Pineapple and Pine Nut Torte

Joseph De Leo At Portland, Oregon’s Måurice restaurant, pastry chef Kristen Murray layers sponge cake with buttercream. White chocolate ganache, and garnishes the torte with honeyed pineapple slices and candied pine nuts. Pineapple and Pine Nut Torte At Portland, Oregon’s Måurice restaurant, pastry chef Kristen Murray layers sponge cake with buttercream. White chocolate ganache, and garnishes the torte with honeyed pineapple slices and candied pine nuts. SERVES 8–10 INGREDIENTS FOR THE PINE NUT SPONGE CAKE: 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing 1 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted ⅓ cup cake flour, sifted ½ cup sugar 6 eggs, separated, plus 4 yolks FOR THE CANDIED PINE NUTS: 1 cup pine nuts ⅓ cup granulated sugar 1 egg white, lightly beaten FOR THE BUTTERCREAM: 11 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 1 tbsp.

Zirbenz ( Austrian stone pine liqueur ) 1 cup plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar 3 egg whites FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE: 14 oz. white chocolate (at least 20% cocoa butter), finely chopped ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup minced dehydrated pineapple Pinch Maldon flake sea salt, to taste FOR THE CARAMELIZED PINEAPPLE AND SYRUP: ½ cup honey ½ ripe pineapple, cored and sliced ¼” thick 3 tbsp. limoncello INSTRUCTIONS 1. Make the pine nut sponge cake: Heat oven to 350°.

Melt butter in a 10″ skillet over medium; cook until color is a deep golden brown, 6–8 minutes, and let cool. Using an electric hand mixer, beat sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until pale yellow and thick, about 4 minutes.

Bake, rotating once, until golden brown and cooked through, 8–10 minutes; let cool. 2. Stir pine nuts, sugar, and egg white in a bowl; spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 15–20 minutes; let cool. 3.

Make the buttercream: Using an electric hand mixer, beat butter and Zirbenz until smooth and creamy; set aside. Heat sugar and ¼ cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high until an instant-read thermometer reads 245°, about 5 minutes. With the motor running on medium, slowly drizzle sugar syrup into egg whites along the side of the bowl, avoiding the whisk.

Increase speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form and meringue is cool to the touch, about 5 minutes. Add reserved butter and beat on medium until smooth, about 2–3 minutes; chill until ready to use. 4. Boil cream in a 1-qt. saucepan and pour over chocolate; let sit, without stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add pineapple and salt and, using a rubber spatula, stir to combine; cover and set aside until ready to use. 5. Make the caramelized pineapple and syrup: Melt honey in a 12″ skillet over medium-high until bubbly, 3–4 minutes.

Add pineapple in a single layer; cook, flipping once, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Top with another strip of cake; spread with remaining buttercream and one third of the ganache. Arrange caramelized pineapple over top of torte and sprinkle with candied pine nuts; chill.