Chef Chuck's Chocolate Walnut Lemon Cream Torta

Torta di Noci al Cioccolato e Crema al Limone


A big name for an impressive torta, this dessert is packed with lemon and chocolate flavors. An easy walnut crust that anyone can make, that surrounds a creamy lemony custard. I created this new recipe for the torta lover in you.


Chocolate Walnut Lemon Cream Torta


Crust
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon yeast
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg 1 yolk
7 tablespoons cold butter


Combine in a food processor all dry ingredients including walnuts, then add egg and yolk then butter in small chunks. Transfer to a wooden board, this is a very crumbly crust. Form a ball wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Use a 9 inch pan, roll out bottom layer of crust and form in pan using your fingers to form around sides. Crumble the rest of dough for topping.


Cream
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
2/3 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice


In a small bowl combine flour, salt, sugar, eggs and 1/2 cup of milk and lemon set aside. Heat 1 1/2 cups of milk with vanilla till it starts to boil, whisk in slowly the egg mixture. Keep whisking till it thickens this takes about 2 minutes. Remove from heat let cool 15 minutes. Fill pan and crumble the rest of the dough on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool 1 hour and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Chef Chuck's Walnut Nutella Torta

Torta di Noci e Chocolato


A sweet dessert with a buttery crust, a thin layer of hazelnut chocolate and a filling made with walnuts, honey, lemon juice and butter. A perfect way to end any meal.


Walnut Nutella Torta
Pastry
1 stick of butter, 4 ounces
2 ounces sugar
2 egg yolks
1 cup flour


Filling
3 ounces sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons honey
2 sticks butter, 8 ounces
1 1/2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped
pinch of salt
1/4 cup Nutella
powered sugar


For the pastry, beat butter and sugar for 2 minutes, add egg yolks and blend. Slowly add flour till all combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out with lots of flour, the dough is very soft. Use a 8 or 9 inch pan grease well and place dough in form, if it cracks it is very easy to press together with fingers.
For the filling put all ingredients into a pot bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Spread Nutella on dough then pour in walnut mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Leave in pan till completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar and serve with ice cream, whip cream or mascarpone.

Chef Chuck's Walnut Cake

Torta di Noci

A spongy light texture that makes this walnut cake one to enjoy. Combined with a chocolaty smooth creamy butter cream icing. A perfect combination to please any sweet palate.

Walnut Cake
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons water
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
walnuts, chopped for topping


Eggs should be room temperature, then separate. Beat egg yolks and sugar on medium speed for 7 minutes. Add vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl beat egg whites till stiff peaks form. Fold in some of the egg whites then 1 tablespoon water and alternate till whites and water are gone. Fold in walnuts. Grease 2 round pans and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


Chocolate Butter Cream Icing


1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons milk


Combine all ingredients, when cake is completely cooled ice, top with nuts. Wrap and refrigerate.

Chef Chuck's Chocolate Walnut Torta

Torta alle Noci

An Italian chocolate torta filled with walnuts is a delicious dessert.

Chocolate Walnut Torta
11 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces
2/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup flour, sifted
pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semi sweet chocolate, melted

In a mixer blend the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, then the flour, salt and baking powder. Slowly drizzle in melted chocolate and fold in walnuts. In a 9 inch pan lightly grease and use parchment paper on bottom, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting

4 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla


Slowly melt ingredients in a double boiler. Cool for 15 minutes and ice a cool cake.

Whip Cream


1/4 cup whip cream
1/4 inch vanilla bean, scraped or
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered sugar


In a clean bowl whip cream, and vanilla and slowly add sugar, beat till stiff peaks form.

Chef Chuck's Carrot Cake

Torta di Carote

This is my Italian version of a carrot cake! I added a coconut marscapone icing, and it's so
creamy. The cake is packed with healthy ingredients, organic carrots, walnuts, raisins and
pineapple. A very moist and delicious cake to enjoy anytime.


Carrot Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup canola oil
2 cups carrots shredded
1 cup crushed pineapples, drained
coconut optional


Combine dry ingredients. Add liquid ingredients be sure to drain pineapples very well. Bake 350 degrees in a bundt pan for 50 minutes. If you prefer a 9x13 bake for 35 minutes, or for cupcakes bake 20 minutes.


Icing


8 ounces mascarpone
1/4 pound butter, softened
3 tablespoons coconut, shredded
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla


Softened butter and mascarpone to room temperature. In a mixer combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Frost cake when completely cooled. Sprinkle on coconut. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Ricette by Chef Chuck's Cucina

Chef Chuck's Chicken and Artichokes

Pollo e Carciofi

This is one of our favorite chicken dishes, from my, Mom. Our family has enjoyed this recipe for a long time. The chicken is very moist and tender if cooked at the right internal temperature. The marinated artichokes release a concentrated flavor when baked. The plump whole mushrooms also add more moisture. The homegrown carrots we picked from the greenhouse add color and sweetness. Recipe below.

Chicken and Artichokes

2 organic boneless chicken breasts

1 egg beaten
panko breadcrumbs
12 fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup marinated artichokes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
3 tablespoons pecorino cheese
salt and pepper to taste


In one bowl beat egg add 1 tablespoon grated pecorino, salt and pepper. In another bowl pour in breadcrumbs. Wash and pat dry chicken, wash hands, dip chicken in egg mixture and then into breadcrumbs. In a large fry pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil and brown chicken for about 3 minutes on both sides. Add artichokes, mushrooms, and broth put lid on and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Internal temperature should be about 170 degrees. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of pecorino over finished dish.
Serves 2


Walnut Carrots


Steam carrots, set aside. In a small fry pan heat olive oil add chopped walnuts and stir for 1 minute. Add sliced garlic and simmer 1 more minute. Add carrots, parsley salt and pepper stir and enjoy.

Chef Chuck's Baklava

Baklava

Baklava is a sweet dessert, originated in Turkey during the 8th century. It was a simple bread dough with nuts and served with honey. The Greeks changed it by using dough much like the way we make it today. Baklava has many layers of phyllo and each layer is brushed with butter topped with healthy walnuts and sweet honey. Using the best ingredients insures that you will achieve a perfect piece of desirable sweetness. Different nuts can be used but walnuts is what I prefer. Walnuts are high in omega 3 known to be good for your heart. This dessert actually cures and improves in flavor as days go by! Enjoy

Baklava

4 cups walnuts chopped fine
1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

17 phyllo sheets cut in half
2 sticks butter melted and cooled

Syrup

1/2 cup water
1 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl mix walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. When working with phyllo use 1 sheet at a time and keep the other sheets wrapped in a damp kitchen towel. Arrange 1 phyllo in a 13x9 pan brush with butter and top with 5 more layers, butter each layer then sprinkle 1/2 cup walnuts over phyllo then top with 2 more sheets of phyllo buttering each layer. Repeat layering with 1/2 cup nuts and 2 phyllo sheets till all mixture is used. Top baklava with remaining sheets then using a sharp knife carefully cut in 1 or 2 inch squares or make diagonal cuts for triangles. Reduce oven to 325 degrees and bake 40 minutes to 1 hour till golden brown.
Make syrup while baklava is baking.
In a saucepan bring water, honey, sugar and lemon juice to a boil stirring often, simmer for 5 minutes. Pour warm syrup over hot baklava and cool on a rack. Let baklava rest covered for 12 hours for flavors to develop. Then wrap and refrigerate.

Sweet Walnut Ring

It's about time for some a nutty sweetness! The dough is so soft it will melt in your mouth, and the filling is addicting. While baking this dessert the aromas reminded me of my favorite bakery. It's hard to wait for the ring to cool to add the creamy sweet icing. I like to eat this dessert when it's still warm it really brings out the cinnamon and walnut flavors. Lovely with a cup of tea or coffee. This recipe takes some time but it is well worth it. It's a weekend treat for my family, I start it in the morning and then we enjoy it all day.

Light and Delicate!!

Sweet Walnut Ring
Dough
2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
zest of 1 lemon
Filling
1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups walnuts chopped
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla


Heat milk until 105 degrees, in an electric mixer dissolve yeast in the warm milk until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, butter, salt, sugar,egg, lemon zest and mix using the dough hook until the dough comes together. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour if dough is too soft. Turn it out on a floured board and knead until smooth , about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in the bowl and coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubles in size about 1 hour. Turn out dough onto a floured surface roll out to 12x18 inches. Spread the butter all over. In a small bowl mix the cinnamon, sugar and walnuts. Spread mixture over butter roll dough into a long roll and press the seam together. With the seam turned downward seal the two ends together to make a ring. Place on a parchment lined baking pan or round bundt pan. Using a sharp knife make cuts every inch cutting only three quarters of the way through. Cover the roll with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool on rack, when cooled drizzle icing all over the ring.