A locally famous dessert that taste like a crustless pecan pie. My friend Betsy, a fantastic cook and caterer in Charleston S.C., reminded me of this easy to assemble recipe the other night when I needed a quick dessert for a family gathering. The recipe is from “Charleston Receipts”, a cookbook put together by the Junior League of Charleston and first published in 1950. It is the oldest Junior League cookbook still in print and is the kitchen bible of Charlestonians!
To make the batter, eggs are whipped until pale and frothy, then the other ingredients are mixed in before the whole thing is poured into two well-buttered baking dishes and cooked for 45 minutes. As the torte bakes, a crispy macaroon type crust forms on the top and the other ingredients settle into a softer, gooey pecan pie like layer on the bottom.
Traditionally a Huguenot Torte it is made with apples but here I have substituted firm peaches to make it more seasonal. It can be served warm out of the oven or at room temperature, but it absolutely must be served with dollop of whipped cream and toasted pecans!
The original recipe makes enough for 16, which seems like a lot, but it all manages to disappear. However, it can be halved to serve 8.
Ingredients
- For the Torte
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups sugar
- 8 tablespoons flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 firm peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups (250 g) chopped pecans
- Butter to grease pans
- Garnish
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 °F (165 °C) Butter two 8 by 12 inch baking dishes.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl until very frothy, lemon-colored and thick, about 4 minutes.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add with the mixer on medium speed.
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- Fold in the peaches and chopped nuts. Pour into the well-buttered baking dishes and bake 45 minutes or until the top is crusty and lightly browned.
- To make the chantilly cream, put cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until sort peaks begin to form. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
- To toast pecans, spread chopped nuts in a single layer on a baking and toast in a 350 °F oven 5-7 minutes until aromatic. Let cool completely.
- To serve, scoop out onto individual plates crusty side up and garnish with chantilly cream and a sprinkling of the toasted chopped pecans.
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https://www.charlottepuckette.com/recipes/desserts/charleston-huguenot-torte-with-peaches/
