Pine Nut Torta with Marsala-Poached Autumn Fruit
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup imported sweet Marsala
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 4-inch-long strip lemon peel (yellow part only)
- 2 cups pitted prunes
- 2 cups dried apricots
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (packed) grated lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup pine nuts (about 3 1/2 ounces)
- Powdered sugar
- Combine 3 cups water, Marsala, sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel in heavy large saucepan.
- Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Add prunes and apricots.
- Reduce heat to medium; simmer until fruit is just soft but not mushy, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes.
- Using slotted spoon, transfer fruit to medium bowl.
- Boil liquid until syrupy, about 5 minutes.
- Pour syrup over fruit.
- (Can be made 2 days ahead.
- Cover; chill.
- Bring to room temperature before serving.)
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375F.
- Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter springform pan.
- Whisk egg yolks, egg, lemon peel, vanilla, and salt in small bowl to blend.
- Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar in medium bowl until pale and creamy.
- Gradually add flour, beating until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Using rubber spatula, gently stir egg mixture into butter mixture (batter will be thick).
- Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top (cake will be thin).
- Sprinkle pine nuts over top; press lightly to adhere.
- Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Transfer cake to rack.
- Run small knife around cake edges to loosen.
- Remove pan sides.
- Cool cake completely.
- (Can be made 1 day ahead.
- Cover and store at room temperature.)
- Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar.
- Serve with poached fruit.
water, sweet marsala, sugar, cinnamon, lemon, prunes, apricots, egg yolks, egg, vanilla, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, flour, pine nuts, powdered sugar
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pine-nut-torta-with-marsala-poached-autumn-fruit-108646 (may not work)