The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [323]
4. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer the pan to a wire rack. After 15 minutes, run a small spatula or paring knife around the edge to loosen the cake; let cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, make the orange topping: Chop the remaining 5 orange halves into ½-inch pieces, and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining cup sugar with ¾ cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
6. Add the chopped oranges to the saucepan, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer gently until most of the liquid has evaporated and thickened into a syrup, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
7. To assemble, remove the ring from the pan; transfer the cooled cake to a serving platter. Arrange the chopped oranges and any remaining syrup over the top of the cake. Cut into wedges, and serve. Or store, covered, in the refrigerator, up to 2 days.
walnut honey cake
MAKES ONE 8½-INCH CAKE
3 ounces walnut halves (about ¾ cup)
Unsalted butter, room temperature, for the pan
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 cup raw honey, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons more for the glaze
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the center. Spread the walnut in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until fragrant, tossing occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool. Pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Butter and flour an 8½-inch springform pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the honey and applesauce; whisk until the honey is mostly dissolved. Add the eggs, and whisk until fully combined.
3. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Stir into the honey mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
5. Let cool on a wire rack until the sides of the cake begin to pull away from the pan, about 15 minutes. Unmold onto a serving plate. While it is still warm, use an offset spatula to gently spread the remaining honey on top. Serve warm.
FIT TO EAT RECIPE PER SERVING: 278 CALORIES, 8 G FAT, 58 MG CHOLESTEROL, 51 G CARBOHYDRATE, 178 MG SODIUM, 5 G PROTEIN, 1 G FIBER
bittersweet chocolate mousse torte
MAKES ONE 5 X 9-INCH TORTE
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 65 percent cacao), chopped
3 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
12 ounces crisp oval butter wafer cookies (20 total)
Good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
1. Make the mousse: Put the chocolate in a large bowl, and set aside. Heat 1½ cups cream over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan until the cream is steaming and small bubbles form on the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Let cool completely.
2. Put the remaining 1½ cups cream and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, one third at a time.
3. Assemble the torte: Line a 5 × 9-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the sides. Spread enough mousse (¾ to 1 cup) over the bottom of the pan to cover. Arrange 5 cookies on top in a single layer to cover, breaking them to fit as necessary. Spread enough mousse (¾ to 1 cup) on top to cover; smooth into an even layer. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies and mousse until the pan is full.
4. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and refrigerate the torte until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
5.