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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes |
Ready In: 75 Minutes Servings: 15 |
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This is a great addition to your menu for the holidays or any time of year! A co-worker's wife made this for the holidays one year and I had to go back a couple of years after I quit just to ask for the recipe. Although it is called Russian Torte, it reminds me of a similar dessert that my Hungarian great-grandma used to make. At any rate, this is a bar cookie that is both delicious and has a really nice presentation, too. It may seem difficult, but is actually pretty easy to put together (prep time is a guess). Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups softened butter |
4 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue) |
4 cups flour |
1/2 cup milk (slightly warmed) |
1/4 ounce dry yeast (1 packet) |
3 cups ground walnuts |
1 cup sugar |
1 teaspoon cinnamon |
2 (12 ounce) cans apricot filling (i use solo brand) |
4 egg whites (reserved from above) |
1/2 cup granulated sugar |
Directions:
1. To make pastry: Sift flour, add butter and mix like pie dough.
2. Add egg yolks and then warmed milk/yeast mixture. Mix until dough pulls away from the bowl.
3. Divide into 3 equal portions (eyeball it or if you are a perfectionist like me the balls will be about 12 oz. each!) Preheat oven to 350.
4. Roll out one portion of dough (between sheets of parchment paper or greased/floured wax paper) into a rectangle to fit a 15x10x1-inch jellyroll pan. Remove dough from paper and press into the lightly greased pan.
5. Combine nut filling ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup for the topping. Sprinkle remaining nut filling onto the dough.
6. Using the same method, roll out the 2nd portion of dough.
7. Spread both cans of fruit over the 2nd layer of dough.
8. Roll out 3rd portion of dough and place over the apricot filling. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make meringue by beating the 4 egg whites until stiff. Add sugar, beating until dissolved. When torte has baked 25 min, pull out and spread meringue over baked torte. Sprinkle with reserved nuts. Return to the oven for 10-20 minutes until lightly browned.
9. Cut into diamond or square shapes when cooled. You can use other fruit fillings in place of the apricot.
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