Gingersnap Pumpkin Mousse Torte

From the kitchen of Laura King

1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatine
1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half
3 beaten egg yolks
1/4 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 of an 8 ounce container frozen whipped
    dessert topping, thawed
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Mix gingersnaps, chopped pecans, and margarine or butter. Press onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of an 8-inch springform pan (or press into a 9-inch pie plate.) Bake in a 350 degree F oven 10 to 12 minutes or until edge is golden. Cool.

In a saucepan mix sugar and gelatine. Stir in cream, egg yolks, and water. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatine is dissolved and mixture just begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Stir in pumpkin and spice. Cool 20 to 30 minutes.

Fold dessert topping into gelatine mixture. Spread evenly in crust. Top with pecan halves. Cover; chill 6 hours or until set. Loosen sides of pan. Drizzle with ice cream topping.

Makes 8 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare as directed. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.

Himmel Torte

1 1/2 cups butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
Grated rind of 1 lemon
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg white
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cream butter and 1/4 cup sugar well; stir in the yolks one at a time, blending well. Add lemon rind and flour. Pat dough in 3 greased 11 x 7-inch pans.

Mix egg white, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and chopped almonds; spread on dough. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake until well browned, 10 to 20 minutes longer. When torte is cold, spread raspberry jam and part of the Cr?me Filling between the layers. Spread the remaining Cr?me Filling over the top.

Cr?me Filling
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups thick sour cream
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix cornstarch with sugar. Add sour cream and cook in double boiler, stirring constantly until it coats the spoon. Pour gradually onto 2 well-beaten yolks. Reheat for 1 minute. Add vanilla extract.

Matzo Meal Almond Torte

5 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup almonds, ground without blanching
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice or brandy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat yolks and sugar until light; add remaining ingredients in order, the stiffly beaten whites last. Bake in a greased and floured 8-inch springform pan for one hour.

Raspberry-Pineapple Cream Torte

1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 envelope Knox gelatine
1 cup raspberry preserves
1 small container Cool Whip?

Bake cake as directed in two 8-inch pans.

Drain pineapple well. Reserve pineapple and chill in refrigerator. Put 1 cup of pineapple juice in small pan and sprinkle with gelatine. Let stand 1 minute. Stir over low heat until completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add pineapple and chill until thick and syrupy.

Fold together 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup pineapple mixture. Split cake into 4 layers. Fill layers alternately with raspberry preserves and pineapple cream. Spread remaining pineapple on top and whipped cream on sides. Refrigerate.

Linzer Torte

1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 lemon, grated rind and juice
1 tablespoon brandy
1/2 pound almonds, chopped fine
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 3 times
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (12 ounce) jar jam or preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar well. Add yolks, flavoring and almonds. Add flour mixed with baking powder, and fold in the stiffly beaten whites. Roll out or pat two-thirds of the dough in a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan having the dough a little thicker on the bottom than the sides. Fill with jam. Roll remaining dough. Cut in strips and place crisscross on top. Bake for 40 minutes.

Before serving, fill hollows on top with jam.

Marzipan Torte

1/2 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons water

Blend butter into flour and sugar. Add egg yolks and water, and mix well. Chill thoroughly. Roll out dough and line a greased 9-inch springform pan. Reserve a small quantity of dough for strips for the top.

Filling
1 pound almonds, blanched and grated
1 pound confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 2 lemons
8 egg whites

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat almonds, sugar, salt and lemon juice in a double boiler, stirring until well blended. Cool. Add the stiffly beaten egg whites. Put the mixture on the dough. Place strips of crust over the top. Bake one hour. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and decorate with candied cherries.

Bittersweet Chocolate Torte with Raspberries

14 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup milk
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1 1/2 to 2 cups raspberries
Confectioners? sugar (optional)

Grease the bottom only of an 8-inch heart-shaped pan with a removable bottom or an 8-inch springform pan. Set pan aside.

Melt chocolate with butter or margarine and milk; cool for 20 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined. Add sugar and flour. Then beat on high speed for 10 minutes. Stir chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Then place on a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until cake is slightly puffed on the outer one-third of the top. If using a springform pan, bake about 35 minutes.

Remove heart-shaped or springform pan from baking pan. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan, then remove sides of pan. Cool for 2 to 3 hours more or until completely cooled. Remove the cake from the bottom of the pan. Wrap cake in foil and chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours before serving.

Just before serving, bring the cake to room temperature. In a small saucepan heat raspberry jam until melted; cool. Spread the jam over the top of cake. Place raspberries, hole sides down, on top of jam layer. If desired, sift confectioners’ sugar over the raspberries.

Makes 16 servings.