Chocolateapricotpecantorte Recipes

Steps:

• Combine chocolate, sugar, water, and coffee in saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Blend in vanilla; allow to cool to room temperature.
• Prepare piecrust according to package directions, omitting water.
• Blend 3/4 of the chocolate mixture unto piecrust mix; divide into six equal parts.
• Press each part unto the bottom of an inverted 8" round pan to within 1/2" of edge.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 5-8 minutes.
• While layers are still warm, trim to even edges if desired.
• Let cool; then run the tip of a knife under edges to loosen.
• Lift carefully, transfer to wire cake rack.
• Whip cream to soft peak stage; fold in remaining chocolate sauce.
• Spread chocolate cream between layers and over top.
• Chill overnight or at least for 8 hours.
• Top w/ chopped nuts and/or chocolate curls.
• Makes 9-12 servings depending on how many chocolate lovers you're serving!

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:

• For the crust: Combine the flour, almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor and blend until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Pour in the vodka and 1 tablespoon water and pulse until the dough just comes together in a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a disc and refrigerate until slightly firm, about 20 minutes.
• Turn the dough out into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Top with a piece of plastic wrap and press the dough out evenly through the plastic wrap on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pierce the dough lightly with a fork, and then line the crust with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights, beans or rice. Bake until the crust sets, about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans and then return to the oven until the crust turns a rich golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Let cool.
• For the apricot and chocolate filling: Combine the apricots, brandy and 1/4 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes, and then set aside to plump.
• 5. Put the chocolates in a medium bowl. Heat the half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a separate medium bowl, and then gradually whisk in the heated cream. Pour back into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, over medium-low heat until thick, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the chocolate, let set for 5 minutes, and then whisk in the butter until very smooth.
• Blend the apricots and their liquid with the vanilla in a mini food processor until very smooth. Spread 3/4 cup of the mixture over the bottom of the crust. Top with the chocolate mixture. Cover loosely and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours or up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, whip the cream until it barely holds soft peaks. Whisk in the remaining apricot mixture to make a smooth thick cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. To serve, pipe or spoon small dollops of the cream around the edge of the crust.

Steps:

• Make apricot filling:
• In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan combine apricots, granulated sugar, and water and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer mixture, stirring and mashing apricots, until excess liquid is evaporated and filling is thickened. Stir in vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. and grease and flour an 8-inch-square baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
• Make chocolate chip mixture:
• In a shallow baking pan toast pecans in middle of oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, and cool. In a food processor pulse pecans, flour, brown sugar, and salt until pecans are coarsely chopped. Add chocolate chips and butter and pulse until pecan mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Press about half of chocolate chip mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan and spread evenly with apricot filling. Crumble remaining chocolate chip mixture evenly over apricot filling, pressing it down slightly, and bake confection in middle of oven 1 hour, or until golden. Cool confection completely in pan on a rack. Sprinkle confection with confectioners' sugar and cut into 16 bars.

Steps:

• For cake: Heat cognac in medium saucepan until just hot. Remove from heat and mix in apricots. Let soak 15 minutes. Strain apricots, reserving any soaking liquid for glaze.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8 1/2 inch springform pan with one tablespoon butter. Dust with 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Using electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time (mixture may look curdled). Add chocolate and vanilla. Mix in 2/3 cup breadcrumbs. Combine pecans and flour and blend into batter. Fold in apricots. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester, inserted into middle, comes out clean - about 50 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• Run knife around edge of cake. Invert onto platter. Slide sheets of waxed paper under edges of cake.
• For icing: Stir cocoa powder, sugar, whipping cream and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until mixture is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Cool icing for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour icing over cake , tilting cake to cover evenly. Using thin flat spatula, spread icing over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until icing is firm.
• For glaze: Add enough cognac to soaking liquid reserved from apricots to measure 2 tablespoons. Combine with jam in heavy saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until melted. Strain through fine sieve into small bowl. Cool until tepid, approximately 5 minutes.
• Pour glaze over top of cake. Using thin metal spatula, spread evenly -- do not let any drip down sides of cake. Arrange pecans around upper edge of cake, ends touching. Discard wax paper. Refrigerate cake until glaze is set. Cake can be prepared up to one day in advance.

Steps:

• Pulse apricots, almonds, 1 tablespoon coconut, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely ground.
• Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving an inch overhang on all sides. Transfer mixture to pan and press firmly to form a rectangle.
• Use parchment overhang to remove from pan. Drizzle mixture with chocolate and sprinkle with remaining coconut.
• Transfer to refrigerator and leave until firm, about 15 minutes. Slice into six bars.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Whisk cocoa and water until smooth.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture. Beat until smooth.
• Pour into three greased and floured 9" round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
• FILLING:.
• In a mixing bowl, beat cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form.
• Chill until firm.
• FROSTING:.
• In a saucepan, melt chips and butter over medium heat; stir in cream.
• Remove from the heat; stir in confectioner's sugar.
• Chill for at least 1 hour or until completely cooled.
• Beat with electric mixer to achieve spreading consistency.
• PREP:.
• Spread half of the filling over one cake layer; top with second layer and remaining filling.
• Top with third layer; frost top and sides of cake.
• Chill for 2 hours before cutting.
• Yield: 12 servings.

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the chocolate (see pages 25-30).
• Hold an apricot half securely between your thumb and forefinger, and dip it halfway into the chocolate. Remove the apricot from the chocolate, gently shake off the excess chocolate, and place the apricot half on the paper. Repeat with the remaining apricot halves. Let the chocolate set up at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Between layers of waxed paper, in a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the apricot halves will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. They are best eaten at room temperature.
• VARIATIONS
• Substitute dried peaches or dried pears for the apricots. Dip these halfway into the chocolate on the diagonal for an interesting design.

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:

• Bake cake layers according to package directions.
• Remove from pans.
• Let cool.
• Split each layer in half.
• Cream brown sugar, vanilla, cream cheese and salt until sugar is dissolved and mixture is light and fluffy.
• Fold in whipped cream or Cool Whip® topping.
• Put one layer on plate.
• Top with some of filling.
• Add next layer.
• Top with more filling.
• Add third layer.
• Top with more filling.
• Add top layer and spread the rest of filling on top.
• Garnish with chocolate curls or sprinkle with cocoa.
• refrigerate.
• Note: An easy way to make chocolate curls:.
• Melt a cup of chocolate chips with a teaspoon of Crisco shortening and pour (about 1/4-inch thick) on the back of an ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan.
• Let it sit until it firms up (don't refrigerate) and then take a spoon and scrape a long line of chocolate.
• It will curl as you scrape.
• Or use small metal pancake turner to form curls.
• Hold pancake turner at 45° angle and scrape chocolate into curls.