Walnut Graham Torte Recipes

WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line three greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. , In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale yellow. Beat in the water, zests and vanilla. Combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt; add to batter. Beat until smooth., In another bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of egg whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites., Pour into prepared 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. Carefully peel off waxed paper. , For frosting, in a large bowl, cream shortening and butter. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Garnish with toasted walnuts.

WALNUT GRAHAM TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix well. Fold in apples and 3/4 cup walnuts. , Spread into three greased 8-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. , Beat cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form; spread between layers and on top of torte. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTE WITH RICH GANACHE

Steps:

• Tortes:.
• Place a rack in the center of the over and preheat to 375 degrees. Lightly grease the insides of 3 soup cans. Place the cans on a piece of parchment paper and trace the circumference of each. Cut out 3 rounds of parchment and line the bottom of each can with a round. Place the prepared cans on a baking sheet and set aside.
• Place the chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on medium until the chocolate begins to melt, about 1 minute. Then stir until smooth. Let cool.
• Place the walnuts and flour in a food processor and process until the walnuts are finely ground but not oily, about 10 to 15 seconds.
• Place the butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and beat until cramy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla with the last yolk. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the melted chocolate until blended, about 10 to 15 seconds. Using a wooden spatula, gently stir in the ground walnut mixture.
• Wash the mixer beaters and dry them thoroughly. Place the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a small bowl and beat on high until the whites hold stiff peaks, about 60 to 90 seconds. Fold the egg-white mixture thoroughly but gently into the chocolate mixture.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared cans, dividing it evenly among them. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the cans from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
• When the cakes have cooled, invert the cans over the wire rack to release them. Peel off the parchment paper and place the cakes upright on the racks.
• Ganache:.
• Pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate.
• Let the mixture stand until the chocolate softens, about 1 minute, then stir with a whisk until the chocolate is melted.
• Allow the ganache to cool slightly, then pour about 3 tablespoons of lukewarm ganache over each cake, using a spatual to smooth the icing all over.
• Let the Cakes stand until the ganache is firm, about 1 hour. The Tortes will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

HONEY GRAHAM TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat egg yolks, margarine and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium-high speed until well blended. Combine graham crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture alternately with the milk, beating until well blended after each addition. Blend in vanilla.
• Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add to graham mixture; stir gently until well blended. Pour evenly into 2 greased 8-inch round cake pans.
• Bake 20 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
• Place 1 of the cake layers on serving plate; spread top of cake layer with half of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with half of the walnuts; cover with remaining cake layer. Spread top with remaining whipped cream; sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Store in refrigerator.

WALNUT GRAHAM TORTE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix well. Fold in apples and 3/4 cup walnuts. Spread into three greased 8-in. round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cake test done. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Whip cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff; spread between layers and on top of torte. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

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.

GEORGIAN GOLDEN RAISIN WALNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 14x16-inch or larger baking sheet.
• Spread walnuts out onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake in the preheated oven until walnuts smell toasted and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool; process nuts into tiny chunks in a food processor, pulsing several times to avoid turning them into nut butter.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add raisins to the steamer, cover, and steam until plump and moist, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Combine walnuts, raisins, 1/2 cup white sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
• Place 1 pie crust in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Cover with 1/3 of the raisin mixture, spreading it into a layer about 1/2-inch thick and leaving a 1-inch margin at the edge of the crust. Dot filling with 1 tablespoon butter chunks. Place 2nd crust over filling and spread 1/3 of the raisin filling as before; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Repeat with 3rd crust and remaining 1/3 of raisin filling and remaining 1 tablespoon butter chunks. Place final crust on top and press edges together to make a dome with the filling sealed inside the crusts. Use your fingers to crimp the edges into a fluted shape.
• Whisk egg with milk in a small bowl and brush the top of the pie with the mixture. Cut 5 2-inch-long slits into the top crust in a star pattern.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Combine 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and white grape juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil until mixture thickens into a syrup, 7 to 10 minutes. Drizzle syrup over the hot torte to make a glaze. Cool slightly before cutting into 16 slices for serving.

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.

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.