Berries N Cream Torte Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans.
• In large bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping until well blended. To assemble cake, cut each layer in half horizontally. Place 1 layer half on serving plate; spread with 1 cup of the frosting mixture. Repeat 3 more times. Arrange berries on top of cake.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave jam uncovered on High about 20 seconds or until warm. Stir in orange juice; mix well with fork. Brush over berries. Store covered in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a large bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, beating well. Beat in vanilla., In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Transfer to prepared pans., With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add remaining sugar, beating on high until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Spread over batter in pans., Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pans on wire racks. (Cake layers will be thin.), In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Loosen edges of cakes from pans with a knife. Carefully remove one cake to a serving plate, meringue side up., Arrange sliced strawberries over top; sprinkle with sugar. Gently spread with half of the whipped cream. Top with remaining cake layer, meringue side up; spread with remaining whipped cream. Top with whole strawberries. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Wax paper line and grease 9-inch round baking pan. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat (or you can cheat like I did and just melt it in the microwave). Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add cocoa, blending well. Stir in flour mixture. Spread mixture in prepared pan.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out slightly sticky. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Invert onto wire rack; remove wax paper. Turn right side up; cool completely.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two round 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the paper, then lightly flour the pans.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or electric beaters, beat 1/2 cup softened butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating, until well combined. Add half the cake flour mixture, then half the milk to the butter mixture, beating until smooth. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk, then beat in vanilla and nutmeg. Scrape batter evenly into prepared pans and smooth the tops.
• To make meringue topping, whip egg whites with cream of tartar and salt in an electric mixer until cloudlike and very foamy. Continue whipping while adding sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Whip until meringue is smooth and glossy, and stiff peaks form.
• Cover cake batter with meringue, dividing it evenly between pans. Swirl the tops, and sprinkle with pecans. Bake until meringue is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center all the way down to the cake emerges clean, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer pan to a wire rack. Cool for 30 minutes; turn cake out of pan and place on rack right-side up. Let cakes cool completely.
• To assemble, whip the cream with as much of the sugar as you like, and vanilla. Place one cake layer on a serving plate with the meringue side down. Spoon whipped cream on top, then cover with berries. Place second cake layer on top of whipped cream with meringue side up. Serve cake as soon as possible after filling, preferably within 3 hours, and use a serrated knife to cut.

Steps:

• Make the crusts: Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on low speed until just combined. Add flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt; beat on low speed until dough comes together, 3 to 5 minutes. Press dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out thirty-two 3-inch rounds or twenty-five 3 1/2-inch rounds, and fit each into a 2 1/2- or 3-inch tart pan. Trim excess dough flush with edges of pans using a knife. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. Bake, pressing down dough if puffing, until pale gold, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the filling: Heat milk and 1/2 cup cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until almost boiling. Whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and a pinch of salt. Slowly pour some of the warm milk mixture into yolk mixture, and whisk to combine. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining milk mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook for 1 minute, continuing to whisk.
• Strain mixture through a fine sieve, and whisk in vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pastry cream, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. When ready to use, whip remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold into pastry cream.
• Assemble the tarts: Fill each tart shell halfway with pastry cream. Top with berries; gently brush with jam.