Free Cooking Recipes

Delicately flavoured, crisp and cut into cakes, Alexander Torte was traditionally eaten as a lunch or dinner dessert in Latvia, but it can also be served at tea. It should be made early on the day you plan to serve it, or even the night before, because the icing must be hard before the torte is cut.

12 oz. [3 cups] flour
ABOUT 24 CAKES
teaspoon salt
4 oz. [, cup] unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 oz. [ cup] margarine, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
12 oz. [11 cups] raspberry jam
2 oz. [ cup] butter, softened
8 oz. [1 cup] icing sugar, sifted 3 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and margarine. With your fingertips, rub the butter and margarine into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and the egg and mix well. With a knife stir the pastry until it begins to form a ball, then with your hands, gently knead the pastry until it is smooth.
2. When the torte is iced leave it to cool for at least 4 hours before cutting it into 2 inch by 3 inch pieces.
3. Wrap the pastry in aluminium foil and chill in the refrigerator fbr I hour.
4. To make purée of the jam, hold a strainer over a small saucepan and, with a wooden spoon, press the jam through. Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook, stirring all the time, until the puree thickens. Set aside to cool.
5. Preheat the oven to cool 300 Fahrenheit (Gas Mark 2).
6. Halve the pastry. Cut out 4 pieces of greaseproof 9 inches by 16 inches. Dust the paper with flour. Place half of the pastry on a piece of the floured paper and place another on top, flour side down. Roll out the pastry to the shape of the paper, fold over uneven edges and roll again. Repeat with other half.
7. Grease two baking sheets with the softened butter. Remove the top pieces of paper from the pastry, and lift the other pieces of paper and pastry and place them, paper side up, onto the baking sheets. Remove the paper. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake the pastry for 45 to 50 minutes, or until it is crisp.
8. Allow the pastry to cool on the trays for 5 minutes. Spread the raspberry purée over one piece of the pastry and carefully slide the other piece on top.
9. Mix the icing sugar in a bowl with cold water and lemon juice. Spread the icing evenly over the top of the torte.