Mock Chestnut Torte Passover Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Line a 9-inch springform pan with baking parchment.
• Torte: In a mixing bowl, cream the unsalted margarine or butter with the 1/3 cup sugar. Blend in the egg yolks, then the mashed sweet potatoes, rum extract (if using), and cooled chocolate.
• In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites gently until they are a bit foamy. Then add in the salt and whip on a higher speed, slowly dusting in the two tablespoons of sugar to form stiff, glossy (but not dry) peaks. Fold one third of the egg whites into the sweet potato/chocolate mixture and work them in well to loosen the batter. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites, blending well but taking care not to deflate the mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The cake rises and looks dry, and slightly cracked on top when done. The middle should be soft but firm. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. At this point, the cake can be frozen for up to a month. Even if serving it the same day, chill the cake for an hour or two before finishing it with the ganache glaze.
• Chocolate Ganache Glaze: In a double boiler, bring the water to a gentle boil and add the chopped chocolate all at once. Remove from the heat and stir briskly with a wire whisk until all the chocolate melts and you have a thick glaze or sauce-like topping. Refrigerate for an hour or so. (You can also make this ahead and refrigerate it for up to a week or two. Simply warm it to the right temperature for glazing the cake.).
• Invert the cake onto a cardboard circle or cake board so that the smooth, flat bottom faces up. Do not be dismayed if this is not a high cake - it is a torte and is meant to be a little less than statuesque. Pour the glaze over the cake and, using a metal spatula, even out the glaze and spread it along the sides.
• Instead of the glaze, you can also simply sift some cocoa over the top of the cake or decorate it with curls of chocolate (using a vegetable peeler and a warmish chocolate bar). The cake can also be offered with a pureed raspberry or strawberry sauce, garnished with chocolate shavings, or left as is, with a citrus leaf, a sweetheart rose, or several berries in the center.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with baking parchment.
• Torte:
• In a mixing bowl, cream the unsalted margarine or butter with the 1/3 cup sugar. Blend in the egg yolks, then the mashed sweet potatoes, rum extract (if using), and cooled chocolate.
• In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites gently until they are a bit foamy. Then add in the salt and whip on a higher speed, slowly dusting in the two tablespoons of sugar to form stiff, glossy (but not dry) peaks. Fold one third of the egg whites into the sweet potato/chocolate mixture and work them in well to loosen the batter. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites, blending well but taking care not to deflate the mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The cake rises and looks dry, and slightly cracked on top when done. The middle should be soft but firm. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. At this point, the cake can be frozen for up to a month. Even if serving it the same day, chill the cake for an hour or two before finishing it with the ganache glaze.
• Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
• In a double boiler, bring the water to a gentle boil and add the chopped chocolate all at once. Remove from the heat and stir briskly with a wire whisk until all the chocolate melts and you have a thick glaze or sauce-like topping. Refrigerate for an hour or so. (You can also make this ahead and refrigerate it for up to a week or two. Simply warm it to the right temperature for glazing the cake.)
• Invert the cake onto a cardboard circle or cake board so that the smooth, flat bottom faces up. Do not be dismayed if this is not a high cake - it is a torte and is meant to be a little less than statuesque. Pour the glaze over the cake and, using a metal spatula, even out the glaze and spread it along the sides.
• Instead of the glaze, you can also simply sift some cocoa over the top of the cake or decorate it with curls of chocolate (using a vegetable peeler and a warmish chocolate bar). The cake can also be offered with a pureed raspberry or strawberry sauce, garnished with chocolate shavings, or left as is, with a citrus leaf, a sweetheart rose, or several berries in the center.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat the water and soak raisins until soft and water has cooled. Drain the water from the raisins and reserve.
• Combine flour, soaking water, 2 TB of the oil, stevia (or sugar) and sea salt in a mixing bowl and blend to form a creamy dough. (I've used Kosher salt rather than sea salt.).
• Blend the raisins, pinenuts and rosemary into the batter. Rosemary is traditional in that region, but I don't use it -- up to your taste buds.
• Pour 2 TB oil into an 11 inch shallow baking pan and coat. Pour in batter and drizzle the remaining 2 TB oil on top.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the surface begins to crack. Pour off excess oil. Remove from pan and serve hot.
• NOTE: Chestnut flour is great for gluten sensitive people. It can be substituted for all or part of any flour. It has a naturally sweet, wholesome taste and is more nutritious. I've been contemplating using a small amount of ground dried rosemary for a little flavor, but haven't tried that yet -- .

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 7" round baking pan and dust lightly with flour.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Beat egg yolks lightly and fold into egg white. Blend well.
• Sift together flour and salt. Add 1/3 flour mixture to egg mixture and mix well using light, swift actions. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Add vanilla essence. Add melted butter and blend quickly.
• Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minute.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.
• Filling:Place chestnuts in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Cook until soft. Drain, reserving the water.
• Mash chestnuts.
• Use 1/2 cup chestnut water or plain water to cook sugar. Then add butter, vanilla essence and milk to this.
• Add sugar and milk mixture to chestnuts and mix well.
• Slice sponge cake into two layers.
• Force chestnut filling through a potato masher and pile the strands of chestnut onto one cake. Place the other half over the chestnut filling, and pile the remaining chestnut filing on top of this.
• Cover with whipped cream. (I normally just sandwich all the filling between the two layers and serve decorated with dusted icing sugar, chocolate curls and some extra chestnuts.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar until very thick and lemon colored.
• Stir in the chocolate.
• Fold in the nuts.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into the chocolate-nut mixture.
• Turn into a greased 10 inch spring form pan.
• Bake 1 hour or until the center springs back when lightly touched with the finger tips.
• Cool in the pan.

Steps:

• Force chestnut purée through a potato ricer to make the purée fluffy, and set aside.
• Grate the chocolate using a food processor or the grater attachment of your mixer if you have one.
• Mix the almonds and breadcrumbs together.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Prepare 2 9-inch springform pans for baking by brushing the bottom and sides of the pan with melted butter, dusting with flour, and shaking out the excess.
• Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, but not dry.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks, gradually adding the sugar until well mixed (3-4 minutes: the mixture will be light yellow and very thick and creamy).
• Fold in the chestnut purée, then the grated chocolate.
• Carefully fold in the nut and bread crumb mixture.
• Stir 1 tablespoon of the egg whites into the batter, then fold the rest in 1/4 at a time.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans, spread evenly, and bake in the center of the oven until the tops turn light brown (30-50 minutes).
• Remove from oven and let it cool a little in the pan.
• Remove the sides of the pan and allow to cool thoroughly before filling it.
• For filling, melt chocolate in a double boiler over very low heat.
• Cream the butter with the powdered sugar; add the melted chocolate, and beat until fluffy.
• Fold in the nuts.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When the layers are completely cooled, take the better of the two for the top layer.
• Spread the bottom layer with the filling, and set the top layer on top.
• In a cold bowl, with a cold beater, whip the cream.
• Gradually sift in the powdered sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Mash the chestnut purée with a fork, then work in the powdered sugar.
• Beat in the rum, and taste for flavoring.
• When ready to serve the cake, top with whipped cream, then force the chestnut topping through a potato ricer directly on top of the whipped cream.