TWD (Just in Time): PB Torte

Greetings from the new digs!

Love this photo?  It can be purchased here!

Heeey folks! The Big Baker Move of ‘08 is complete and CKC is back in action just in time to post this week’s TWD recipe (the cable guy really just left).
I apologize for the lack-luster post I feel this may be but we’re still getting settled and quite frankly, I’m exhausted (and really excited to have cable for the first time since getting married- or even moving in together for that matter)!
So I’m going to give you my thoughts in a bullet point manner, throw in the recipe and photos and call it good. I hope you’ll let my lack of posting effort slide this time?

♥ The Cinnamon- Brilliant! I would never think to pair cinnamon with peanut butter but it compliments beautifully!
♥ The Whipped Cream- Homemade=Delicious, another reason to love Dorie.
♥ The Crust- I made my torte in a 9 1/4 inch springform pan instead of a 9 inch. I made a little extra crust to make up for it and left the filling and topping quantities the same. It worked out fine.
I used two spatulas to lift the torte from the bottom of the springform pan to the plate.
♥ The Ganache- Hilarious. When making the ganache, I used chocolate (organic, fair-trade) with nibs in it. At first, when I saw the little bumps, I thought I had caused the chocolate to seize on the double boiler… then I remembered the nibs!
Also, the ganache cracked a bit when I cut slices (of course).

Peanut Butter Torte

1 ¼ c. finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

½ c. mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate) I chopped 70% chocolate with nibs

24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender I used all the package but maybe 4 or five cookies and crushed them with a potato masher.

½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled I added 2 extra tbs butter.

Small pinch of salt

2 ½ c. heavy cream

1 ¼ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted As we know, I don’t sift.

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 ½ c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy)

2 tablespoons whole milk I used skim, it was fine.

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped I chopped 70% chocolate with nibs.

Getting ready: center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan (I used a 91/4 inch pan) and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, coffee powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.

Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Scrape the mouse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

To Finish The Torte: put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.

Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and , working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy (unless yours has nibs, then it will obviously have little bumps in it).

Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.

When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Soon, after I’ve had more sleep and we’re a bit more settled, I’ll be posting about the CKC May Give-Away (I’m thinking Friday).

Lastly a side-note on photos and the quality of art you may be purchasing..
Recently on Etsy, I posted a question to “All Photographers” asking what kind of equipment they use (camera, editing, printing)… just to see how they could sell their prints so cheap (ranging $12-$30).
Turns out a lot of people are using point and shoot digital cameras and HP printers. *vomit*
Mystery solved.
For me, it’s like competing with Wal-Mart.
Yuck.
Just so you know (in the case that you don’t), HP is not a high quality photo printer or capable of producing professional prints. It’s an office machine, great for printing documents, not visual art.
All my Prints are made on premium Epson paper, with archival Epson ink, with a professional Epson photo printer. I use a digital SLR to shoot and Photoshop for editing.
If I sold photos for some of the prices I’ve seen on Etsy I would make negative profit.
bah.
It is not my intention to upset anyone or insult their beloved HP printers/computers (my husband has both) but I am trying to offer something to think about.

Now I’m off to enjoy some mindless television with my sweet husband and little dog in our lovely new place.