Mock Chestnut Torte Passover Cake Recipes

EVERYDAY SIMPLE CHESTNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat the water and soak raisins until soft and water has cooled. Drain the water from the raisins and reserve.
• Combine flour, soaking water, 2 TB of the oil, stevia (or sugar) and sea salt in a mixing bowl and blend to form a creamy dough. (I've used Kosher salt rather than sea salt.).
• Blend the raisins, pinenuts and rosemary into the batter. Rosemary is traditional in that region, but I don't use it -- up to your taste buds.
• Pour 2 TB oil into an 11 inch shallow baking pan and coat. Pour in batter and drizzle the remaining 2 TB oil on top.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the surface begins to crack. Pour off excess oil. Remove from pan and serve hot.
• NOTE: Chestnut flour is great for gluten sensitive people. It can be substituted for all or part of any flour. It has a naturally sweet, wholesome taste and is more nutritious. I've been contemplating using a small amount of ground dried rosemary for a little flavor, but haven't tried that yet -- .

CHINESE-STYLE CHESTNUT FILLED CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 7" round baking pan and dust lightly with flour.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Beat egg yolks lightly and fold into egg white. Blend well.
• Sift together flour and salt. Add 1/3 flour mixture to egg mixture and mix well using light, swift actions. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Add vanilla essence. Add melted butter and blend quickly.
• Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minute.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.
• Filling:Place chestnuts in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Cook until soft. Drain, reserving the water.
• Mash chestnuts.
• Use 1/2 cup chestnut water or plain water to cook sugar. Then add butter, vanilla essence and milk to this.
• Add sugar and milk mixture to chestnuts and mix well.
• Slice sponge cake into two layers.
• Force chestnut filling through a potato masher and pile the strands of chestnut onto one cake. Place the other half over the chestnut filling, and pile the remaining chestnut filing on top of this.
• Cover with whipped cream. (I normally just sandwich all the filling between the two layers and serve decorated with dusted icing sugar, chocolate curls and some extra chestnuts.

MOCK CHESTNUT TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with baking parchment.
• Torte:
• In a mixing bowl, cream the unsalted margarine or butter with the 1/3 cup sugar. Blend in the egg yolks, then the mashed sweet potatoes, rum extract (if using), and cooled chocolate.
• In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites gently until they are a bit foamy. Then add in the salt and whip on a higher speed, slowly dusting in the two tablespoons of sugar to form stiff, glossy (but not dry) peaks. Fold one third of the egg whites into the sweet potato/chocolate mixture and work them in well to loosen the batter. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites, blending well but taking care not to deflate the mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The cake rises and looks dry, and slightly cracked on top when done. The middle should be soft but firm. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. At this point, the cake can be frozen for up to a month. Even if serving it the same day, chill the cake for an hour or two before finishing it with the ganache glaze.
• Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
• In a double boiler, bring the water to a gentle boil and add the chopped chocolate all at once. Remove from the heat and stir briskly with a wire whisk until all the chocolate melts and you have a thick glaze or sauce-like topping. Refrigerate for an hour or so. (You can also make this ahead and refrigerate it for up to a week or two. Simply warm it to the right temperature for glazing the cake.)
• Invert the cake onto a cardboard circle or cake board so that the smooth, flat bottom faces up. Do not be dismayed if this is not a high cake - it is a torte and is meant to be a little less than statuesque. Pour the glaze over the cake and, using a metal spatula, even out the glaze and spread it along the sides.
• Instead of the glaze, you can also simply sift some cocoa over the top of the cake or decorate it with curls of chocolate (using a vegetable peeler and a warmish chocolate bar). The cake can also be offered with a pureed raspberry or strawberry sauce, garnished with chocolate shavings, or left as is, with a citrus leaf, a sweetheart rose, or several berries in the center.

MOCK CHESTNUT TORTE (PASSOVER CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Line a 9-inch springform pan with baking parchment.
• Torte: In a mixing bowl, cream the unsalted margarine or butter with the 1/3 cup sugar. Blend in the egg yolks, then the mashed sweet potatoes, rum extract (if using), and cooled chocolate.
• In another bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites gently until they are a bit foamy. Then add in the salt and whip on a higher speed, slowly dusting in the two tablespoons of sugar to form stiff, glossy (but not dry) peaks. Fold one third of the egg whites into the sweet potato/chocolate mixture and work them in well to loosen the batter. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites, blending well but taking care not to deflate the mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The cake rises and looks dry, and slightly cracked on top when done. The middle should be soft but firm. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. At this point, the cake can be frozen for up to a month. Even if serving it the same day, chill the cake for an hour or two before finishing it with the ganache glaze.
• Chocolate Ganache Glaze: In a double boiler, bring the water to a gentle boil and add the chopped chocolate all at once. Remove from the heat and stir briskly with a wire whisk until all the chocolate melts and you have a thick glaze or sauce-like topping. Refrigerate for an hour or so. (You can also make this ahead and refrigerate it for up to a week or two. Simply warm it to the right temperature for glazing the cake.).
• Invert the cake onto a cardboard circle or cake board so that the smooth, flat bottom faces up. Do not be dismayed if this is not a high cake - it is a torte and is meant to be a little less than statuesque. Pour the glaze over the cake and, using a metal spatula, even out the glaze and spread it along the sides.
• Instead of the glaze, you can also simply sift some cocoa over the top of the cake or decorate it with curls of chocolate (using a vegetable peeler and a warmish chocolate bar). The cake can also be offered with a pureed raspberry or strawberry sauce, garnished with chocolate shavings, or left as is, with a citrus leaf, a sweetheart rose, or several berries in the center.