Chocolate Pistachio Torte With Warm Chocolate Ganache Recipes

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TORTE

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs, buttermilk, and pistachios. Fold in flour mixture just until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes; run a knife around edge, and invert onto a wire rack. Remove paper, and let cool completely, about 3 hours. (To store, wrap in plastic, and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days).
• Make ganache: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer; remove from heat. Add chocolate, and let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Let cool until mixture falls back in ribbons when lifted with a spoon, 2 to 6 minutes.
• Set cake on a serving platter; tuck strips of parchment paper under edge of cake to prevent ganache from dripping on platter. Pour ganache onto center of cake; using a table knife, spread evenly over the top and down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes. Remove paper from under cake; sprinkle top with pistachios.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO TORTE WITH WARM CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Pistachio paste:
• Finely grind nuts and sugar in processor. Add egg whites and blend well. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to small bowl and keep covered in refrigerator).
• Torte:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter springform pan. Line pan bottom with parchment paper; butter paper. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool chocolate to lukewarm.
• Measure 1/3 cup pistachio paste and transfer to small bowl (cover and reserve for another use). Place remaining pistachio paste in large bowl; add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, then melted chocolate. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until firm peaks form. Sift brown sugar over and fold in. Using flexible rubber spatula, fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture in 4 additions; transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake torte until center is slightly puffed and tester inserted into center comes out with some batter still attached, about 1 hour. Cool torte completely in pan on rack (can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature).
• Ganache:
• Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until smooth. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm before using). Cut torte into wedges; place on plates. Pour warm ganache over. Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.

CARAMEL-PISTACHIO TORTE WITH HALVAH AND DARK CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine flour, halvah, sugar, and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, process until blended to sandy texture. Add butter. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg yolks and 2 tablespoons ice water in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture. Using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into 2 balls; flatten into disks. Wrap separately in plastic. Chill 1 hour.
• For filling:
• Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil until syrup turns deep amber or clip-on candy thermometer registers 360°F, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 11 minutes (time will vary depending on size of pan). Remove from heat. Carefully stir in cream (mixture will bubble). Add butter and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in pistachios. Cool until lukewarm but still pourable, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Roll out 1 dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper to 11-inch round (dough will be about 1/3 inch thick). Remove top paper. Invert dough into prepared pan. Remove remaining paper. Trim dough overhang. Roll out second dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper to 10-inch round. Pour filling into prepared crust. Brush edges of crust with egg white. Remove top paper from second dough disk. Invert over filling. Remove paper. Press dough around pan edges to trim and seal.
• Place torte on baking sheet and bake until crust is golden, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Chill overnight.
• For glaze:
• Bring cream and butter just to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and corn syrup; whisk until smooth. Cool 5 minutes.
• Place rack over rimmed baking sheet. Remove sides from tart pan. Invert torte onto rack. Remove bottom of tart pan. Pour warm glaze over torte (bottom of torte becomes top). Let stand until glaze sets. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)
• Slice into thin wedges and serve.
• *A sesame confection available at delicatessens, Middle Eastern markets, supermarkets, and Italian markets.