Ukrainian Bread Torte

Posted by Olga at recipegoldmine.com 3/23/2002 9:25 pm

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

1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons sherry wine
Grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
6 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
Few grains salt
1 cup almonds, blanched and chopped fine
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sherry wine
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves

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 9 X 12 inch baking pan. Bake in a moderate oven 350 degrees 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:
1/4 cup soft butter
1 3/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons or more strong hot coffee
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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 extract. Beat thoroughly. Cool. Before spreading the icing, beat it again.