Barbara Tropps Pecan Ginger Torte Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Draw two 8-inch circles on a sheet of parchment paper and place it on a sheet pan, pencil side down.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed for one minute, until frothy. With the mixer on high, slowly add the 2/3 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and beat on high for 2 minutes, until it makes firm, glossy peaks.
• Divide the meringue between the two circles and spread into two flat 8-inch disks with a rubber spatula. Bake the meringues for one hour, turn the heat off, and leave the meringues in the oven for 2 hours. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature on the sheet pan.
• With a large flat spatula, carefully transfer one disk, rounded side up, to a totally flat serving plate. (It's okay if the top cracks a little.) Spread the chocolate pecan filling evenly on top. Place the second meringue, rounded side up, on top.
• Combine the heavy cream, the 2 tablespoons sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until it forms firm peaks. Spread the whipped cream on top of the torte. Decorate with the shaved chocolate and refrigerate for 2 hours or for up to a day and serve cold.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the pecans until finely ground. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk the eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk the mixture almost constantly, until it is 130 to 140 degrees and thickened like custard. Set aside to cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
• Set another bowl over the pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Put the chocolate and espresso in the bowl and heat just until the chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in the Kahlua and vanilla and set aside to cool to room temperature. Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in the pecans. The filling can sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg at a time. Gradually beat in molasses. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Transfer to prepared pans., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely., Beat cream cheese, butter and lemon zest until blended; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread or pipe 2/3 cup frosting between each layer. Top with remaining frosting. If desired, sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Steaming pears: In a medium saucepan add about 3 inches water, the sugar, cut lemon slices and the lemongrass (lemon serai). (The lemongrass is optional.) Bring the water to a boil. Fit a steamer basket over the boiling water, add the pears and steam until tender. Remove the pears, drain, and coarsely grate. Press out any excess liquid for one hour before using, or substitute very well-drained, grated canned pears. Set aside.
• Ginger Syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, simmer together until the sugar dissolves, cool completely, then add the ginger wine and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour 2 (10 by 2 inch) deep cake pans and line the base with parchment.
• Sift together the flour, powdered ginger, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Beat the butter, oil, vanilla, sugars, and treacle until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the remaining ingredients in the order given. Mix 2 minutes on medium speed using a stand mixer.
• Pour the batter into the pans that have been greased floured and parchment lined.
• Bake 45 minutes in a 350 degree F oven, remove and cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then pour over the ginger syrup. Turn out onto a cooling rack when almost cold.
• Assembly:
• Level cakes if necessary. Secure the wax paper to the cake board with royal icing. Place the meringue dacquoise on wax paper. Smooth on a layer of washed cream, chocolate ganache, and the ginger marmalade to the meringue disk. Top with one of the cakes. Repeat the layers of washed cream, ganache, ginger marmalade, and the second meringue disk, top that with washed cream, ganache, and ginger marmalade, then add the second cake. Trim the meringue disks if necessary. Coat the entire cake with washed cream, then strained ginger marmalade. Cover tightly and securely with plastic wrap for 24 hours. Chill in the refrigerator. Remove the wrap and cover with white chocolate rolled fondant.
• This cake can be made and assembled for decorating 5 days before a wedding; in fact the maturing process improves the combination of flavors.
• Draw 2 (10-inch) circles on parchment, place on an oven tray.
• Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add the sifted powdered sugar in three stages mixing well between each addition then add the vanilla. Fold. Add the nuts followed by the sifted dry ingredients with a light hand. Spoon into the circles, level and bake 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until a light golden brown.
• Heat the first 4 ingredients gently in a double boiler. Puree in the food processor then strain. Add the ginger wine after completely cooling.
• Whip the sugar, butter, honey, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Remove the bowl from mixer. Cover with chilled water swirl and squeeze through the fingers for a minute, drain the water thoroughly and re-beat until light and fluffy. Repeat six times until the mixture is pure white and the sugar is totally dissolved. This keeps very well covered in a cool place for a day or two without refrigeration. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a month.
• Melt chocolate over hot, not boiling, water, add the cream, pecans, and ginger, last, after cooling add the ginger wine. Stir well and allow the mixture to thicken.
• For every 2 pounds of either commercial or homemade rolled fondant melt either 2 cups of high ratio cocoa butter white chocolate or chocolate couverture (compound) and pour into the rested fondant then knead until thoroughly incorporated. If flaking occurs, microwave in 5-second increments until the fondant warms then any rough shards will disappear. Leave to rest overnight before using. This results in a wonderfully soft easy to manage rolled fondant. Warm in the microwave for a few seconds before kneading to use. If using couverture add 1/2 cup sifted Dutch-processed cocoa to the melted chocolate and knead well. Roll out on sifted cocoa.

Steps:

• Pumpkin Mousse Preheat oven to 325 In small bowl 4 tbsp of water sprinkle 2 tsp unflavored gelatin over water let sit to soften 15 minutes. I heavy med sauce pan heat 1 c whipping cream, pumpkin, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves over med heat stirring occasionally bring to boil reduce heat to simmer. Heat egg yokes and sugar in metal bowl over simmering water whisking until sugar desolves remove from heat. Remove pumpkin mixture from heat add ¼ c to unflavored gelatin whisk to desolve whisk back in to pumpkin mixture. Mix pumpkin mixture into yokes whisk to combine. Pour mixture into 9 in pyrex pan bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely then refrigerate over night. Whip 1c whipping cream till stiff peaks form. Whip pumpkin mixture to fluff add whipped cream whisking to combine. Ginger Pecan Torte Can be made a day ahead kept at room temp Preheat oven 350 Place pecans and gingersnaps in food processor to grind. With whisk attachment mix on high speed yokes and sugar until light and fluffy about 4 minutes. Fold in ginger snap & pecans to combine. In separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into yoke mixture to combine. Pour into 12" spring form pan bake until tester comes out clean about 35 minutes. Cool completely. Caramelized Pumpkin Pieces Preheat to 375 Can be made a day ahead and kept in air tight container at room temp Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Mix maple syrup and pumpkin to coat. Put pumpkin in single layer on cookie sheet bake. Bake 30 minutes and then turn bake another 45 mins until caramelized. Cool completely To assemble place caramelized pumpkin on Ginger - Pecan Torte cover with Pumpkin Mousse. Top with lines of caramel drizzled across top use knife to put through lines of caramel to decorated add whole pecans refrigerate overnight (at least 3 hours). Run knife around edge of spring form pan. Pipe whipped cream around edge.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put egg yolks, granulated sugar, zest, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, about 4 minutes. Fold in pecans.
• Beat whites in a clean mixing bowl until stiff peaks form; fold into yolk mixture. Pour into a 10-inch springform pan.
• Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour (if top browns too quickly, tent with foil). Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with curd and berries; garnish with zest.

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and lemon-colored, about 5-6 minutes. Combine pecans and bread crumbs; stir into yolk mixture with vanilla. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Divide evenly among three greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. For frosting, combine milk and cornstarch in a saucepan until well blended. Add chocolate chips. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Cool to room temperature. In a bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate mixture; beat until fluffy. Spread between cooled cake layers. Frost top and sides. Garnish with pecans if desired.

Steps:

• Make the dough: Crack the egg into a measuring cup and beat it with a fork. Add enough cold water to measure 1/3 cup. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the egg mixture to a small covered container and reserve it in the refrigerator for brushing the crust before baking.
• To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt in the work bowl and pulse two or three times to combine. Add cubed butter, then pulse until the mixture has formed lima bean-size pieces. Drizzle in the egg mixture and pulse just to combine, taking care not overprocess.
• To make the dough by hand, put the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add cubed butter, then mix it in with your hands, pinching and squeezing with your fingers (or use a pastry blender) until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Drizzle in the egg mixture a little at a time, mixing until the dough starts to come together.
• Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and squeeze it once or twice to form a ball. (Add a few drops of water if needed to help the dough come together.) Flatten into a disk, cover in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• Make the filling: Set aside 1/2 cup pecans for the topping. Put remaining 1 cup pecans in a food processor with the sugar and process until finely ground. (If you've made the crust in a food processor, don't bother washing it out.) Pulse in the butter, egg, bourbon, vanilla, ginger, allspice and fine sea salt until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days, until the mixture is cold and solid.
• Place a piece of parchment paper on a work surface. Unwrap the dough and place it in the center of the paper. Top with another piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into an 11-inch round. (It can be ragged at the edges.) Leaving the dough sandwiched in the parchment paper, transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet.
• Remove the top piece of parchment paper from the dough. Spoon the pecan mixture onto the dough circle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Top with reserved whole pecans. Gently fold the pastry over the filling, pleating to hold it in. (Casual folds are fine: The aim is to make sure the filling stays in the tart.)
• Put the galette, uncovered, in the refrigerator for another 20 minutes (and up to 1 hour). It should be cold and firm to the touch when you put it in the oven.
• As the galette chills, heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Brush pastry with reserved egg mixture. (Add a little water if it thickened as it sat.) Sprinkle the pastry very lightly with flaky sea salt and very generously with maple sugar.
• Bake the galette for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or ice cream.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place nuts in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Toast until nuts are fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Meanwhile, combine sugar, salt, and ginger in a small bowl, and set aside.
• Combine honey, 2 tablespoons water, and oil in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and add roasted pecans. Cook, stirring once or twice, until all of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl, add sugar mixture, and toss until well combined. Spread nuts in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool. These pecans may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.