Recipe#11326

Title: Baumkuchen

From: Ben Taylor btaylor@computek.net 
 Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 12:10:26 -0700 
 Message-ID: <326E6DA2.152C@computek.net> 

2/3 c. almonds
 3 10-oz. jars apricot preserves
 13 oz. almond paste (about 1 2/3 c.)
 1/3 c. half and half, light cream, or milk
 1 c. butter
 2 T. dark rum
 1 t. grated lemon peel
 1 t. vanilla
 1 c. sifted cake flour
 3/4 c. cornstarch
 10 egg yolks
 1/2 c. sugar
 10 egg whites
 dash salt
 1/2 c. sugar
 Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)
 Allow all ingredients to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
 Grease and flour two 8x8x2-inch pans; set aside.  Finely grind
 almonds; set aside.  Heat preserves; press through sieve, discarding
 pulp.  Set puree aside.
 Prepare batter:  Into a small mixer bowl crumble almond paste.
 Gradually add cream or milk, beating at low speed with electric
 mixer till smooth.  Transfer to large mixing bowl.  In same small
 bowl beat butter till fluffy.  Stir in rum, peel, and vanilla.  By
 hand stir in flour and cornstarch till combined.  Stir this into
 the almond paste mixture.  In same small bowl beat egg yolks and
 the 1/2 c. sugar till thick and light-colored (6 to 8 minutes).
 Fold into almond paste mixture.  Wash beaters.  In a large mixing
 bowl beat egg whites and a dash of salt to soft peaks.  Gradually
 add remaining sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to stiff
 peaks.  Fold egg whites into almond paste mixture.
 Adjust oven rack so that the bottom of the pans will be about 5 to
 6 inches from heat.  Carefully spread about 1/2 cup of the batter
 in a very thin layer over the bottom of the prepared pan.  Broil
 for 1 to 2 minutes or till deep golden brown and batter is set.
 Repeat spreading and broiling with another 1/2 cup batter.  Spread
 a generous 2 tablespoons of the strained apricot preserves atop
 the broiled batter to about 1/2 inch from edge, and sprinkle with
 about 1 tablespoon of the ground almonds.  Then carefully spread
 another 1/2 cup batter evenly over nut layer.  Broil as above.
 Repeat spreading and broiling with another 1/2 cup batter.  Continue
 layering and broiling, spreading preserves and sprinkling almonds
 after each two layers of batter as above.  (Some of the preserves,
 about 3/4 cup, should remain for the glaze.)  Cool tortes completely
 in pans on wire rack.  When cooled, loosen and remove sides of pan
 [this makes me think that it is supposed to be a springform, but
 the directions don't indicate a springform pan].  Lift tortes to
 serving platter using wide metal spatulas.  Make two cuts in each
 square torte to make three ingots from each.
 In small saucepan bring remaining glaze to boiling boil gently for
 3 to 5 minutes or till reduced by about one-third.  Spread Apricot
 Glaze over top of tortes, allowing to drizzle down sides.  Chill.
 Prepare Chocolate Glaze (below).  Spread over top, then down and
 over sides of chilled tortes.  If desired, tortes may be prepared
 ahead and chilled; let stand at room temperature about 1 hour before
 slicing thinly to serve.
 Makes 16 to 20 servings.
 Chocolate Glaze
 1/3 c. unsalted butter
 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
 3 T. light corn syrup
 3 T. dark rum
 In small heavy saucepan over low heat, melt together butter and
 chocolate, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in corn
 syrup and rum till smooth.  Cool completely at room temperature
 (mixture thickens upon cooling).