The American Favorites section is where we have placed recipes for dishes that have become American favorites; these recipes are for foods that are enjoyed by many people throughout this great country of ours. In this particular section, I won't assign a specific part of the country as being the origin of the recipe.
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1 T butter, softened 1 T lemon juice ½ c dry bread crumbs 1 T brandy 6 egg yolks ¼ tsp salt 10 T sugar 1½ c finely grated walnuts ¼ c grated raw apple 6 egg whites Grated rind of 1 orange (about 1 c heavy cream, stiffly whipped 2 tablespoons) -----------------------------Preheat the oven to 325°. With a pastry brush, butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch, 3-inch-deep springform cake pan. Toss in ¼ c of the breadcrumbs and tip the pan from side to side to coat it evenly. Rap the pan sharply to dislodge any excess crumbs. With a whisk or rotary or electric beater, beat the egg yolks for about a minute, then slowly pour in 8 T of the sugar. Continue beating until the mixture falls back upon itself in a ribbon when the beater is lifted out of the bowl. Beat in the apple, orange rind, lemon juice, brandy and salt, and with a spatula fold in the remaining bread crumbs and walnuts. In another bowl beat the whites until they froth, then add 2 T of the sugar, continuing to beat until the whites form firm unwavering peaks on the beater when it is lifted out of the bowl. Gently but thoroughly fold the whites into the egg yolk mixture until no streaks of white show. Pour the batter into the springform pan and with the spatula spread the mixture out evenly. Bake the torte in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until it has puffed and has begun to come slightly away from the sides of the pan. Turn off the heat and let the cake rest for 15 minutes before removing it from the oven. Remove the sides of the pan and cool the torte on a cake rack. With a spatula, spread the top of the cake with the whipped cream and serve. Makes one 8-inch cake.