake layer, walnut side up, on serving plate; spread with about 3/4 cup of the filling. Repeat with remaining layers and filling.
• Or place whipped cream for top layer in decorating bag fitted with star tip number 6. Pipe rosettes in center of cake; garnish with chocolate leaves. To make chocolate leaves, wash and dry leaves. In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. Using small brush, brush chocolate about 1/8 inch thick over backs of leaves. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until firm. Peel off leaves, handling as little as possible. Cover and refrigerate torte about 4 hours or until chilled. Store in refrigerator.

WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400. Mix together walnuts and three-fourths cup sugar. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in walnut mixture. Divide into three round eight- or nine-inch cake tins that have been well buttered and floured. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until delicately browned. Cool in tins.
• Mix egg yolks, coffee and one-half cup sugar and heat over low flame, stirring briskly until thick and creamy. (Do not boil.) Cool.
• Stir chopped walnuts and remaining one tablespoon sugar over low heat until browned. Add to coffee and egg mixture. Spread filling between layers.
• Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE, DATE & HAZELNUT MERINGUE TORTE

Steps:

• Cake:.
• Preheat oven to 180c (170C fan forced).
• First, prepare the nuts. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and bake at 180C for exactly 8 minutes (set a timer so you don't burn them).
• Remove nuts from oven, wrap in a tea towel and then rub firmly to remove as much skin as possible. You may have to do this a couple of times and rub stubborn ones between your fingers. Don't fuss too much if some skin won't come off - just get rid of as much of the loose papery stuff as possible.
• Put skinned and roasted hazelnuts into a food processor and chop roughly. Place nuts into a medium mixing bowl.
• Now break up the chocolate and place it in the food processor and chop roughly. Don't worry if it's not evenly chopped, some will be like grated chocolate, and you'll have some larger bits. That's fine. Just don't overchop it. Add chocolate to nuts in mixing bowl.
• Cut dates in half then process in a food processor until finely chopped, but be careful not to pulverise them to mush. Add dates to mixing bowl.
• Using your hands or a spoon, mix nuts, chocolate and dates well.
• Now, spray a 22-24cm (9") springform tin with spray oil and line base and sides with silicone paper. Paper should come 2.5cm-5cm (an inch or two) over the top of the tin.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then add sugar, 1 tablespoon a time, beating after each addition, until all the sugar is used. Continue beating until mixture is stiff and glossy.
• Note: If you don't have a large mixer, it's a good idea to divide the egg whites and sugar in half and beat each half in a different medium sized bowl.
• Using a spatula, gently fold date, hazelnut and chocolate mixture into the egg whites until well combined.
• Spoon mixture evenly into prepared tin, smooth top and bake on the centre shelf of the oven at 180C (170C fan forced) for 50 minutes.
• After 50 minutes, turn off oven, but DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR! Leave the cake in the oven overnight (or at least for several hours until the oven is completely cold) without opening the door.
• The next morning, you can remove the cake from the oven and decorate it just before serving.
• Ganache:.
• It's best to make the chocolate ganache the day before too. Simply bring the cream to a boil, remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted. Pour into small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, remove the ganache from the refrigerator and sit on the kitchen bench until it comes back to room temperature (this will take at least 2 hours).
• Decoration:.
• Just before serving, remove cake from springform tin onto a serving plate.
• Add sugar and vanilla to whipping cream and beat with electric mixer until thick.
• Spread whipped cream over the top of the cake.
• Spoon room temperature ganache into a piping bag with a large star nozzle fitted.
• Pipe rosettes around the perimeter of the cake and one large rosette in the centre.
• Remove stems from strawberries and cut strawberries in half.
• Pile strawberries (or berries of your choice) onto the top of the cake.

PASSOVER CARROT WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Set oven rack at middle of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 9 inch springform pan and dust with matzo cake meal.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks until thick and pale, add sugar gradually, beating. Beat until very thick.
• Add carrots, nuts, vanilla and ¾ cup matzo cake meal. Beat until combined well.
• In a separate bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold stiff peaks.
• Stir ½ cup of the beaten egg whites into the carrot mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly.
• Pour into pan. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
• Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Run a knife around edge of pan; remove side of pan.

DATE NUT TORTE

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat eggs. Gradually add sugars and beat until well mixed. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture and stir until moistened. Stir in nuts and dates. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan., Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Torte top will be crusty and the inside chewy. Cool. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

HOLIDAY WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, walnuts, baking powder and salt; beat into egg mixture. Beat cream until stiff peaks form; fold into batter., Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 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 over medium heat, cook and stir preserves and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Set aside 1/2 cup. Brush remaining glaze over cake tops., In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over one cake; top with second cake and 3/4 cup frosting. Sprinkle 1/2 cup walnuts over the top. , Brush reserved glaze over sides of cake; press remaining walnuts onto sides. Pipe remaining frosting around top edge of cake. Store in the refrigerator.