Toasted Pecan Torte with Butterscotch Topping

According to bon appetit, when your family and friends try this Toasted Pecan Torte with Butterscotch Topping they won’t know if it is a cross between a pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding and a butterscotch sundae.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
5 cups pecan halves
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
4 tablespoons rum, divided
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream, divided

Directions:

Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F. Butter and flour a 9” diameter springform pan. Toast pecans on a baking sheet, tossing once until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, 12-15 minutes. Let cool.

In a food processor add in the baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups flour and 3 cups pecans, pulse until nuts are finely ground. Using an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat sugar, orange zest and 3/4 cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk to bowl. Beat until combined and mixture is even fluffier, about a minute. Beat in 3 tablespoons rum, stop mixer and add in the dry ingredients. Mix on low until combined then fold a few times with a rubber spatula scrapping the bottom and the sides of the bowl, to ensure batter is evenly mixed. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake torte until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let torte cool in pan.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan on med/high heat bring the brown sugar, 1/2 cup cream, remaining butter and remaining rum to a boil, stirring often and cook until it slightly thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove Butterscotch from heat and stir in remaining salt and remaining pecans and let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally until it’s cool, but still pourable.

Spread topping over torte. Whisk remaining cream in a large bowl to medium peaks. Serve torte topped with dollops of whipped cream. Yum Yum!