Choc Pecan Torte Wstrwbry Bttrcrm Wchoc Ganache Recipes

Steps:

• 1. BUTTER: Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment. Using Electric mixer, cream 3/4 cup butter until light. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and salt. Using rubber spatula, stir in chocolate, than pecans. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted in center come out fudgy but not wet, about 22 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of cakes. Invert onto racks, and cool layers completely.(Can be prepared up to 2days ahead. Warp each layer separately with plastic and refrigerate.) Arrange one cake layer bottom side up on platter. Slide strips of waxed paper under cake (this will keep platter neat during glazing). Spread 2/3 cup Strawberry Buttercream over layer. Repeat with remaining layers and buttercream, ending with cake bottom side up. Pat layers to even. Cover and refrigerate torte for at least 6 hours. Cut edges of cake serrated knife to even if necessary. Pour glaze over cake; smooth over sides and top. Discard waxed paper. Arrange strawberries around top edge of torte, cut side down. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• 2. STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM: Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in yolks, than pureed berries and preserves. Cover tightly and refrigerate until set. Soften buttercream at room temperature until spreadable.
• 3. EASY CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Heat chocolate, water, butter and oil in top of double boiler over gently simmering water until chocolate melts. Remove from heat. Add cocoa powder and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves and glaze is smooth. Let cool until glaze is thickened slightly but still pourable.

Steps:

• 1. Torte: In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy, add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla and salt and, again, mix well. Stir-in chocolate until well blended and then the ground pecans.
• 2. Prepare four 9 inch cake pans by coating with butter. Cut out four disks of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the cake pans. After placing the disks into the pans, coat the parchment with butter also.
• 3. Pour batter equally between the pans. Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Bake about 18 minutes. They're done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The tops will crack. Cool in the pans ten minutes before running a sharp knife around the edges. Invert onto cooling racks.
• 4. Buttercream: Blend butter with sifted sugar until well blended. Add egg yolks and blend well. Add puréed strawberries and preserves, mix well until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until the consistency is spreadable.
• 5. Ganache: Melt chocolates with water in a medium sized pot. Add butter and allow to melt. Remove from heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth, add oil. Pour chocolate mixture into large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar and mix on high for two minutes. Add additional sugar if needed to obtain the consistency of thick frosting.
• 6. Assembly: place a dab of ganache on cake plate. Top with the first cake layer with smooth side down. Spread with 2/3 cup of buttercream and top with the next layer, spread with 2/3 cup buttercream and repeat with the last two layers. Spread the top layer with remaining buttercream. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Place strips of parchment paper or waxed paper strips along the edge of the bottom layer to avoid getting the ganache on the cake plate. Spread the ganache on the sides, filling the gaps between layers, until a smooth layer coats the sides. Spread a thick layer of ganache on top and smooth out until the top blends with the sides. Refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving. Use a sharp knife to cut the torte.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degree. Toast pecans on a sheet pan 10 - 12 minutes. ( optional)
• 2. Place the toasted pecans on food processor along with 1/2 cup sugar. Pulse until looks like sand.
• 3. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of butter into the crumbs, pulse until you see it's going to stick together. If you need the 4th tablespoon, go ahead and add it, it won't hurt anything.
• 4. Pat the pecan mixture into a 9 inch tart pan or 9 inch pie plate. Up the sides as well. Place in freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
• 5. After chilling place in preheated oven to 10 - 12 minutes or until starting to color just a bit.
• 6. Cool crust.
• 7. Make Ganache: Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl. In another sauce pan, heat cream until bubbly around the edges of pan. I stick my pinkie into the center to see if hot...but if bubbling around edges, that's a pretty good sign it's hot enough. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes. Then, whisk until all chips are blended and melted into the cream. Will have a beautiful sheen.
• 8. Pour this evenly into the pecan crust. Place in refrigerator and chill for a good 2 hours.
• 9. Remove from refrigerator and remove tart pan. Allow the tart to set at room temperature for 20 minutes before cutting... I serve this decadent dessert with just a dollop of whipped cream...it needs nothing else... Enjoy this creamy, smooth, chocolaty indulgence.

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 oven to 350°F. and butter two 8- by 2-inch round cake pans. Line each pan with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
• Make cake layers:
• In a food processor pulse 2 cups pecans with flour, salt, and baking powder until finely ground (do not pulse to a paste). Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in orange juice. Separate eggs and in a large bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks until pale yellow. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale, and fold in pecan mixture gently but thoroughly. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites until they hold stiff peaks. Stir about one fourth whites into pecan mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter between cake pans and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until cakes pull away from sides of pans. Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 10 minutes and invert onto rack to cool completely. Carefully remove wax paper from bottoms of cake layers.
• While cake layers are cooling, on a baking sheet toast remaining 1/2 cup pecans until fragrant and a shade darker, about 8 minutes. Cool nuts and chop.
• Make filling:
• In a medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat cream with zest until it just holds stiff peaks.
• Arrange 1 cake layer, top side up, on a serving plate and spread filling evenly onto layer. Put remaining layer, bottom side up, on filling.
• Make frosting:
• Chop chocolate. In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in sour cream and a pinch salt until smooth.
• Immediately spread frosting on top and side of torte and pat toasted pecans around side. Chill torte, loosely covered, until frosting is set, at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.
• Serve torte chilled or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool. Transfer to a large bowl; beat in sugar until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 28-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients; set aside. For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla until smooth. Cool slightly., Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half of each of the following: whipped topping and strawberry filling. Drizzle with half of the glaze. Repeat layers. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Combine cream and jam in heavy large saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat until jam melts and mixture comes to boil. Add chocolate, remove from heat and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Refrigerate ganache just until thick enough to spread, whisking occasionally, about 1 hour 15 minutes.