Ukrainian Bread Torte

by Olga Drozd

Prep time: 0:30 Overall time: 1:40

Servings: 1 cake

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons sherry wine
Grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
6 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
Few grains salt
1 cup almonds, blanched and chopped fine
1 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sherry wine
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the bread crumbs with the wine, grated lemon rind, and lemon juice. Beat the egg yolks until very light. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating. Stir in the bread crumbs, salt, almonds, and baking powder. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Spoon into a buttered 9x12-inch baking pan. Bake in a moderate oven 350°F for about 40 minutes.

When the torte is about done, prepare the following syrup of the remaining ingredients: Mix the sugar with the water, wine and spices, and heat gently without boiling it. Strain. Pour the hot syrup slowly over the hot baked torte until all of it is absorbed. Cool the torte and then remove from the pan. Ice with a Mocha Icing.

Mocha Icing:
Cream the butter. Add the sugar gradually and beat until creamy. Blend the coffee with the cocoa and add to the mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Cool. Before spreading the icing, beat it again.

CHEF COMMENTS

Although the name of this recipe lacks glamor, the torte itself is very delicious. The original recipe in the old country cookbooks call for rye bread crumbs, but white bread crumbs give equally good results.

Tagged: torte, ukrainian add tags

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