Almond Lemon Torte With Fresh Strawberries Recipes

ALMOND CUSTARD TART WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, salt, and egg yolk. Stir in flour and oats until a crumbly dough forms. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until set and light golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Filling: In a medium saucepan, heat milk, salt, and vanilla seeds until simmering around the edges. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar until pale and thick; whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Whisking constantly, gradually add half of milk to egg mixture, then pour egg mixture into saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly until custard is thickened and bubbles once in the center, about 2 minutes.
• Using a rubber spatula, press custard through a sieve into crust; smooth with a small offset spatula. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. Just before serving, arrange strawberries on top and sprinkle with almonds.

ALMOND AND STRAWBERRY TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt. Cut 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, into cubes, and add to bowl. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and egg yolks. Pulse until the mixture begins to form clumps. Transfer to plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk. Chill until very firm (about 1 hour).
• Coarsely grate the pastry into a 12-inch loose-bottomed, fluted tart pan. Using the palm of your hand, gently press the pastry evenly into the pan, making sure to cover the bottom and sides of the tart pan completely. Line the pastry with foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Transfer to oven, and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully remove the foil and weights. Return to oven, and bake until very light brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Place almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the almonds until fine. Remove from processor, and place in a mixing bowl.
• Let remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter come to room temperature. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is light and creamy. Add almonds and eggs, one at a time.
• Spread mixture into the cooled pastry, and bake until top is golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.
• Place the strawberries standing upright on tart, in a circular pattern. Dust the tart with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON TART WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Place the flour, almonds, sugar, butter, extract and salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until blended. Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture forms a soft dough. , Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°., In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, peel and salt until blended. Add butter; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Pour into crust., Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut a piece of wax or parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan. Coat pan with nonstick spray, place prepared paper round in bottom of pan, and spray paper. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup almonds.
• In a food processor, process remaining 1 1/2 cups almonds with 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar until finely ground; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Beat in almond extract. In three additions, gently fold in ground almond mixture.
• Evenly spread batter into prepared pan, tapping pan on counter to expel large air bubbles. Bake until golden brown and firm in center, 40 to 45 minutes; cool completely in pan. Invert onto serving plate, and remove wax or parchment paper.

LEMON TART WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Place the flour, almonds, sugar, butter, extract and salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until blended. Gradually add water, 1 T. at a time, pulsing until mixture forms a soft dough.
• Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a large heavy saucepan, whisk the first six filling ingredients until blended. Add butter; cook and stir over low heat for 7-8 minutes or until thickened. Strain; pour into crust. Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

ALMOND MERINGUE TORTE WITH LEMON AND STRAWBERRY FILLING

Steps:

• Position racks in top third and bottom third of oven and preheat to 300°F. Using 9-inch tart pan bottom as guide, trace a circle on each of 2 sheets of parchment paper. Place papers, marked side down, on baking sheets.
• Blend 1/4 cup sugar, whole almonds and cornstarch in processor until nuts are finely ground. {Step One} Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar by tablespoonfuls, beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Fold almond mixture into meringue.
• {Step Two} Spoon meringue into large pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch-diameter plain tip. {Step Three} Starting in center of 1 circle marked on parchment and holding tip just above paper, pipe meringue in continuous spiral to fill circle completely. Repeat with remaining circle and meringue, forming 2 rounds.
• Bake meringues until pale golden and just firm to touch, about 30 minutes, switching position of pans after 20 minutes. Cool on pans on racks.
• Combine sugar, egg whites and salt in large stainless steel bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); whisk constantly until thermometer registers 135°F, about 5 minutes; remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat until firm peaks form and mixture is completely cool, about 6 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time. Gradually beat in lemon juice. (If buttercream appears curdled, place bowl over low heat for several seconds. Remove from heat; beat until smooth. Repeat warming and beating as necessary.) Whisk cream to firm peaks; whisk into buttercream.
• Peel parchment off meringues. Using 9-inch tart pan bottom as guide, trim meringues. Place dabs of buttercream on tart pan bottom; top with 1 meringue. Spread 3/4 cup buttercream over meringue; top with strawberry slices. Spread 3/4 cup buttercream over berry slices. Top with second meringue. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of torte. Press sliced almonds into buttercream. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)
• Cut reserved whole strawberries into quarters. Arrange atop torte.

LEMON ICE TORTE WITH STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SAUCE

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Combine almonds and sugar in processor and chop finely. Transfer to medium bowl. Combine margarine and cinnamon and mix into almonds. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Using plastic wrap as aid, press almond mixture firmly 2 inches up sides and then over bottom of pan. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pan with crust on cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes. If crust sides slip, press back in place with back of fork. Transfer pan to rack and cool crust completely.
• Melt strawberry preserves in heavy small saucepan. Pour into cooled crust and spread to cover bottom. Cool. Soften ice very slightly and spread in pan. Freeze until firm. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and freeze.)
• For Sauce:
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Simmer 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and stir to dissolve. Add rhubarb. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until rhubarb is tender, about 8 minutes. Add frozen strawberries and bring to simmer. Cool. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
• Remove vanilla pod from sauce. Cut between crust and pan sides with small sharp knife. Remove pan sides. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce over center of torte. Mound fresh strawberries in center. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs. Cut torte into slices and serve with sauce.

STRAWBERRY-ALMOND CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Coat the bottom of three 9-in. round baking pans with cooking spray; line with waxed paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray and dust with flour; set aside. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together three times. , Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Combine coffee and extracts. Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with coffee mixture. , Spread into prepared pans. Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Gently peel off waxed paper. Cool completely., In a bowl, gently mash the strawberries; stir in almond extract. Fold in whipped topping. Place one cake layer on a serving platter; top with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. , In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa; add to cream. Beat until stiff peaks form. Frost top of cake. Garnish with almonds and strawberries. Chill for at least 1 hour before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.