Apricot Hazelnut Torte Recipes

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. , In a bowl, combine the hazelnuts, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, water and vanilla until lemon-colored. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar; set aside., In a small bowl with clean beater, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the dry ingredients into egg yolk mixture. Repeat three times. Fold in egg white mixture. , Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a chilled large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in apricots. , Split each cake into two horizontal layers. Spread filling between layers and over sides of torte. Spread jam over top. Garnish with whipped cream, apricots and hazelnuts if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Liberally butter the tart pan.
• For the crust: Combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, almonds, cocoa powder and sugar in a food processor. Process until the almonds are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms a coarse meal. With the processor running, gradually add 2 tablespoons of iced water until the mixture forms a ball, adding extra water, as needed, if the mixture is too dry. Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. Place the dough in the tart pan and trim any excess dough from the top of the pan. If the dough cracks, press scraps of dough into the cracks to seal. Prick the dough all over, using a fork, and bake for 15 minutes. Let the crust cool for 15 minutes.
• For the filling: Place the chocolate and butter in a small bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Beat the eggs, liqueur, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until the filing has set and begins to crack slightly on top, 22 to 25 minutes. Allow the tart to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• For the apricot cream: Beat the cream at high speed until stiff peaks form, using a hand mixer. Add the jam and vanilla. Beat until the jam is incorporated into the cream.
• Remove the tart from the pan and cut into thin wedges. Serve with a dollop of apricot cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 10-inch springform pan. Process nuts and 1/4 cup flour in processor until nuts are finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cloves. Using electric mixer, beat 14 tablespoons butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in large bowl. Beat in egg, then egg yolk and orange peel. Gradually stir in dry ingredients. Spoon 1 1/2 cups batter into pastry bag fitted with 3/8-inch plain round tip. Spread remaining batter in pan.
• Bake torte bottom until golden, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Using some of batter in pastry bag, pipe border around edge of torte bottom. Spread preserves evenly over torte bottom. Pipe remaining batter over preserves in lattice pattern, 5 to 6 strips in each direction. Bake until lattice is firm to touch and preserves are bubbling, about 40 minutes. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• Beat cream in bowl until peaks form; beat in quark. Dust torte with powdered sugar. Serve with quark whipped cream.
• A slightly tangy, soft unripened cow's-milk cheese; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Whole Foods markets) and natural foods stores.

Steps:

• Make the poached apricots: Combine wine, 3 cups water, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, and cinnamon stick in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add apricots, cut-side down. Cover surface with a parchment round, and cook, simmering, until apricots are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer poached apricots to a small rimmed baking sheet or plate.
• Bring poaching liquid to a boil and cook until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in lower third of oven. Make the frangipane: Combine hazelnuts and sugar in bowl of food processor and process until finely ground. Add butter, flour, egg, liqueur, salt, and vanilla extract; process until frangipane is smooth.
• Prepare the tart shell: Unfold puff pastry on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border about 1 1/2-inches in from perimeter of pastry.
• Using tines of a fork, pierce puff pastry all over within border. Spread frangipane in an even layer within border. Arrange poached apricots on top of frangipane, cut-side down; brush lightly with poaching liquid. Combine egg and cream, then brush lightly onto puff pastry border.
• Bake until tart is puffed and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and brush apricots lightly with more poaching liquid. Let cool completely.

Steps:

• Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom, about 1/4 inch thick. Patch, if necessary. Trim excess dough flush with rim. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Rotate shell, and remove parchment and weights. Bake until bottom is crisp and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F.
• Pulse 1/3 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Stir together ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in egg. Add hazelnut mixture, and beat until just combined. Frangipane can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Spoon frangipane into tart shell, and smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand 10 minutes. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Peel apricots (see page 343); cut in half, and remove pits. Just before serving, beat cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form; whisk in crème fraîche. Spread over frangipane. Arrange 7 apricot halves, cut side down, around edge. Cut remaining apricot half into thirds and arrange in center.
• Heat jam in a saucepan over medium-low until loose. Stir in lemon juice, and let cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve; discard solids. Brush strained jam over apricots, and spoon remaining glaze over cream. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts around apricots. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roast the hazelnuts until they smell toasty. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Rub off the skins and cool the nuts another 15 minutes.
• In a food processor grind the nuts with the sugar until finely ground but not pasty. With your hands work in the butter, flour and chocolate together. Add the eggs, one at a time. You just need the egg to hold the dough together; you may need only 1.
• Butter a 13 1/2 x 5 x 2 1/2 inch deep meatloaf pan. Spread about 2/3 of dough in the bottom and up the sides of the pan, spread the jam in the middle and top with more dough. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 5 minutes more, then reduce heat to 300 and bake for 1 hour longer or 1 1/4 hours in all. To test insert a cake tester in dough and it should come out dry. Can be made days ahead of time.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place whole nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sliced nuts in a single layer on another sheet. Toast until golden and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Shake the pans halfway through toasting to make sure nuts brown evenly. Set aside to cool.
• Grease a 10-inch springform pan with margarine, sprinkle with sugar, and tap out excess; set aside. Place 1/4 cup sugar, whole almonds, and the apricots in the bowl of a food processor; process until finely chopped, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl, add lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and stir to combine; set aside. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer batter to large bowl; set aside.
• Clean and dry the mixer bowl and whisk; use to beat the egg whites with salt and lemon juice until frothy. Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar, and continue whisking on medium until peaks are stiff but not dry. Fold beaten whites into beaten egg yolks. Add the apricot-and-almond mixture, and fold in until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until torte is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. It may be necessary to cover the torte lightly with foil to stop the top from burning. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the torte, and release from pan. Allow to cool completely on the wire rack.
• Place the apricot jam in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and strain. Brush glaze onto cooled torte. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and Passover Powdered Sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Press dough into a greased 8-in. square baking pan; spread with preserves. In a small bowl, mix melted butter, water and remaining sugar; stir in hazelnuts. Spread over preserves., Bake until edges are golden brown and center is set, 30-35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack. Cut into sixteen 2-in. squares. Cut squares into triangles. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Dip 1 side of each triangle halfway into melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl until thickened.
• Beat egg whites in a small bowl until foamy; gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Fold into yolk mixture.
• Gradually fold in flour.
• Divide batter between 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
• Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden.
• Cool in pans for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool.
• BUTTERCREAM:Whisk sugar,eggs, yolks, vanilla and coffee in a saucepan.
• Add chocolate; cook and stir over low heat until thickened (be careful not to let it boil).
• Cool completely.
• Cream butter in a medium bowl;gradually add chocolate mixture and set aside.
• Finely chop the apricots; drain and place in a bowl.
• Stir in preserves and set aside.
• Split each of the cakes into two horizontal layers.
• Place one on a serving plate.
• Spread with 2/3 cup buttercream.
• Top with another cake layer and 2/3 cup apricot filling.
• Repeat these layers twice.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.
• Garnish with choclate curls before serving if desired.

Steps:

• Cut dough into a 6-inch round piece (reserve remaining dough for another use), and press into a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom, making dough about 1/4 inch thick. Patch with pieces of dough if necessary. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Trim dough flush with rim, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Rotate tart shell, and remove parchment and weights. Cover edges with a strip of foil. Bake until bottom is crisp and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Pulse 1/3 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Stir together ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt.
• Beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in egg. Add hazelnut mixture, and beat until just combined. (Frangipane can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.)
• Spoon frangipane into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula. Let stand for 10 minutes. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Lightly score bottoms of apricots. Add apricots to boiling water, and blanch to loosen skins, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath to stop the cooking, about 1 minute. Remove apricots, and gently peel. Cut in half, and remove pits.
• Just before serving, beat cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form; whisk in creme fraiche. Spread over frangipane. Arrange 7 apricot halves, cut side down, around edge. Cut remaining apricot half into thirds and arrange in center.
• Melt jam in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in lemon juice, and set aside to cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Pour through a sieve; discard solids. Brush strained jam over apricots, and spoon remaining glaze over cream. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts around apricots. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until thickened. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Fold into yolk mixture. Gradually fold in flour. , Divide batter among three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. , For buttercream, in a small saucepan, whisk the sugar, eggs, yolks, vanilla and coffee. Add chocolate; cook and stir over low heat until thickened (do not boil). Cool completely. , In a small bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add chocolate mixture; set aside. Finely chop apricots; drain and place in a bowl. Stir in preserves; set aside. , Split each cake into two horizontal layers; place one on a serving plate. Spread with 2/3 cup buttercream. Top with a cake layer and 2/3 cup apricot filling. Repeat layers twice. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours before serving. Garnish with chocolate curls.

Steps:

• Line the bottom of 2 round 9" cake pans with parchment paper.
• Butter (or oil) and flour them, including the parchment paper on the bottoms.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Blend 1/2 of each- that's 1/2 of each- of the nuts, sugar, flour and baking powder in a food processor until the nuts are powdered and everything is well blended.
• Add 4 of the eggs and process well.
• Pour into one of the cake pans.
• Wash and dry the food processor parts.
• Repeat with the other half of the ingredients and the other cake pan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. DO NOT jiggle the pans during baking.
• Cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then remove them carefully to a rack to finish cooling.

Steps:

• Fry onions in the butter. Stir in nuts; fry until golden. Remove from the heat, add apricots, breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest. Mix in the egg and season. Use half to stuff the neck end of the turkey; shape the rest into balls.
• Put the balls in a buttered baking dish, then drizzle with oil. Bake for 30 mins until golden, or roast them around the turkey.

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until nuts are ground as fine as flour.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until mixture falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Sift half of flour mixture over; fold in gently. Sift remaining flour mixture over and fold in, adding any nuts from sifter. Drizzle butter over batter, folding in gently (do not overmix or batter will deflate).
• Transfer batter to prepared pan; bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool cake 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; release pan sides. Invert cake onto rack. Remove pan bottom and parchment paper. Cool.
• For buttercream:
• Place cornstarch in heavy small saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring until cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in egg yolks. Whisk constantly over medium-high heat until custard comes to boil and thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Chill 30 minutes.
• Finely grind 1 cup nuts with powdered sugar in processor, about 30 seconds. Using electric mixer, beat vanilla into custard. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, then beat in ground nut mixture in 4 additions. Refrigerate until firm enough to spread, stirring often, about 30 minutes.
• Stir apricot preserves in small saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Push preserves, including fruit pieces, through strainer into small bowl. Cool.
• Finely chop 1/2 cup hazelnuts. Using long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on 8-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round. Spread evenly with apricot preserves. Top with second layer, cut side down. Transfer 3/4 cup buttercream to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of cake. Press 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts onto sides of cake.
• Pipe 12 rosettes around top edge of torte. Place 1 hazelnut and 1 apricot sliver into each rosette. Refrigerate until buttercream sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

Steps:

• For filling:
• Combine cranberries, apricots, sugar, and orange juice in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until filling is thick, beginning to stick to pan bottom and reduced to scant 3 cups, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine 1 cup flour and nuts in processor; blend until nuts are finely ground. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon; blend 15 seconds. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until coarse meal forms. Add egg yolks, orange peel, and vanilla and process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten half of dough into disk; wrap and freeze 10 minutes. Press remaining half of dough over bottom and up sides of 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Spread filling evenly in crust.
• Roll out chilled dough between sheets of parchment paper to 11-inch round. Peel off paper. Cut dough into 1-inch-wide strips. Place 5 strips across top of tart, spacing 1 inch apart. Top with 5 strips arranged in opposite direction, forming lattice. Trim ends of strips; press to crust edge to seal.
• Bake tart until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Place tart on rack. Stir jam and 1 teaspoon water in small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils. Brush hot glaze over lattice strips. Cool tart completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature.) Push up pan bottom to release tart. Cut tart into wedges.

Steps:

• Fry onions in the butter. Stir in nuts; fry until golden.
• Remove from the heat, add apricots, breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest. Mix in the egg and season.
• Use half to stuff the neck end of the turkey; shape the rest into balls.
• Put the balls in a buttered baking dish, then drizzle with oil.
• Bake for 30 mins until golden, or roast them around the turkey.

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Pulse toasted almonds and sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely ground. Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into a bowl, then add to ground nuts in processor and pulse to combine.
• Lightly beat yolks, extracts, and zest in a small bowl with a fork. Add to food processor along with butter, then pulse until dough forms a ball. Form one third of dough into a disk, then roll out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 10-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. Roll out remaining dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 12-inch round, then transfer to another baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Make filling:
• Simmer water, sugar, brandy, and apricots in a small saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until apricots are tender and liquid is syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to cleaned food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Spread mixture onto a plate and chill 15 minutes.
• Bake torte:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Remove bottom of springform pan and invert, then lock on side. Remove larger dough round from refrigerator and peel off top layer of plastic wrap, then invert round into pan (pastry will break in spots). Press dough evenly onto bottom, then discard plastic. Fold in edge of dough and press 1/2 inch up side of pan (side will be thicker than bottom). Press gently to close any cracks.
• Bake pastry until lightly browned, about 20 minutes, then cool completely on a rack, about 30 minutes. (Dough will puff up as it bakes but will settle as it cools.)
• Spread filling into crust with an offset spatula or back of a spoon.
• Peel top layer of plastic wrap from smaller dough round, then cut round into 1/2-inch-wide strips. (Chill strips again if necessary.) Arrange half of strips over filling about 1 inch apart, pressing ends onto edge of torte. Arrange remaining strips across first strips to form a simple lattice. Press edges together with your fingertips.
• Bake until top is browned, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Before serving, remove side of pan and dust edge of torte with confectioners sugar.