Espresso Praline Torte Recipes

ESPRESSO-PRALINE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225°F. Cover 3 cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper or heavy brown paper.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Beat in 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high speed; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Shape meringue into three 8-inch circles with back of spoon, building up sides on parchment paper.
• Bake 1 hour. Turn oven off and leave meringues in oven with door closed 1 hour. Finish cooling at room temperature. Remove from paper to wire rack with spatula.
• Prepare Almond Praline.
• Beat whipping cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, the espresso and almond extract in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons praline for garnish. Fold remaining praline into whipped cream.
• Stack meringues, spreading whipped cream mixture between layers and over top. Sprinkle with reserved praline. Refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 12 hours. Cover and refrigerate any remaining torte after serving.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO-NUT TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line the bottom of a greased 9-in springform pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and dust with cocoa. Set aside., Place hazelnuts and brown sugar in a food processor; cover and process until ground. In a second large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 egg yolk at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate, espresso powder, extract and salt. Gradually add hazelnut mixture., In the first large bowl, with clean beaters beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Spread into prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet., Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Remove sides of pan and invert onto a serving plate., Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, about 30 minutes., Spread ganache over top and sides of cake; press almonds onto sides. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

CHOCOLATE PRALINE TORTE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and cream. Stir over low heat until butter is melted. Pour into two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside. , Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Carefully pour batter over pecans. Bake at 325° for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; invert onto wire racks to cool completely. , For topping, beat cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff. , Place one cake layer, pecan side up, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the topping. Top with second cake layer and remaining topping. Sprinkle with chocolate curls if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT PRALINE TORTE WITH FRANGELICO WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 1/2-inch springform pan (2 inches deep) or other cake pan with same dimensions and line bottom with a round of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• In a food processor pulse praline until ground fine. Reserve 1/4 cup ground praline and transfer remaining praline to a bowl. In food processor pulse chocolate until finely ground and add to bowl of praline.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in vanilla. Stir in praline chocolate mixture (mixture will be very thick).
• In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites until foamy and add a pinch salt and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a steam, beating until meringue just holds stiff peaks. Fold one third meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into pan and smooth top.
• Bake tort in middle of oven 45 to 55 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from side of pan. Cool torte in pan on a rack (torte will fall slightly and continue to set as it cooks) and remove from pan. Torte may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring torte to room temperature before serving.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it just holds soft peaks. Stir in Frangelico and half of reserved praline.
• Top torte with whipped cream and sprinkle with remaining reserves praline. Serve torte immediately.

CHOCOLATE-CREAM ESPRESSO TORTE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in processor. Blend until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until dough begins to clump together. Press dough over bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling and topping:
• Bring 2 cups cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add both chocolates; whisk until smooth. Whisk eggs, 2 teaspoons espresso powder and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in chocolate mixture (filling will be very thin). Pour over crust (filling will fill pan only halfway). Bake until filling moves only slightly in center when pan is shaken, about 55 minutes. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Let stand 10 minutes to soften. Set bowl in saucepan of simmering water and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup chilled cream, powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon espresso powder in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in gelatin mixture. Spoon whipped cream over filling; smooth top. Chill until set, about 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
• Run knife between torte and pan sides to loosen; remove pan sides. Transfer torte to platter. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, if desired, and serve.