FILLING: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and ¼ cup water in medium metal bowl. Set over saucepan of simmering water and whisk vigorously until candy thermometer registers 175°F, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add nutmeg and allspice. Using electric mixer, beat until thick and cool, about 5 minutes.
Using electric mixer, beat cream, sour cream, Grand Marnier, orange juice concentrate, and orange peel in large bowl until peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture and fold together. Pour ⅔ of filling into crust. Sprinkle with reserved ½ up crumb mixture. Gently spoon remaining filling over. Cover torte and freeze overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.
TOPPING: Whisk Port and cornstarch in large skillet to blend. Add sugar, honey, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. Bring mixture to boil over high heat, stirring often. Add 3 cups cranberries; cook until mixture boils and cranberries begin to pop but still hold shape, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining 2 cups cranberries. Chill topping at least 6 hours or overnight.
Release pan sides from torte. Transfer torte to platter. Spoon topping over filling. Garnish torte with white chocolate curls, if desired.
The frozen mousse filling has an intense orange flavor, thanks to orange juice, orange peel, and Grand Marnier. In the simple, pressed-in crust, pistachios provide an appealing crunch. You’ll need to start this recipe one day ahead, since the mousse needs to freeze overnight. 12 to 14 servings
Crust
1½ cups unsalted natural pistachios
¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
½ teaspoon finely grated orange peel
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Mousse
1 cup sugar
½ cup fresh orange juice
6 large egg yolks
¼ cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
Lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)
1 orange, thinly sliced into rounds, then cut into small triangles (optional)Whole pistachios (optional)Boysenberry Sauce (see recipe)
CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend pistachios, sugar, flour, and orange peel in processor until nuts are coarsely chopped. Add melted butter and blend until moist crumbs form. Press nut mixture onto bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Bake crust until golden, about 8 minutes. Freeze while preparing mousse.
MOUSSE: Whisk sugar, orange juice, and egg yolks in medium metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Whisk until thermometer inserted into center registers 170°F, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat yolk mixture until cool and thick, about 6 minutes. Beat in liqueur.
Beat cream and orange peel in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in yolk mixture. Pour mousse into crust. Cover and freeze overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.
Cut around pan sides to loosen torte. Remove pan sides. Transfer torte to platter. If desired, spoon lightly sweetened whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream around top edge of torte; place orange triangles between rosettes. Garnish with whole pistachios. Cut torte into wedges. Serve with Boysenberry Sauce.
Use any leftover sauce as a waffle topping, along with some sweetened whipped cream. Makes about 2 cups
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 12-ounce packages frozen boysenberries or blackberries
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup fresh orange juice
½ teaspoon finely grated orange peel
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan; add bean. Add berries, sugar, and ½ cup water. Cook over medium-high heat until berries thaw, sugar dissolves, and mixture boils, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Transfer berry mixture with vanilla bean to processor and puree. Strain puree through sieve set over bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Mix orange juice and peel into puree. Cover and chill until cold.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
In this crowd-pleasing dessert, purchased ice cream (or frozen yogurt) is layered with Nutella, a creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread. Because of Nutella’s soft texture, even though it freezes firmly on the ice cream, it is still easy to cut through. Nutella is available at the supermarket and specialty foods stores. Look for it in the section where peanut butter is sold. 12 servings
1 13-ounce jar Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread), divided
2 pints nut or chocolate chip ice cream or frozen yogurt, slightly softened
2 pints strawberry ice cream or frozen yogurt, slightly softened
2 pints vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, slightly softened Coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)
Spoon 3 tablespoons Nutella into small pastry bag fitted with small plain tip; or spoon into resealable plastic bag and snip off one corner of bag. Set aside to use for topping.
Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides with foil. Spread nut ice cream evenly in prepared pan. Drop half of remaining Nutella by teaspoonfuls over ice cream, spacing drops evenly apart (do not spread). Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread strawberry ice cream evenly over. Drop remaining Nutella by teaspoonfuls over ice cream, spacing drops evenly apart (do not spread). Freeze again until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread vanilla ice cream evenly over. Using spatula, smooth top. Using pastry bag, pipe Nutella decoratively over top. Freeze torte just until Nutella is firm, about 30 minutes. Wrap torte in plastic wrap and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.
Let torte stand briefly at room temperature to soften slightly. Remove foil and plastic from pan. Cut around sides of pan to loosen torte; remove pan sides. Press hazelnuts into sides of torte, if desired, and serve.Ingredient Tip: NutellaNutella was created in Italy in the 1940s. Because of rationing during World War II, chocolate was in short supply, so Nutella creator Pietro Ferrero blended hazelnuts into a chocolate mixture as a way to make the chocolate go further.
Here’s a playful yet sophisticated treat: purchased ice cream and sorbet with a hint of cardamom. A sugar cookie and hazelnut crust encloses the cardamom-scented lime ice cream. On top is a dazzling array of scoops of sorbet in brilliant pink, red, and purple hues. 12 servings
Crust
1 5.25-ounce package sugar cookies
⅓ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, hot
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract