Scarlett WSour Cherry Torte
November 9th 2006 13:22
Sour Cherry Torte
About Torte
Torte is a dessert of the cake or meringue type, usually rich in eggs or nuts.
About Sour Cherry Torte
The combination of a spongecake tasting richly of chocolate, a cherry cream filling, and the generous use of kirsch is a strong remainder of Black Forest Cherry Cake. But the two could not be more different in taste and texture. The cherry cream filling does not, of course, have to be used exactly as described. It can be spread onto the liqueur moistened base and then covered with the kirsch cream filling to make a second layer.
About Viennese Spongecake
This basic spongecake, also known as Genoese spongecake, is so versatile that it is well worth keeping on hand. The eggs are not separated but beaten whole with the sugar. Whether you beat the batter in a double boiler and then again when it is cold, which is the traditional way, or beat it only when it is cold does not affect the end result. An electric mixer is recommended, as using a whisk is rather laborious.
Storage of the spongecake – Deep-freezing
Sometimes the spongecake that require only one or two thin bases, these can be slice from deep base (1½ 2 inches), with the remainder being deep frozen in one piece, or cup up into thinner layers (⅜-⅝ inch thick – wooden slats are useful ) ready for use later. To freeze spongecakes baked on parchment paper, leave the parchment in place, stack the individual layers on top of each other, and wrap the stack in acetate or plastic wrap. Individual layers can then be removed as required.
About Couverture
[B]"Couverture" is a special type of chocolate used in patisserie and confectionery, which flows more readily than the type of chocolate found in candy bars. The consistency you need will depend on what you are using it for, such as covering cakes or coating candies. For many uses, couverture must be melted first, then tempered. When it is heated (the temperature must never exceed 104ºF), couverture loses its binding properties. The sugar, cocoa solids, and cocoa butter separate. Tempering binds them together again, and the couverture returns to its original state: hard chocolate with a lovely sheen.
[B]About Tempering Small Quantities of Couverture
Cut the couverture into small pieces and melted, but the maximum temperature is 104ºF. About half of the melted couverture is poured onto a marble or stainless steel slab and worked with a palette knife or spatula until it begins to set. It is then returned as quickly as possible to the rest of the warm couverture. Speed is of the essence, as only a short time elapses between thickening and solidifying. If the couverture as a whole is not cool enough – below 86 ºF, the point at which couverture begins to thicken – the procedure has to be repeated. The cooled couverture must then be carefully reheated until it reaches 89 ºF. This is the mean temperature at which the couverture is sufficiently viscous to be worked easily. The temperature range for working lies between 86 and 91 ºF. Below these temperatures, the couverture thickens and dries with a matt surface; above these temperatures, the cocoa butter separates from the cocoa solids, and the couverture has to be tempered again.
About Milk Couverture Curls
Couverture can be held ready for use in thermostatically controlled tempering equipment. Milk couverture is held between 86 and 91 ºF, because of the milk fat content.
To make the chocolate curls,
1. Melt the chopped milk couverture over hot water at a maximum temperature of 91 ºF, stirring gently until all the pieces have melted.
2. Pour at least half of the couverture onto a marble or stainless steel slab and spread with a spatula and palette knife.
3. Using a palette knife, work the couverture. Use the spatula to remove any couverture that sets on the palette knife.
4. As soon as the couverture starts to thicken, stir it immediately (in this state it will set instantly) into the remainder of the liquid couverture.
5. Using a palette knife, spread the melted couverure thinly over a marble slab until it becomes pliable and the surface is matt.
6. Use a cheese slicer to make the couverture curls, or a knife will do if you hold the blade in both hands. Just pull it all along the couverture towards you and it should curl up.
About A Strip of Acetate
A strip of acetate is a very simple but effective aid to prevent the filling freezing onto the ring, protect tortes when stored in the freezer, and is extremely useful when making fillings of various depths, and when smoothing them at the very top.
INGREDIENTS
Makes one 10-inch torte
For the light-coloured spongecake – 9-in torte ring 2 inches deep
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup flour
¼ cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons milk
For the dark-coloured spongecake – 9-in torte ring 2 inches deep
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
pinch of salt
scraped contents of ½ vanilla bean
1 cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons milk
For the sour cherry cream filling
4 oz sour cherries, stoned
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon gelatin
1 cup cream, whipped
For the kirsch cream filling
4 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup kirsch
scraped contents of ½ vanilla bean
pinch of salt
1¾ cups cream
2 teaspoons gelatin
To moisten
5 tablespoons kirsch
5 tablespoons sugar syrup
To decorate
7 fl oz cream
a little sugar
milk chocolate couverture curls
16 stewed cherries with stalks, drained
1. Both light-coloured spongecake and dark-coloured spongecake are made in the same way, with the exception of two ingredients: the light-coloured spongecake calls for grated lemon zest and cornstarch, while the dark spongecake includes the contents of half a vanilla bean and cocoa powder.
2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. To prepare the light-coloured spongecake batter, use a hand mixer to beat the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and lemon zest together until frothy.
3. Move the hand mixer around in circles, so that the batter becomes uniformly creamy and firm.
4. Sift the flour and cornstarch onto paper and trickle slowly into the frothy mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula.
5. Heat the oil and milk together to 40 degrees Celsius /86ºF. Pour into the batter in a thin stream and blend in with the spatula.
6. Pour the mixture directly from the bowl into the torte ring, which has been prepared with parchment paper and smooth the top.
7. To prepare the dark spongecake, also use the hand mixer to beat the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla together until frothy.
8. Move the hand mixer around in circles, so that the batter becomes uniformly creamy and firm.
9. Sift the flour and cocoa powder onto paper and trickle slowly into the frothy mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula.
10. Heat the oil and milk together to 40 degrees Celsius /86ºF. Pour into the batter in a thin stream and blend in with the spatula.
11. Pour the mixture directly from the bowl into the torte ring, which has been prepared with parchment paper and smooth the top.
12. Bake both spongecakes for 30 minutes. If necessary, cover the spongecake with foil halfway through the baking period to prevent from over-browning. Always check that the cake is done by pricking with a wooden toothpick. Set aside.
13. To make the sour cherry cream filling, add the sugar to the cherries and cook through for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Small solid pieces of cherry flesh should remain.
14. Dissolve the gelatin in the hot fruit pulp. Allow to cool.
15. When the cherry mixture begins to set, blend into the whipped cream.
16. Place a 6-inch round 1 inch deep torte ring on a smooth base covered with parchment paper or acetate. Spoon in the cream and smooth the top. Cover with acetate and freeze.
17. To make the kirsch cream filling, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, kirsch, vanilla, and salt until frothy.
18. Whip the cream.
19. Dissolve the gelatin and mix thoroughly into the frothy mixture.
20. Blend the mixture into the whipped cream.
21. To assemble the torte, line a 10-inch round 2 inches deep torte ring with acetate strip.
22. Slice a ½-inch deep layer from the dark spongecake and place in the ring.
23. Mix the kirsch and sugar syrup together and use 3 tablespoons of it to moisten the cake.
24. Spread some of the kirsch cream filling around the base.
25. Let the frozen sour cherry cream filling stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then invert it on top of the cake and remove the ring and acetate.
26. Spread with the remainder of the kirsch cream filling.
27. Slice a ½-inch deep layer from the light-coloured spongecake, place on top, cover with acetate and freeze.
28. To finish the torte, remove the ring but not the acetate strip.
29. Place a second acetate strip, ¼ inch deeper, around the torte and secure with tape.
30. Moisten the spongecake with the remainder of the kirsch.
31. Whip the cream with the sugar, and spoon onto the torte up to the level of the deeper acetate strip.
32. Smooth the top. Sprinkle milk chocolate couverture curls over the center of the torte.
33. Decorate with the well-drained cherries. Remove the acetate strips.
**From “The Chocolate Bible” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**
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