Shmoo Torte

Submitted by evelynathens

"A specialty of Cafe Livre, in McNally Robinson Booksellers, Winnipeg, Manitoba."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• 3 cups whipping cream
• 1⁄3 cup icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 16 pecan halves, toasted

• Cake

• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups egg whites (from about 14 eggs)
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

• Caramel Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup packed brown sugar

directions

1. For cake: In bowl, sift ¾ cup of the sugar with the flour; in large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; beat in almond extract and remaining sugar, 2 tblsps at a time, until stiff and glossy peaks form; sift flour mixture over top, ¼ at a time, gently folding in after each addition; fold in chopped pecans; scrape into ungreased 10-inch (4L) tube pan; run spatula through batter to eliminate any large air pockets; smooth top.
2. Bake in centre of preheated 350F (180C) oven until top springs back when lightly touched, 45-60 minutes; invert pan; let stand on legs attached to pan, or set on bottle or funnel, until cooled completely.
3. For caramel sauce: In saucepan, bring butter and half of cream to boil; add sugar and remaining cream; return to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes; remove from heat; set aside to cool to room temperature.
4. Remove cake from pan; cut into 3 layers; in large bowl, whip cream, icing sugar and vanilla; place bottom cake layer, cut side up, on flat cake plate; using piping bag fitted with star tip, fill hole of cake with whipped cream mixture; pipe border on top around edge; pour ¼ cup (50mL) of the caramel sauce inside border; repeat layers once; top with remaining cake layer, cut side down.
5. Spread 3 cups (750mL) of the cream mixture over top and side; pipe rosette in centre; pipe border around edge; spread thin layer of caramel sauce inside border; garnish with pecan halves.

Reviews

[kelly.sullivan]

an incredible recipe that I searched for years to find... one of those desserts that is very simple but looks like it took all day to make.... I cheat and use a boxed white angel food mix , which works great. Highly recommended.

 

[tigerduck]

This Torte is so delicious! It is certainly 5 stars in taste. It is very important that your tube pan is large enough, as the dough rises really high. I had a little bit of trouble getting the cake out of the pan. I could loose the sides with a knife, but the bottom wouldn't come out. If I make this again, I will brush the bottom with a little bit of oil, but only the bottom, as it otherwise won't rise as high. I only used 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract. I'm not sure if the extracts are stronger here in Switzerland, but I found even the 1 1/2 teaspoons too much, as the extracts overpowdered the pecans. I would also chop the pecans roughly and not as stated finely another time, so that I can taste them better. I expect this would also give it a crunch. The caramel sauce, however, is to die for. So delicious! This would be nice over ice cream or in Greek yogurt too! Wow! The whole Torte is really very yummy and I can highly recommend it. My 4 star rating is based on the trouble I had to get the cake out of the pan and the changes I would make in order to taste the pecans.