Three Layer Pecan Torte With Whipped Honey Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine pecans, flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to yolk mixture alternately with water. Stir in vanilla. , In another large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. , Spoon into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Beat in confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with about 1 cup frosting. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining layer., For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine cocoa, water and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over top of cake. Spread remaining frosting over sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.,

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:

• 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:

• 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:

• Whip egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer with 1/4 cup sugar until glossy and thick. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. In the same bowl of the electric mixer, beat egg yolks, salt and vanilla until lemon-colored, thick, and ribbons when beaters are lifted, about 10 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating at medium speed for 5 minutes. With a spatula, stir in the flour, 1 cup of the chopped pecans, and the thick meringue. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans and divide batter between them. Spread batter to level and bake 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack and turn out of pans onto racks to cool completely. Place one cake layer, upside down, on a cake platter and spread with honey cream. Top with second cake layer, upside down, and spread with honey cream. Top with third layer, upside down, and spread top and sides of cake with remaining honey cream, reserving 1 cup for the garnish. Lightly press remaining chopped pecans around the sides of cake Place reserved honey cream in a pastry bag or zip-lock plastic bag with a small corner discarded. Pipe 10 evenly-spaced mounds on top of the cake, and top each mound with a pecan half, rounded side up. Refrigerate until the honey cream sets up and is firm. To serve, cut into 10 slices between pecan-topped honey cream. Whipped Honey Cream: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup clover or other light honey 4 large egg whites 2 cups sifted powdered sugar Cream butter until light and fluffy. Blend in honey well. Whip egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually beat in powdered sugar. Fold in creamed butter-honey mixture, and whip until fluffy.

Steps:

• For pecans:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk all ingredients except pecans in medium bowl. Stir in pecans. Spread in single layer on sheet, rounded side up. Bake until just browned and dry, about 30 minutes. Cool on sheet. Separate nuts, removing excess coating. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom, to within 1/8 inch of top. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.
• For filling:
• Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolates; whisk until melted. Add butter, 1 piece at a time; whisk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour filling into crust. Chill until filling begins to set, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Arrange nuts in concentric circles atop tart. Chill until set, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep chilled. Serve tart with whipped cream.

Steps:

• For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Using a double boiler or pan over simmering water, melt together chocolate and remaining 1/4 cup butter. Set aside to cool.
• Using a blender, chop pecans finely. Add eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt and melted chocolate mixture, blending until smooth. Pour batter into pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes; cake should be moist but not wet. Allow to cool completely.
• For the garnish: In a large mixing bowl, combine piloncillo or brown sugar, lime zest and lime juice. Add strawberries and blackberries, and toss gently. Just before serving, toss again and spoon on top of cake. If desired, serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.