Mocha Macaroon Torte Recipes

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with foil, carefully pressing up sides and into grooves. Brush foil with vegetable oil. Finely grind first 4 ingredients in processor. Add egg white and vanilla and blend until mixture almost forms balls. Press onto bottom (not up sides) of prepared pan, using wet finger-tips as aid. Bake until crust looks dry and feels firm, about 14 minutes. Cool.
• For Dark Chocolate Filling:
• Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring ocassionally. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• For White Chocolate Filling:
• Bring first 3 ingredients to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add white chocolate and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream. Pour 1/2 cup of mixture into small bowl; add butter to mixture in small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside for garnish.
• Drop dark chocolate filling and remaining white chocolate filling alternately by 1/4 cupfuls onto crust. Swirl fillings together using tip of knife. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Freeze reserved 1/2 cup white chocolate filling until firm enough to pipe, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Lift tart from pan using foil sides as aid. Peel down foil sides. Turn tart on side and carefully peel foil off bottom of tart. Place tart on platter. Spoon reserved white chocolate filling into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe white chocolate mixture around edge of tart. Garnish with almonds. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead; refrigerate. Cover when firm and keep refrigerated.) Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend ground cookies and coffee powder in processor. Set aside 3/4 cup cookie crumb mixture. Add butter to remaining crumb mixture and process until crumbs are moist. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until just firm to touch, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Make fillings:
• Stir chocolate, butter and 1 teaspoon coffee powder in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Set chocolate mixture aside while preparing meringue.
• Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil syrup without stirring until candy thermometer registers 240°F, tilting pan to submerge bulb, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks.
• Gradually beat hot syrup into whites. Continue beating until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold 1/3 of meringue into lukewarm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining meringue. Set chocolate meringue aside.
• Combine 1/4 cup cream and 5 teaspoons coffee powder in large bowl; stir to dissolve. Add 2 1/2 cups cream, powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat until firm peaks form. Fold 1 1/2 cups coffee whipped cream into chocolate meringue, forming mocha mousse.
• Spoon half of mocha mousse over bottom of crust. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons reserved crumb mixture over mousse. Spoon half of coffee whipped cream over crumbs. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons crumbs. Repeat layering with remaining mocha mousse, crumbs, coffee whipped cream and crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep refrigerated.) Run knife around pan sides to loosen torte. Remove pan sides and serve.