PEANUT BUTTER TORTE ~ Tuesdays With Dorie

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Hershey's Peanut Butter Kisses ~ Got Milk?
                                                                                                                                        
Tuesdays With Dorie
Tuesday is here again and that means another Tuesdays With Dorie Dessert! I swear the time goes by faster and faster every week. With all the baked goods and cooking I do for other projects, I find I'm baking ALL the time! Of course it would be a lot easier if I had a BIGGER BOAT!
                                                                         

Elizabeth from Ugg Smell Food has chosen the Peanut Butter Torte for this weeks dessert. It's located on pages 282-283 of Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking: From My Home To Yours". Thanks Elizabeth, you couldn't have chosen a more delicious dessert! In fact, this was awesome, and when my daughter Erika sees these pictures and reads this post, you better believe I'll have that girl drooling. She'll be in the car and down at the supermarket faster than you can say "I can't believe Mom made this and didn't offer me some!"
                                                                     
This is what I affectionately call my Easy Bake Oven!

I had to keep John away from it too. He's a guy, what do you expect? Chocolate & Peanut Butter ~ What's not to love? You better pour a BIG glass of cold milk because you're gonna need it with this baby!
                                                                        
My hard-working Tupperware Bowls

I pretty much stuck to the recipe except when it came to the ganache. I made my own recipe that I've been making for 20 years and I wasn't about to try something new when it came to the finishing touches. As is the case with most of the recipes in this book, I find there is never enough caramel, never enough frosting, never enough ganache, etc, etc. I really believe food stylists use a different recipe, or double the recipe to make the photos look good. I have no proof this really goes on behind closed doors. Just an observation.
                                                                           
Oreo Cookie Crust in a 9 inch springform pan

There were no disasters to speak of this time, other than lack of refrigeration. BUT...we had a great BIG 41 foot Motor Yacht come in and park in front of us. It was a trade-in for the company John works for and since we have access to all these cool play things, I was able to use the fridge while John was cleaning the boat! I hid it in there while he wasn't looking, otherwise there would have been finger marks where he would have scooped up huge amounts of peanut butter mousse! When I pulled it out to finish filling the crust, he said, "I didn't know that was in there!"  "Yes, I know dear! Ha Ha! Gotcha!"
                                                                     

Peanut Butter Torte from "Baking: From My Home To Yours"

• 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)
• 24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Small pinch of salt
• 2 ½ c. heavy cream
• 1 ¼ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 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
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped(My notes: I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and used my own ganache recipe which stood up a lot better than this one.

                                                                         

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso 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 mousse 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: This is Dorie's recipe for ganache.
Mine follows in red.
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 rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.
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.
                                                                     

My ganache:  This is doubled which will give you plenty extra for rosettes and piping.
Bring 1 cup heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add 2 cups mini chocolate chips all at once. Whisk with a hand whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth.

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.
                                                                  

My Notes: I don't know why this is called a torte. It's more like a mousse pie or a cheesecake. It NEEDS to stay refrigerated, otherwise it will start to droop.

Now, go get a glass of cold milk, get comfy and be ready to ooh and aah in delight! I told you it was good!
                                                                     

Comments

[Caitlin]

Wow - that looks absolutely spectacular! Now I'm regretting giving all of mine away!

[Ulrike]

Wow! Great pics! I wish I had given mine all away...

[Marie]

Fabulous presentation! I love it!!!

[Sarah]

I love your torte! It looks great and glad your boat didn't give you any issues in finishing it...I can't believe how tiny your oven is! Great job!

[HoneyB]

Ok, this does it. I have to buy Dorie's book and join the Tuesdays with Dorie! This looks absolutely amazing!

[Rebecca]

Oh, wow, what a gorgeous cake! You definitely took it uptown. ;)

[Christine]

Wow I think yours is the best that I have seen yet! Love your pics!

[Di]

Wow, Donna, that looks incredible! I love the way you decorated it. Nice touch with the peanut butter kisses, too. I've never tried those.

[Medena]

My God!!! What a cake! Scrumptious!

[Heather]

omg...you're killing me here! That look so amazingly delicious and sinful! gah! Great job!

[Liliana]

Your cake looks divine! I would be tempted to have a bite even though I can't eat peanut butter. Your pictures are amazing!
Great job Donna!

[Dee]

"Looks Delicious"
Truely wonderful post...
Beautiful pictures.
I will definately give this one a try :)
Thanks for sharing.

Dee

[Holly]

Great job! Your plating is stellar!

[Gigi]

Awesome job on your torte! I am making this torte in 2 weeks for a friends birthday. I am definitely book marking yours for decorating inspiration!

[Renee]

Just great, Donna ~ YOU made the cake (oops; torte ~ looks more like a lovely cheesecake to me!) in your houseboat (hey, it's a boat and your house ~ that qualifies!! *smile*), yet somehow, I look at that SCRUPMTIOUS picture and just gained TEN POUNDS!!! *grin* My oh my, I think I may just have to purchase that cookbook too (the cookbook library just keeps expanding ~ and what a good thing TO expand! *grin*), but with beautiful recipes like that in it, why NOT! And TWD sounds like FUN! (The members definitely do! *smile*)

Gorgeous job ~ love the torte, and the plating!!

[Mara]

Wow this looks just amazing, definitely a beautiful presentation! and you did it on a houseboat? I am in awe!!

[Cafe Johnsonia]

OH MY GOSH.

[Tracy]

Great torte! Looks delicious!
I'm so jealous that you have a boat. I grew up boating and I miss it. I fondly remember those tiny refrigerators.

[Kerri]

Erika may be drooling, but I'm complaining LOUDLY!! I want some of that torte!!! I'll have to try making some of this stuff when I get my propane delivered, and then take it into work. I have taken something as simple as cheese pie in, and they say I should own my own bakery, or work there. RIGHT! Can you see me baking in the kitchen, rather than out with the customers? NOT!

I WANT THAT TORTE!!!!

[Gretchen Noelle]

My goodness you sure have the ability to nicely finish off everything you make. Your "torte" looks just perfect! Great, great job!

[Carol]

Your photos of this delectable torte are downright dangerous! LOL I've simply got to make this now. Who doesn't like chocolate and peanutbutter together? And ganache - there's no better way to consume chocolate than ganache!! I'm throwing my scale away!!! LOL

[emily]

YUM!

[Lori]

Love the shot with the pie with a bite out and the fork and all the little swirlies. Very creative with your cake.

[Carrie]

Incredible! Gorgeous!!!

[Shari]

Wow, you go all out. Love the decorations! It's amazing what you pull off with an "easy bake oven" on a boat! Great job!

[mary]

this looks A-mazing! I'm going to save these pics for ideas! I've loved getting to know your blog!!!

[steph (whisk/spoon)]

that's fancy, yo! looks just like a bakery! and i had no idea hershey's had PB kisses...

[brilynn]

Beautiful presentation!

[Erin]

This is such an incredible presentation! What a gorgeous torte!

[peabody]

Turned out gorgeous...great decoraing.

[helen]

You overachieving chocolate slut! Really!

[cassie]

I'll bring my own fork! Seriously - looks just yummy! I read another blog that does this same Tw/Dorie and yours is always better!!

[Melissa]

The decorations look amazing!

[Bridget]

Wow! I've just found your blog...wow...I'm so happy that I did! This is such a beautiful dessert!

[Danielle]

Donna--BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Puts mine to shame!!! I LOVE the Oreos on the top--this looks like something you'd buy from Greg's!!!

[Christina]

Wow, that's above and beyond; it looks amazing. Great work!

[Eunice]

*faints*

you just have got me drooling all over my computer!!!!1 i must must make this for a party soon. there's no way i could bake this and eat it all by myself LOL!!

you do go all out in the decorations and everything, hats off to you! you inspire me with all your posts. ;) and sense of humour hee!

by the way, just a question - the drizzling, is it white chocolate or whippe cream? :D

thanks!!!

xoxo
eunice

[Mary C. Anderson]

I am sitting at my computer and drooling while I look at the photos of this delicious Peanut butter Torte that you've made. Your neighbors must love you.

Mary