PECAN TORTE WITH COFFEE CREAM

PECAN TORTE WITH COFFEE CREAM image

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 10

Pecan Torte:
1 ¾ cups raw pecans
4 large eggs @ room temp, separated
½ cup granulated sugar
Coffee Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
3 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
1 tsp instant coffee crystals dissolved in 2 tsp heavy whipping cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
fresh raspberries for top (optional, but great)

Steps:

To make the torte: Heat the oven to 350F. Butter the bottom of a 9" springform pan (use a parchment paper circle in bottom if possible). You can toast the nuts for a deeper roasted taste, but I skip this. Place the pecans in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until finely ground (may be a bit paste-y). In the bowl of the Kitchenaid mixer, beat the egg yolks at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until well blended. Mix the ground pecans into the yolk mixture. In another large bowl, using the electric hand mixer with clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the egg whites gently into the nut mixture in two additions. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then run a knife between the cake and the pan sides to loosen, and remove the pan sides. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack (the cake will fall in the center). To make the coffee cream: When you are ready to serve the cake, in a large bowl an electric mixer, beat the cream, confectioners' sugar, coffee mixture, and vanilla on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread the coffee cream on top of the cake just before serving. Sprinkle fresh red raspberries on top. The cake may be made 1 day in advance and stored, tightly wrapped, in the fridge.