STREAMLINE HUNGARIAN TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 11x17 inch jelly roll pan. Mix together the walnuts, ground cinnamon, and 3/4 cup of sugar in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the yeast mixture, egg yolks, sour cream, and butter. Gradually stir in the flour until the dough becomes too stiff to use a spoon. Use your hand to knead the dough in the bowl until it becomes smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into three equal parts, form into balls, cover, and set aside to rest for about 15 minutes.
• Roll one of the balls of dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to fit the pan. Place the dough in the bottom of the prepared baking pan and spread with 3/4 of the nut mixture. Roll out another ball of dough in the same way, place this over the nut layer in the pan and spread the apricot preserves evenly over the dough. Roll the third ball in the same way and place on top of the layer of preserves.
• Place the torte in the preheated oven and set the timer for 40 minutes. When the timer goes off, the top of the torte should be golden brown, if not then wait a few minutes. Place the egg whites into a clean glass or metal bowl. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add 2/3 cup sugar while beating the egg whites to stiff peaks. Spread the meringue evenly over the top of the torte and sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture.
• Bake the meringue-covered torte for an additional 15 minutes. Cool the torte in the pan set on a wire rack. Trim the edges for a cleaner presentation. Serve at room temperature.

WALNUT MERINGUE LAYERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment. Using a cake pan or a ruler, trace a 9-inch square on each piece of parchment.
• Whisk walnuts, 3/4 cup superfine sugar, the confectioners' sugar, and salt.
• With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in walnut mixture with a spatula. Spread batter evenly onto traced squares on parchment, and smooth tops.
• Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Turn off oven, and let cool in oven until completely dry, about 75 minutes.
• Carefully peel meringue layers from parchment, and let cool completely on wire racks.

AUNT GRETA'S WALNUT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Whip the egg white with a whip attachment until stiff.
• Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt and continue whipping until stiff and glossy. Fold in the walnuts.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment lined sheet pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool and remove from the pan. Store in an airtight container.

WALNUT BLITZ TORTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolk; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cover and refrigerate., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix well. Spread into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans; set aside., In a small bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, a tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in 1 cup nuts. Spread meringue evenly over batter. Sprinkle with remaining nuts. , Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until meringue is browned and crisp. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes (meringue will crack)., Carefully run a knife around edge of pans to loosen. Remove to wire racks; cool with meringue side up. To assemble, place one cake with meringue side up on a serving plate; carefully spread with custard. Top with remaining cake. Refrigerate until serving.

WALNUT MAPLE TORTE WITH MAPLE MERINGUE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. and butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• On a baking sheet toast walnuts in middle of oven until 1 shade darker, about 8 minutes, and cool. In a food processor grind walnuts fine.
• Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and a pinch salt. In a small cup stir together espresso powder and water. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture, espresso, walnuts, and oil until just combined.
• Spoon batter into cake pans, smoothing tops, and bake in middle of oven about 25 minutes, or until pale golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert cake layers onto rack to cool completely.
• In a small bowl beat together cream cheese and 2 tablespoons maple syrup until smooth.
• Assemble torte:
• Arrange 1 cake layer on an ovenproof serving plate and with a pastry brush gently brush top with 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly onto layer and top with remaining layer. Brush top of torte with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup. Torte may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring torte to room temperature before proceeding.
• Make frosting:
• Let whites stand at room temperature 1 hour. In a 1-quart heavy saucepan bring maple syrup to a boil over moderate heat and simmer until a candy thermometer registers 235° F. (be careful it doesn―t bubble over).
• While maple syrup is simmering, in bowl of a standing electric mixer beat whites with cream of tartar and a pinch salt until they just hold stiff peaks. Add hot maple syrup in a stream, beating until meringue is thickened and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Preheat broiler.
• Immediately frost torte with a narrow metal spatula, mounding extra meringue on top and drawing it up with a fork to form peaks (see photograph, page 111). Broil torte about 4 inches from heat until tops of peaks are pale golden, about 30 seconds. Let torte stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

POLISH CHOCOLATE & WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½. Line a 30 x 22cm shallow baking tin with baking parchment. Sift the flour and mix it with cocoa, then set aside. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the sugar to them in small batches. Add the egg yolks, one by one, whisking constantly. Tip in the flour mixture and gently fold everything together with a spatula. Pour the prepared batter into the lined tin and bake for 35 mins. Cool for 5 mins, remove from the tin and re-line the tin with baking parchment.
• To make the meringue, whisk the whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the sugar, one tablespoon at a time. When you have a stiff and shiny meringue, fold in the finely chopped walnuts, flour and star t ch. Spread the mixture into the re-lined tin and cook for 40 mins on the same heat. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
• For the chocolate glaze, heat the cream over low heat, then remove from the heat, pour the chopped chocolate into it and mix it until it melts and becomes shiny.
• Cut the cooled chocolate sponge cake and meringue into two layers. Put the nut meringue on top of the bottom layer of sponge and sprinkle on some of the reserved walnuts. Add another layer of meringue and then the upper layer of chocolate sponge cake and cover the top with chocolate glaze. Decorate with walnuts. Put the finished cake in the fridge for 1-2 hrs before serving.

UKRAINIAN LAVISH CHOCOLATE MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• The day before assembling the cake, make the meringue layers. Cut out TWO-11-inch circles from parchment or freezer paper; grease well with butter and sprinkle lightly with flour.
• Preheat the oven to 250°F Fold the rim of the baking circles slightly upward.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vinegar together until the whites hold a stiff peak. Add the superfine sugar, a few Tablespoons at a time, beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy. To make superfine sugar blend in the blender until it is superfine.
• Gently fill each circle with half the meringue mixture, spreading evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until the meringues are light golden and dry, 1 hour.
• Invert the meringues onto a plate and peel off the parchment paper. Leave in a dry spot overnight.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 350°F Line the bottom a 10-inch sprinform pan with parchment or freezer paper. Lightly butter the paper and sprinkle lightly with flour.
• To make the walnut chocolate layer, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted.
• With clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold one-third of the whites into the beaten yolks, then fold in the rest, alternating with the grated chocolate and walnuts.
• Fold in the bread crumbs, coffee, and lemon juice.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and bake until the cake tester comes out clean, another 20 to 25 minutes.
• When the cake cools off a little, remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake and peel off the paper. Using a serrated knife, cut it horizontally into two layers.
• Whip the cream with the sugar, instant coffee, and rum extract until it holds stiff peaks.
• Place one of the walnut-chocolate layers, cut side up, on a cake platter and spread it with 1/2 cup of the red currant preserves and then with one-third of the coffee-flavored cream. Top with one meringue layer. Spread another one-third of the cream on the meringue layer and top with the second meringue layer. Spread the rest of the cream filling on the meringue. Spread the remaining preserves over the remaining walnut-chocolate layer. Place the walnut-chocolate layer, preserves side down, on top of the cream filling.
• You should have the following layers, starting at the bottom: walnut-chocolate, preserves, cream, meringue, cream, meringue, cream, preserves, walnut-chocolate.
• For the icing, melt the chocolate and shortening in the water in the top of a double boiler, over barely simmering water.
• Spread the top and sides of the cake with warm chocolate icing. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 12.