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Labunski
Torte |
This recipe makes one "tall" 8 or 9 inch layer cake. I
am including instructions also for a wedding cake version that friends
requested.
12 eggs, separated
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 cups ground pecans (or commercial pecan meal)**
parchment paper
8 or 9 inch layer tins
** add 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil, if using commercial pecan
meal, as it is dryer than when you grind your own pecans. I use
hazelnut oil if I can get it.
Beat sugar and egg yolks until light, add vanilla and oil, and then
gradually add pecan meal. Beat whites separately, then add about
half of beaten whites to pecan mixture to soften batter sufficiently
to then fold in the rest of the egg whites. This is a very stiff
batter, so don’t worry too much about losing the air in the
egg whites.
Grease layer tins, then place circle of parchment (precut to fit)
in bottom of tin and grease bottom again, then flour tins. Ladle
batter into tins. You’ll have to spread it with a tablespoon
to the edges. Recipe makes 4 layers with 9 inch tins, 5 layers with
8 inch tins. Batter should be about three-quarters of an inch deep.
Bake in slow oven about 275°. The cooking time is difficult
to judge because ovens vary–about 50 minutes to an hour. This
cake will not “rise” but also should not really brown.
It will not “spring back” when you tap it. Be careful
that the edges don’t dry out and harden. (Poke around..) Also,
take care that the center is not raw. It should resist when touched,
and begin to pull away from sides of tin. Remove cakes from tins
before they cool completely.
Handle very carefully, the layers are easy to break.
Mocha Frosting (Filling)
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons instant coffee with about 2 tablespoons hot water to
melt it.
Cream butter, add sugar and cocoa, then flavorings. Adjust stiffness
of frosting by adding more sugar if necessary. Remember all the
heavy layers will force soft frosting out the sides.
Top Frosting - optional...I didn’t use this for the wedding
cake:
3-4 squares of semi-sweet chocolate. Sometimes I add some powdered
sugar if I think the chocolate is too bitter.
Add about 1/2 cup whipping cream
Carefully melt chocolate with whipping cream. Remember too much
heat will make chocolate “strike” (lumps). Allow to
cool almost to room temperature. It should be syrupy consistency.
Pour over frosted cake and push with back of spoon out from center
and over the edges to make streams of chocolate down sides. It will
harden when cool.
For the outside of the wedding cake, I used the same recipe as the
filling, without the cocoa. The decorative icing was the same, but
also without the coffee flavoring, to lighten the color to nearly
white. (We decorated this cake with natural flowers, but in the
past I have purchased chocolate roses from the local bakery to put
on the top as I am not adept with a pastry bag.
**pecan meal-available from Sunnyland Farms, Inc., P.O. Box 549
Albany, GA 31703,
Phone 1-912-883-3085. Order Home Box 5 lbs.. size. Should be enough
for 4 cakes. It keeps well in the freezer.
Debbie and Alex’s wedding cake took about 11 batches. It made
4 16-inch layers, 4 12-inch layers, 4 8-inch layers, 4 6-inch layers,
and 2 sheet cakes, 11 x 14 inches, 4 layers each. This quantity
will easily serve 300. It is deadly rich, so small slices are welcome.
Recipe is adapted by my mother, Marion Hutchins, from one submitted
to the Junior League of Memphis, Tennessee (1952) by a Mrs. George
Miles. Probably adapted from an Eastern European hazelnut torte
(?)
I think it must be lucky as a wedding cake. We have made it for
5 weddings including our own and everyone is still married.
Kate Bates - February 1996
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