Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan; sprinkle with
cocoa.
Melt both chocolates and butter in top of double boiler over hot
water. Beat eggs, egg whites and sugar in bowl. On low speed, beat in
chocolate mixture, flour, salt, nuts, water and vanilla. Pour into
the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or
until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs
attached. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool
cake completely on wire rack. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

Exchanges: 1/4 starch/bread, 1/2 meat, 1 fruit, 3 4/5 fat.

In food processor, process the ingredients on pulse, until just
holding together. Remove from processor. In 4 cup bowl, line with
plastic wrap and spoon mixture into bowl. Fill bowl and pat flat.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To unmold, remove plastic wrap off top of bowl. Place serving
platter over top of bowl and gently turn both completely over.
Remove bowl, and gently peel off plastic wrap. Garnish with chopped
cilantro OR parsley. Multicolored tortilla chips can then be arrange
around the mould.

Set oven rack at the lowest level; preheat to 450! F. Lightly oil
a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate (6-cup capacity) or coat it with
vegetable oil spray. Line the bottom with parchmentpaper or aluminum
foil. Lightly coat the paper or foil with oil or cooking spray.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add
leeks and thyme and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. (If
necessary, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to prevent scorching.)
Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange half of the sweet potato slices, slightly overlapping, in
the bottom of the prepared pie plate and season with salt and pepper.
Spread one-third of the leek mixture over the top. Arrange half of
the all-purpose potato slices third of the leeks. Layer remaining
sweet potatoes, leeks and all purpose potatoes in the same manner.

Cover the pie plate tightly with aluminum foil and bake about 45
minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. (The torte can be
prepared ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2
days. Reheat, covered, in a moderate oven.) Run a knife around the
edge of the torte to loosen it. Invert onto a serving plate. Remove
paper or foil liner and serve. Makes 6 servings.

from Susan Herr, Eating Well’s Test Kitchen manager
as published in the Houston Chronicle 11/20/95
typed and posted by teri chesser

———————MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING———————
11 oz Cream cheese, softened 3 1/2 c Powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 c Butter, softened 2 ts Maple extract (to 3 ts)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flour, baking
powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
and ginger in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in
a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Beat in
pumpkin and vanilla; mix well. Combine the evaporated
milk and water. Add dry ingredients alternately with
the diluted evaporated milk to the cream mixture,
beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Spread
evenly into 2 wax paper lined and greased 9 inch round
cake pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden
pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans
on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans;
carefully remove wax paper. Cool completely. Cut each
cake in half horizontally. Spread the Maple Cream
Cheese frosting between layers and over top of cake.
Garnish with nut halves.

1 Combine marinade ingredients in a large glass baking dish.
2 Peel the fatty membrane from both sides of the skirt Steak.
This requires a very sharp knife. Add meat to marinade and marinate
for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Keep it in the fridge if
you marinate overnight.
3 Make the PICO DE GALLO: combine all of the ingredients in a
small serving bowl.
4 Slice the yellow onions into 1/4″ slices, and cut each slice
into a semicircle. Grill the meat until it is cooked slightly less
than the way you like it. Meanwhile, saute’ the onions in th eoil
until they are soft. Use a large frying pan that will have enough
room for the meat later.
5 After removing the meat from the grill, slice it into strips
that are cut acrosss the grain. The strips should be 3-4 inches long
and 1/4 inch thick. Add the strips to the onions in the pan, and fry
for another minute or two.
6 Place on the table the pan full of meat, the bowl of pico de
gallo, a basket with the tortillas, a bowl with the guacamole, and a
bowl with the grated cheese. You amy wish to provide picante sauce
in addition.
7 Each person makes their own fajita by taking a tortilla,
spooning some of the meat onto it, then adding their choice of each
of the other ingredients in whatever combination they want.

TIME : 45 mins preparation, several hours marinating, 10 minutes
cooking.

TAKEN FROM: rec.foods.recipes

Heat oven to 350 F. Line bottoms of 2 round pans, 8 or 9 x 1 1/2
inches, with aluminum foil. Beat egg whites in large bowl until
foamy. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbp at a time; continue beating until
stiff and glossy. Beat egg yolks, oil and rum flavoring in small bowl
on low speed until blended. Add 1/2 cup sugar, the flour, baking
powder, cinnamon and cloves; beat on medium speed 1 min. Fold egg
yolk mixture into egg whites. Fold in cracker crumbs, chocolate and
nuts. Pour into pans.

Bake until top springs back when touched lightly, 30 to 35 mins.
Immediately invert pans, resting rims on edges of 2 inverted pans;
cool completely.

Loosen edges of layers with knife; invert pan and hit sharply on
table. Remove foil.

Split cake to make 4 layers. Fill layers and frost top of torte with
Rum-flavored Whipped Cream. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

Refrigerate at least 7 hours. (Torte mellows and becomes moist.)

Makes 12 servings.

RUM-FLAVORED WHIPPED CREAM

Beat 2 cups chilled whipping cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2
teaspoons rum flavoring in chilled bowl until stiff.

-TOOLS-
Serrated knife 4 Salad bowls
Ziploc bag Spoon
Plate

Wash the tomatoes in cold water and with an adults help, cut into
half inch slices.

Place slices in plastic bag. Squeeze out any extra air and close the
bag tightly. Lay the bag on a clean plate placed in the sink. Now
make a fist and gently pound the tomato slices until they look
tortured.

Divide the tortured tomatoes among the four bowls and sprinkle with a
half tablespoon of crumbled cheese. Then, holding a spoon at least
12″ from the salad bowl (to approximate the altitude of a low flying
bird), dribble a glob of dressing onto each one.

From the Book: Gross Grub by Cheryl Porter Random House ISBN
0-679-86693-0

Shared by Carolyn Shaw 10-95

From : Sallie Krebs, Sat 07 Oct 95 13:30, Area: COOKING Peach,
Apricot and Plum Tart (TORTA DI PESCHE E ALBICOCCHE E PRUGNE)

MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART, OR 6 TO 8 SERVINGS Source: Cooking Vegetables
the Italian Way; Judith Barrett ISBN 0-02-009078-1; 1994

All the best flavors of summer fruit are combined in this wonderful
pie. This tart was prepared for my husband and myself at a wonderful
lunch prepared by Lorenza de’ Medici in Tuscany.

1 recipe Basic Pie Pastry 3 pounds total peaches, nectarines,
apricots, and/or plums 1/2 cup sugar Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Prepare the pie pastry, roll it out, and press it into a 9-inch
springform pan with removable sides. Leave enough dough aside to make
strips for a lattice-top crust.

2. Prepare the fruit: Peel the peaches and nectarines. Remove all the
pits and cut the fruit into thick slices. Put the fruit into a large
non-aluminum saucepan. Add the sugar and lemon juice, stir well to
combine, and place over medium-high heat. Cook, while stirring, until
the fruit begins to give up its liquid and the sugar is dissolved,
about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking
for about 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until the fruit
is tender but not mushy and the liquid in the pan has become quite
thick.

3. Preheat the oven to 375-F.

4. Pour the fruit filling into the crust. Cover the filling with
strips of the dough to make a lattice-top crust and crimp the edges
of the pastry. Place the pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake
for about 1 hour, or until the crust is evenly golden brown and the
filling is bubbling. Allow to cool completely before removing the
sides of the pan. When cool, run a sharp knife between the crust and
the pan. Open the pan latch and remove.

Keywords: Scanned, SJK

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine bread dough and let rise until
doubled. On floured surface, sprinkle dough with thyme and roll out
to a 20″ circle. Transfer to a greased, 10″ springform pan letting
edges drape over the sides. Saute onions, garlic, mushrooms and
seasonings in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until tender, about 5
minutes. Stir in dill and set aside. Saute zucchini in remaining oil
until tender. Layer half mushrooms mixture, half zucchini, half
spinach leaves, half cheeses and half crab meat into the dough-lined
pan; repeat. Bring into dough together over the top, leaving small
vent for steam to escape; brush light with oil or beaten egg. Bake at
in a 375 F~ oven for 50 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into wedges
and serve warm or cook to room temperature. PER SERVING: 479 cal;
12.9g fat; 1,058mg sod;

Dense with walnuts, this traditional tart is more of a cake than a
pie. It is deliciously moist and rich and not too sweet. Dust the top
with powdered sugar before serving.

3 cups walnut pieces 4 large eggs, separated 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon
granulated sugar Rind of 1 lemon, grated Powdered sugar for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350-F. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch
springform pan.

2. Place the walnut pieces in a blender or food processor fitted with
the steel blade and chop them finely, being careful not to
over-process them into a paste. Set aside.

3. Beat the egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer until light and
fluffy. Add the lemon rind and walnuts and mix only enough to combine.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer
until stiff. Fold them into the egg yolk-and-walnut mixture. Pour
into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown. Cool
on a rack. Remove the sides of the pan, dust with powdered sugar, and
serve.

This is a wonderfully rich and hearty dessert- dense with figs and
infused with orange flavor- to make in the winter when only dried
figs are available. It comes from a great chef, Jody Adams, who runs
the kitchen at Michela’s restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
where her cooking is earthy and delicious.

CRUST: 1/4 cup hazelnuts 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut
into tablespoon-size pieces 2 tablespoons water FILLING: 1/2 pound
dried figs, stems removed and cut into quarters Zest of 1 orange,
finely chopped Juice of 1 orange 3 large eggs 1/2 cup mascarpone
Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour Pinch of salt 1/2 cup
sugar 1/2 cup toasted coarsely chopped hazelnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 400-F. Place all the hazelnuts on a baking
sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
Grind or chop in a food processor.

2. To prepare the crust, combine the ground nuts, flour, salt, and
sugar in a medium-size bowl. Add the butter and work it through your
fingers into the dough until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add
the water and toss through your fingers into the dough. Squeeze some
dough in your hand. If it holds together fairly well, you’ve added
enough water. If not, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until
it does hold together. Place the dough on a counter top. Using the
heel of your hand, smear the dough across the counter. Repeat. Form
the dough into a flat cake and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 400-F. Roll out the dough and line a 9-inch
springform pan with it. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the figs with the orange zest and
juice and toss well. Allow to macerate for 30 minutes.

5. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the mascarpone, lemon
juice, flour, salt, and the orange juice from the figs. Gradually
beat in the sugar.

6. Distribute the figs evenly over the bottom of the prepared crust.
Sprinkle over the hazelnuts. Pour the mascarpone-and-egg mixture over
the figs, then fold the pastry down to form a nice edge. Bake for 10
minutes, then reduce the oven to 350-F and bake for an additional 20
to 30 minutes, until set. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Keywords: Mascarpone, Oranges, Scanned, SJK From
: Sallie Krebs, Sat 07 Oct 95 13:30, Area: COOKING

A very lemony, rich tart, this recipe was inspired by the lemon
custard that was served for dessert at La Chiusa in Montefollonico.

1 recipe Basic Pie Pastry 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup sugar 3
lemons, squeezed and zest finely chopped 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted
butter, melted 1 cup almonds, ground as finely as possible

1. Preheat the oven to 350-F.

2. Prepare the pastry, roll it out, and press into a 9-inch tart pan.

3. Combine the eggs with the sugar, lemon zest, juice, butter, and
almonds. Mix well and pour into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 25
to 30 minutes, until the crust and the top of the tart are golden
brown. Serve from the pan.

This is my favorite tart. The layer of applesauce makes a delicate
filling and the sliced apples give a decorative finished appearance.

1 recipe Basic Pie Pastry (see preceding recipe) 1 cup prepared
unsweetened applesauce (preferably the kind you make yourself) 2 or 3
large, crisp, tart apples (Mcintosh, Macoun, Empire, or Granny Smith)
Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup apricot preserves

1. Preheat the oven to 375-F. Prepare the pie pastry, roll it out,
and line a 9-inch tart pan. Crimp the edges.

2. Spread the applesauce over the bottom of the pastry. Cut the
apples in quarters, peel, and cut away the cores. Cut each piece of
apple into evenly thin slices and arrange in an overlapping fashion
over the applesauce in concentric circles. Squeeze the juice over the
apple slices, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top, and place on
the middle rack of the oven. Bake for about 1 hour, until the pastry
is golden brown and the edges of the apple slices begin to brown.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

3. Just before serving, heat the preserves (you can do it easily in
the microwave: put the preserves in a microwave-safe, heat-proof glass
measuring cup, heat on high power for about 1 minute, until the
preserves are melted and bubbling), and use a teaspoon to spread
evenly over the top of the apples. Serve from the pan.

Keywords: Microwave, Scanned, SJK From
: Sallie Krebs, Sat 07 Oct 95 13:30, Area: COOKING

-SEASONED OIL-
1/3 c Olive oil 1 ts Thyme, chopped or
1 Garlic clove(s), chopped 1/3 ts Dried thyme

1. Sprinkle the eggplant slice with 1 tsp salt and set aside for 1
hour. Rinse and pat the eggplant slice dry with paper towels.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, garlic and thyme to make the
seasoned oil.

3. Preheat the oven to 350?F.

4. Place a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 3 minutes.
While the skillet is heating, brush the eggplant slices with the
seasoned oil. Saut? the eggplant over high heat until it is crusty
and dark, 2-3 minutes each side. Saut? as many slices as comfortably
fit in the pan, then repeat the process. Do not crowd the skillet.
Turn the heat down if the eggplant is browning too quickly.

5. Lightly oil an ovenproof baking pan. Overlap the eggplant, potato,
tomato, and onion slices, leaving ?-inch of each uncovered. Repeat the
layers until all the vegetable slices have been used.

6. Add the remaining 1 tsp salt and the pepper to the remaining
seasoned oil and brush the vegetables with this mixture. Place the
thyme and basil in between the layered vegetables. Bake uncovered for
1 hour. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Can be refrigerated for 1 day. REheat before serving.

The Occasional Vegetarian by Karen Lee ISBN 0-446-51792-5 pg 195-196

Combine first six ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Press into a
greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Combine filling ingredients; mix
well. Pour over crustl. Bake at 350 deg. for 50 to 60 minutes. In a
mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar and
vanilla, beating well. Spread over hot filling. Return to the oven
for 10 to 15 min. or until lightly browned. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

FILLING
5 tb All-purpose flour 1/2 c Shortening
1 c Milk 1/4 c Butter or margarine
1 c Sugar 2 1/2 tb Evaporated milk
1 c Butter or margarine 1 tb Boiling water
1/2 ts Instant coffee granules 1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 ts Water 1 ds Salt
1 ts Vanilla extract 1 lb Sifted confectioners sugar
2 ts Unsweetened cocoa Divided
1 c Chopped pecans Pecan halves, optional
FROSTING:

For cake, make a paste of cocoa and water. Cool and set aside. Sift
together flour, soda and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl,
cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in cocoa
mixture. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Blend
until smooth. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. cake pans. Bake
at 350 deg. for 35 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from pans
and cool on a wire rack. For filling, cook flour and milk in a
saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Cool.
Meanwhile, cream sugar and butter until light. Dissolve coffee in
water; add with vanilla, cocoa and milk mixture to creamed mixture.
Beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in nuts. Split each cake
layer in half. Divide filling into thirds and spread between layers.
For frosting, cream shortening and butter. Add milk, water, vanilla,
salt and half the sugar. Beat well. Add remaining sugar and beat
until smooth and fluffy. Spread over top and sides of cake. Garnish
with pecan halves, if desired. Yield: about 16 servings

Slice cake into thirds horizontally. If desired, tint the topping
pink with a few drops of food coloring. Spread each layer with
topping and 1 cup fruit (well drained, if frozen). Reassemble layers
and spread remaining topping over entire cake. Chill until ready to
serve. Yield: 12 servings

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Spoon batter
into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan; bake according to
package directions. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan, and let
cool completely on a wire rack.
Slice cake horizontally to make 3 layers. Place bottom layer on
cake platter; spread with about 1 cup whipped topping, and top with
one-third of cherry pie filling. Repeat process with second and
third layers. Chill well. Yield: 1 ten-inch cake.

Cream sugar and lard. Add egg, persimmon pulp, mix and add dry
ingredients. Bake in 2 layer cake pans at 375 degrees until firm.
Split layers. Frost with any carmel frosting mix and substitute
persimmon pulp for the water called for. Randy Rigg

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

2. Heat 2 Tbs of the olive oil over low heat in a medium saute pan
and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until very tender and
golden colored, 15 to 20 mins. Set aside.

3. In the same saute pan, heat 4 Tbs olive oil and add the eggplant.
Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 mins, then add the zucchini and the
yellow squash. Continue to saute on medium heat until the vegetables
are tender, about 5 mins. Combine the cooked vegetables with the
reserved onions, season with half the salt and pepper, and allow to
cool.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Combine with 1 Tbs olive
oil, the balsamic vinegar, cream, 2/3 cup of the cheese, and
remaining salt and pepper. Mix well to form a somewhat thick batter
and stir in the sauteed vegetables.

5. Oil a 2-qt, 9-inch round or square baking dish or casserole with
the remaining Tbs of olive oil and pour in the tortino mixture. Be
sure the mixture is level on all sides. Cover the dish with foil and
bake for 35 to 40 mins.

6. Preheat the broiler. Remove the foil from the dish and sprinkle on
the remaining Parmagiano. Bake until the eggs are set, about 15 mins.
longer. Just before serving, place the tortino under the broiler
until the cheese forms a golden crust. Let rest for 5 mins and serve
in squares. Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side dish.

Place porcini in small bowl. Add hot water. Let stand until mushrooms
soften, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid; coarsely
chop.

Preheat oven to 450F. Generously butter large ovenproof skillet.
Arrange 1/3 of potatoes in overlapping concentric circles in skillet.
Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tbs rosemary and half of
mushrooms. Drizzle with 2 tbs soaking liquid and 1 tbs butter. Repeat
layering, using half of remaining potatoes, all remaining rosemary
and mushrooms, 2 tbs soaking liquid and 1 tbs butter. Top with
remaining potatoes, placing in overlapping circles. Season with salt
and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tbs soaking liquid and 2 tbs butter. Place
skillet over medium heat just until liquid bubbles, about 2 minutes.

Cover skillet and transfer to oven. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake
until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack; let
stand 5 minutes.

Place platter upside down over skillet. Turn platter and skillet over,
inverting potato torte onto platter. Remove skillet. Rearrange
potatoes, if necessary.

Bon Apptit September 1995

Preheat the oven to 350?F.

Beat the butter, the 3/4 cup of sugar and the bananas in an electric
mixer until well blended. Beat in the flour, baking powder and egg
substitute, also until well blended.

Spoon the batter into an 8-, 9- or 10-inch ungreased springform pan.
Arrange the plum halves, skin side down, on top of the batter;
sprinkle with the remaining 2 tsp of sugar (or more, if the plums are
very tart), a few squeezes of lemon juice and cinnamon.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes
out clean. Remove and cool. Refrigerate or freeze if desired, or
serve lukewarm. (To serve a frozen torte, defrost and reheat briefly
at 300?F.)

Nutritional Information per serving: 235 calories, 6g fat, 5g
protein, 50g carbohydrates, 15mg cholesterol, 60mg sodium

Combine the graham crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl;
blend until crumbly. Pat the crumb mixture in the bottom and up to
the rim of a 9-inch round pie pan. Bake in a 350?F oven 15 minutes,
or until brown; let cool.

In a saucepan over low heat, mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the
cornstarch; stir in the water, peaches and blueberries. Stir over
high heat until the mixture boils and thickens, about 2 minutes; let
cool.

In the top of a double boiler over simmering water or in the
microwave at 50% power, melt the white chocolate chips; stir until
smooth. Remove from the heat and add the cream cheese and sour cream;
mix until smooth. Spread evenly over the crust.

Spoon the peach-blueberry mixture over the torte. Cover, and chill at
least 12 hours. When ready to serve, garnish with mint sprigs.

Cream butter and sugar; add beaten eggs. Sift dry ingredients
together 3 times and add alternately with the milk. Add potatoes,
nuts, and vanilla. Beat well, and bake in a greased and floured loaf
pan for 1 hour at 325? F.

~ Mrs. Arthur Kuenemann and
Mrs. Henry Hirsch – Fredericksburg, Tx

typed & posted by teri chesser 7.95

Put nuts through food chopper. Sift flour and cream of tartar and
stir in the ground nuts. Separate eggs. Beat yolks, add sugar
gradually. This beating is important and takes 10 to 15 minutes. Stir
in vanilla. Beat egg whites until they hold a firm point.

Sprinkle flour-nut mixture over egg yolks and pile beaten whites
over this. Gently mix and gold all ingredients together.

Grease the bottom of a 10-tube pan and line with waxed paper. Pour
in batter and bake at 375? F for 50 minutes.

Invert cake on wire rack until cool. Loosen sides carefully with
knife, remove from pan and pull off paper.

Nuts must be weighed.

~ Mrs. Irene Riley Osbourn – Fredericksburg, Tx typed & posted by teri
chesser 7.95

-FOR GARNISH-
Lettuce leaves Fresh cilantro sprigs

Although this torta is from Provence, its superb taste suggests a
Moroccan influence. Choose a mild to mature chevre, depending on
your taste. If goat cheese isn’t to your liking, you can substitute
feta or a mild blue cheese. The crisp texture of the green and red
peppers contrasts delightfully with the smooth spiced cheese.

DIRECTIONS: ========== Saute the onion in butter until soft. Place all
ingredients except peppers and garnishes in a food processor or
mixing bowl and blend thoroughly. Line a 3- to 4-cup mold with a
double thickness of cheesecloth. Place the red pepper top upside
down in the bottom of the mold and sprinkle chopped red and green
pepper bits around it. Cover with half the cheese mixture and level
the mixture with a spoon. Sprinkle on the remaining pepper bits and
add the remaining layer of cheese. Fold the cheesecloth over the top
and press it slightly to firm in place. Let the mold set overnight
in the refrigerator.

To unmold, fold back the top of the cheesecloth. Invert a serving
plate on top of the mold and flip them over together. Lift off the
mold and carefully remove the cheesecloth. Garnish the torta with
lettuce leaves and fresh cilantro.

-CAKE LAYERS-
8 lg Eggs, at room temp. 2 1/2 c Unsifted all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c Granulated sugar 1 ts Baking powder
1 1/3 c Butter, softened

-BUTTERCREAM FROSTING-
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened 2 tb To 4 T almond-flavored
1 3/4 c Confectioners’ sugar -liqueur (see Note)

1. Prepare Raspberry Filling: In heavy 1-quart saucepan, combine
thawed red raspberries, their syrup, and the comstarch. Cook over low
heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Strain
into medium-size bowl. discard seeds. Refrigerate until ready to
assemble torte.

2. Prepare Cake Layers: Heat oven to 350′F. Grease and flour four
9-inch round baking pans; line bottoms with waxed paper. Separate
eggs, placing whites in medium-size bowl and yolks in a cup.

3. In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat 2 C sugar
and the butter until fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat until light,
scraping inside of the bowl occasionally. Reduce mixer speed to low.
Beat in flour and baking powder until well blended.

4. With clean beaters and mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until
foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/3 C sugar until stiff peaks
form. Fold beaten egg whites into butter mixture. Divide batter
evenly among prepared pans.

5. Bake cake layers 25 to 30 minutes or until tops spring back when
gently touched. Cool layers in pans 5 minutes, then loosen edges and
remove layers from pans. Cool cake layers completely on wire racks.

6. Meanwhile, prepare Buttercream Frosting: In medium-size bowl with
mixer on medium speed, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and 2 to 3
tablespoons almond liqueur until smooth and fluffy. Add more liqueur
if mixture is too stiff to spread.

7. To assemble torte, place one cake layer on serving plate. Spoon
frosting into pastry bag fitted with medium-size star tip. Pipe a
double border of frosting around top edge of cake layer. Spoon out
and reserve 2 T of thickened syrup from Raspberry Filling. Fold 2 C
fresh red raspberries into remaining filling. Spoon one-third of
raspberry filling mixture on top of cake layer. Place another cake
layer on top of the first, pipe with frosting and fill. Repeat with
the third cake layer. Top with remaining layer. Combine reserved
thickened synip and remaining 1 C fresh raspberries; arrange on top
layer. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftover torte.

Note: You may substitute a mixture of 1 t almond extract and 2 1/2
teaspoons water for eacb T of almond liqueur.

-PEACH SAUCE-
2 1/2 c Peeled and sliced fresh 1/4 c Light corn syrup
-peaches 2 tb Cornstarch
3/4 c Sugar 2 tb Water

-RASPBERRY SAUCE-
3 c Fresh or frozen unsweetened 1/4 c Cornstarch
-raspberries 1/3 c Water
2/3 c Sugar 1/2 Gallon vanilla ice cream
1/3 c Light corn syrup -softened

1. Prepare Crust: In bowl, stir together wafer crumbs and butter
until well mixed. Set aside 2 T; press remainder evenly over the
bottom and about 2 inches up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Set
aside.

2. Prepare Peach Sauce: In food processor fitted with chopping blade,
puree peaches. In 2-quart saucepan, combine peach puree, sugar, and
light corn syrup. In cup, blend cornstarch with water until smooth;
stir into the peach mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until
mixture boils. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl;
cover and refrigerate.

3. Prepare Raspberry Sauce: In 3-quart saucepan, combine raspberries,
sugar, and corn syrup, In cup, blend cornstarch with water until
smooth; stir into the berries. Cook over medium heat, stirring and
mashing berries with a spoon, until the mixture boils. Cook 2
minutes. Strain into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

4. To assemble torte, spoon one-third of ice cream into crust. Spread
one-fourth of the Peach Sauce and half of the Raspberry Sauce over ice
cream. Repeat, ending with ice cream. You should have half of the
Peach Sauce left. Sprinkle top of torte with reserved 2 T of crumbs.
Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 flours, or for as long as 3
days. Cover and refrigerate remaining Peach Sauce.

5. To serve, unwrap torte and let stand at room temperature 10
minutes to soften. Remove rim of pan. With sharp knife, cut torte
into wedges. Top with remaining Peach Sauce and serve immediately.

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with
2-inch-high sides. Cream 1/2 C butter with 1/2 C sugar in medium
bowl. Blend in yolks. Stir together flour and baking powder; add to
batter alternately with milk. Mix in vanilla extract. Pour into
prepared cake pans. With clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites in large
bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1 C sugar and beat until
stiff and shiny. Fold in walnuts. Spread over cake batter. Bake until
meringue is puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Invert one cake layer onto plate; immediately invert onto platter,
meringue side up. Spoon half of whipped cream over cake. Place sliced
strawberries over. Top with second cake layer, meringue side up. Top
with whipped cream and whole strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to
serve. (Torte can be prepared 4 hours ahead.)

7. To assemble torte, using the bottom of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan as a
pattern, cut chocolate cake into three 9 by 5-inch rectangles; use
leftover cake trimmings for snacking. Line the inside of the loaf pan
with plastic wrap, allowing 2 inches to extend over the sides so
assembled torte can be easily removed from pan.

8. Place one cake rectangle in bottom of pan; brush generously with
some Coffee Syrup. Spread half of cheese filling on top of cake in
pan. Place another cake rectangle atop filling; brush with Coffee
Syrup and top with cherry filling. Place remaining cake atop cherry
filling; brush with remaining Coffee Syrup and top with remaining
cheese filling, spreading smoothly as this will be top of torte.
Cover torte with overhanging plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4
hours or overnight. Prepare Chocolate Meringue Twigs.

9. To serve, remove torte from pan by pulling up plastic wrap on all
sides. Place torte on serving plate and gently pull plastic wrap to
remove from underneath. Gently press flat sides of chocolate twigs
upright onto sides of torte to cover completely. If desired, tie
ribbon around sides of torte, ending in a bow in the center of one
long side. Top torte with fresh cherries, if desired, and serve. Or
refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving. (Twigs will eventually
soften with refrigeration.)

Chocolate Meringue Twigs: Heat oven to 275′F. Line 2 large baking
sheets with parchment paper (if not available, use aluminum foil and
grease lightly). Place 1/2 C sugar and 2 large egg whites in
medium-size bowl. Set the bowl in a larger bowl of very hot, not
boiling, water. With portable electric mixer at high speed, beat
mixture until thick and nearly double in volume. Remove bowl from hot
water and continue beating egg whites until very stiff peaks
form-about 4 minutes. Sift 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder over meringue
and fold in until blended. Transfer chocolate meringue to pastry bag
fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip. Making narrow rows, pipe 3 to
4-inch long “twigs” of meringue onto baking sheets. Bake meringue
twigs 1 1/2 hours or until dry and firm. Cool twigs completely on
baking sheets on wire racks. Meanwhile, melt 1 1/2 oz bittersweet
chocolate in microwave or in bowl set over simmering water. Dip fork
in melted chocolate and quickly move it back and forth across twigs,
creating thin chocolate stripes. Refrigerate twigs just until
chocolate stripes harden-about 5 minutes. Gently remove twigs from
parchment and store in airtight container, unrefrigerated, until
ready to use.

Note: Dried cherries are available by mail from American Spoon Foods,
1668 Clarion Ave., P.O. Box 566, Petosky, Mich. 49770-0566; (800)
222-5886.

CHOCOLATE CAKE
1/4 c Boiling water 1 1/4 c Cake flour
1/4 c Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 ts Salt
3/4 c Granulated sugar 1/2 ts Baking powder
1/3 c Vegetable shortening 1/4 ts Baking soda
2 lg Eggs 6 tb Buttermilk
1 ts Vanilla extract

-CREAM-CHEESE FILLING-
1 pk (8-oz) cream cheese, -(recipe follows)
-softened 56 Inches decorative ribbon
1/2 c Confectioners’ sugar -(opt.)
1 c (1/2 pint) heavy cream Fresh sweet cherries (opt.)
Chocolate Meringue Twigs

1. Prepare Dried Cherry Filling: In small saucepan, combine dried
cherries, water, and 2 T sugar. Beat mixture to boiling over high
heat; reduce heat to low and simmer cherries until soft and liquid is
reduced by half. Remove from heat and transfer half of cherry mixture
to blender or food processor fitted with chopping blade; process
until a chunky puree forms. Return pureed mixture to saucepan with
remaining dried cherry mixture; add cornstarch and stir until well
blended. Heat mixture to boiling, stirring constantly; cook until
thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 T Marsala and the lemon
juice. Cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare Coffee Syrup: Combine coffee with remaining T sugar and 2 T
Marsala; set aside.

3. Prepare Chocolate Cake: In small bowl, stir boiling water and cocoa
until smooth; set aside to cool to room temperature. Heat oven to
350′F. Grease a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan and line with
waxed paper; grease and flour paper.

4. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat sugar and
shortening until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after
each addition. Beat in vanilla and cooled cocoa mixture.

5. Into small bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add flour mixture to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk,
beating until batter is smooth. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan
and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until center springs back when gently
pressed. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto
wire rack, remove waxed paper, and cool cake completely.

6. Prepare Cream-Cheese Filling: In large bowl, with electric mixer at
medium speed, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar 2 minutes. In
small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold whipped cream into
cream-cheese mixture just until blended. (Do not over-mix.)

See rest of recipe (02)