DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
In this take on a classic Linzertorte, a hazelnut-based crust is filled with chocolate-raspberry ganache. The finishing touch? A pre-baked top crust that’s decorated with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. 10 servings
Crust
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted
⅔ cup sugar
1¼ cups sifted unbleached all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 ounce Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, cut into small pieces, frozen
1 large egg, beaten to blend
½ ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 egg white, beaten to blend
⅓ cup seedless raspberry jam
Filling
9 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
1½-pint container raspberriesLightly sweetened whipped cream
CRUST: Position rack in lowest third of oven. Set baking sheet on rack and preheat to 375°F. Remove bottom from 10 ½x9 ½-inch heart-shaped tart pan with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottom. Place pan bottom on parchment paper and trace heart shape.
Finely chop nuts with sugar in processor. Add flour, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and ginger. Process just to blend. Add butter and cream cheese to processor. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and chocolate. Using on/off turns, process until large moist clumps form.
To form top crust, transfer 1⅓ cups dough to pastry bag fitted with No. 4 (⅜ inch-diameter) plain tip. Chill remaining dough. Pipe 7 parallel diagonal lines about ¾ inch apart across heart outline on parchment. Pipe border around edge of heart inside traced line, touching ends of diagonal lines (some dough may be left over in pastry bag). Freeze 10 minutes. Brush dough with some egg white. Slide parchment with heart onto heated baking sheet and bake until crust is golden and edges are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Run long thin spatula between crust and parchment to loosen crust. Slide parchment with heart-shaped crust onto rack and cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.
Return removable bottom to heart-shaped pan. Press remaining dough onto bottom and ¾ inch up sides of pan, using plastic wrap if necessary to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Freeze until dough is firm, about 10 minutes. Brush lightly with egg white. Set pan on heated baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and sides are beginning to pull away from pan, about 23 minutes. Spread bottom crust evenly with jam. Bake 3 more minutes. Cool crust completely on rack.
FILLING: Stir chocolate, butter, and cream in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until chocolate and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Mix in 2 tablespoons jam. Cool slightly. Pour filling evenly into bottom crust; smooth top. Chill until filling is firm, about 30 minutes.
Spread remaining ⅓ cup jam over filling and outer edge of bottom crust. Carefully place cooled heart-shaped top crust atop jam. Press gently to seal. Cover with foil and chill overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Remove torte from pan. Transfer to platter. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes. Arrange raspberries in row in first space between crust lines. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe row of small rosettes in second space between crust lines. Continue decorating torte, alternating rows of raspberries and whipped cream rosettes between crust lines.Recipe Tip: LinzertorteAustria is known for its delicious pastries, including the Linzertorte, which hails from the city of Linz. Some people believe that the Linzertorte—a buttery, hazelnut- or almond-based crust spread with raspberry jam and topped with a lattice crust—is the world’s oldest-known cake, dating back to the 1650s.
There are two advantages to using a resealable plastic bag snipped at one corner to pipe the whipped cream: You can simply throw it away when you’re done, and the bag’s seam leaves behind a decorative line in the piped cream, creating a professional-looking finish. The entire tart can be assembled well in advance, but wait until just before serving to garnish it with the crushed peppermint candies, so they’ll stay crunchy and their color won’t bleed into the cream. 8 to 10 servings
Crust
1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
⅓ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ½ teaspoons chilled whole milk
Filling
1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup light corn syrup
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ cup coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies
Topping
3½ cups chilled heavy whipping cream
¾ cup powdered sugar
1¾ teaspoons peppermint extract
1 tablespoon coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies
CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla; using on/off turns, cut in until butter forms pea-size pieces. Add milk; using on/off turns, blend in until mixture forms small moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic; chill 1 hour.
Roll out dough disk between sheets of floured parchment to 12-inch round. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold dough edges over and press to form thick sides. Using thumb, press dough around sides to extend crust ⅛ inch above edge of pan. Freeze 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until brown, piercing with fork if bubbles form, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.
FILLING: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Add both chocolates; whisk until smooth. Cool 30 minutes. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with peppermint candies. Chill until set, about 3 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
TOPPING: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in large bowl to stiff peaks. Spread 2 cups whipped cream over filling, mounding slightly in center. Spoon remaining whipped cream into 1 bottom corner of large resealable plastic bag. Twist bag at top and grasp top firmly. Using scissors, cut ¾ inch off filled corner of bag to form opening; turn bag so that 1 seam faces up. Pipe 2-inch-long ovals of whipped cream side by side around edge of tart. Pipe more ovals to form second ring inside first, then pipe ovals in center. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Remove tart from pan; place on platter. Sprinkle top of tart with crushed peppermint candies and serve.