PRINSESSTÅRTA

 Thanks korena for this great challenge and another excuse to make cake! This variation combines white and dark chocolate with strawberry and vanilla. As for the marzipan (first time made from scratch) I used matcha powder and starwberry jam (a little bland but gives great scent). Delicious!

                                 Sponge cake
                                 4                                                                           eggs
                                 113gr                                                                     granulated sugar
                                 75gr                                                                       flour
                                 38gr                                                                       cornstarch
                                 40gr                                                                       butter, melted
                                 as preferred                                                           vanilla

                                 White chocolate mousse
                                 167gr                                                                      white chocolate
                                  40gr                                                                       water/liqueur
                                  93gr                                                                       heavy cream
                                  333gr                                                                     heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
                                  3,33gr                                                                    gelatin sheets soaked in the water

                                  Chocolate pastry cream 

                                  280gr                                                                      milk
                                  34gr                                                                        flour
                                  60gr                                                                        granulated sugar
                                  1                                                                             egg
                                  150gr                                                                       chocolate
                                  as preferred                                                             vanilla

                                  Marzipan                                                                  (about 400gr)

                                  33gr                                                                         glucose

                                  185gr                                                                       almond flour

                                  185gr                                                                       powdered sugar

                                  about 5Tbs                                                               simple syrup

 

                                  Simple syrup

                                  150gr                                                                        water

                                  150gr                                                                        granulated sugar

 

                                   as needed                                                                 strawberry jam

                                   about 10                                                                   small strawberries

 

 

For the sponge cake shift the flours together (along with vanilla powder if using) and beat the eggs with sugar to thick ribbon stage. Then fold in the flour mixture in two portions with a spatula as not to deflate the batter and meanwhile add and incorporate the melted butter. Bake in a 20cm-diameter ring and at a preheated oven to 190C for 20min. For the simple syrup just boil water with sugar for about 2min. Continue with the pastry cream by heating milk in a saucepan. In a separate bowl whisk the egg with sugar, flour and vanilla (add some of the milk if the mixture is too thick) until smooth and temper with one third of the hot milk. Combine the mixtures and put on heat stirring constantly. As soon as the cream has thickened and starts to boil remove from heat and add the chocolate. Set aside to cool and refrigerate until needed. Meanwhile heat the heavy cream needed for the white chocolate mousse just until hot and melt in the white chocolate. With the low heat left melt the gelatin mixture, stir it in the chocolate and let cool to about 30C. Then combine with the whipped cream and keep in fridge. Meanwhile cover a hemispherical (20x10cm) metal bowl with plastic wrap and mark about 4cm from the top to the bottom (that's where the layered cake will be placed in assembling).

Fill with white chocolate mousse until quite below that point and place the strawberries in the center (the mousse may have to be chilled and set at that point so that the strawberries are more stable). With the strawberries in place keep the bowl in the freezer and continue with the sponge cake. Cut it in four layers and trim the two down to 16cm-diameter. Put the small one on the bottom, moisten with syrup and spread some chocolate pastry cream. Spread some strawberry jam on the other small piece and put it on top of the chocolate with the jam facing down. Moisten with syrup and also spread some chocolate pastry cream. Keep in fridge and as soon as the molded mousse is quite set, put the layered sponge cake on top with the chocolate facing up. Fill the gaps between that and the bowl with the rest of the white chocolate mousse (now the bowled is completely full), spread some strawberry jam on a 20cm-diameter sponge layer and place with the jam side facing down on the top of the bowl. Moisten with syrup and freeze overnight. Finish with the marzipan which -if not store-bought- can be prepared simply by blending to coarse crumbs and kneading. Color (with matcha and strawberry jam in this case) it, shape the flower and for the rest roll and cut about 25 3x18cm and 3mm thick stripes with a pointy end. Cover the cake after unmolded and still well frozen.  

Almond macaroon cake

 

                          Almond genoise

                          160gr                                                                 cake flour, shifted

                           5                                                                        eggs

                           120gr                                                                 granulated sugar

                           70gr                                                                   almond powder

                           as preferred                                                       vanilla powder

                          Syrup

                          30gr                                                                    granulated sugar

                          40gr                                                                    water

                         Cocoa crumble 

                         75gr                                                                     flour

                         75gr                                                                     butter, melted

                         100gr                                                                   almond powder

                          75gr                                                                    dark brown sugar

                          15gr                                                                    cocoa powder

                          2gr                                                                      salt

                          Macaroon cookies

                          175gr                                                                   almond powder

                          75gr                                                                     granulated sugar

                          40gr                                                                     white whine

                          2                                                                          egg whites

                          60gr                                                                     powdered sugar

                          35gr                                                                     cointreau

                          White chocolate mousseline pastry cream

                          350gr                                                                    milk

                          70gr                                                                      granulated sugar

                          42gr                                                                      flour

                          70gr                                                                      eggs

                          18gr                                                                      butter

                          as preferred                                                          vanilla

                          120gr                                                                    cream, whipped to soft peaks

                          4gr                                                                       gelatin

                          53gr                                                                     white chocolate

                          Topping

                          120gr                                                                   heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

Start with the crumble by mixing all the ingredients together into a crumbly dough. Press some of it on the bottom of a 20cm-diameter ring and into a 5mm thick layer and coarsely brake the rest on a separate pan. Set aside and start with the macaroons. Bring the almond powder, granulated sugar, one egg white and half of the wine together in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until homogeneous, add the rest of the wine and keep stirring for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat, let slightly cool and incorporate the last egg white and 50gr of the powdered sugar. Fill a pastry bag attached with a plain tip, pipe about 3cm-diameter balls of batter on parchment paper, dust with the remaining sugar and bake at preheated oven to 175C along with the cocoa crumble for approximately 5min. The last may be done sooner.

As soon as they are done start whisking the eggs and sugar needed for the genoise to thick ribbon stage and preheat the oven to 180C. When ready, fold in the flour mixed with the almond powder and vanilla, pour the batter in a 20cm-diameter cake ring and bake for 25-27min until the cake is risen in the middle and proved to be done by the toothpick test. For the syrup, which can be made anytime as long as it is cooled when used, boil sugar with water for a couple of minutes and for the mousseline first prepare its base as any pastry cream. Whisk eggs with flour and sugar until no lumps remain, warm the milk, and before boiling point temper with 1/3 of it the egg mixture. Return the combination to heat and stir continuously until boil. Remove from heat, soften the gelatin in cold water and incorporate it to the hot cream stirring until it is completely dissolved.

Then add the butter with the white chocolate, let the cream cool but not set, and in the meantime soak about half of the macaroons -cut to quarters- in the cointreau. As soon as the cream has cooled, fold in the whipped cream and incorporate the macaroon pieces. Place the crumble layer on the bottom of the cake ring -trimming optionally 5mm off the edges- and spread half of the mousse. Cover with half of the genoise (the second layer is not needed) moisten with the syrup, and fill with the rest of the mousseline on top. Refrigerate until set and finish with a whipped cream coating. Garnish with the remaining macaroons and cocoa crumbles.

Apple tart with almond and apricot cream

Because of a current obsession with apple desserts and although more of them are to be tried, I've already discriminate this  particular one among the rest of its kind. However for those who dislike any crunchiness left in the baked apples I suggest sauteing the slices with 1-2Tbs of butter and for anyone unkeen of the apricot cream I could easilly recommend a fruit jam. Overall it's a great, almost too easy and quick dessert with components I repeatedly use.

                       Tart dough

                       1                                         portion pasta flora dough from ''Apple pasta flora'' post

                      

                       Filling

                       790gr                                 granny smith and northern spy (net w.)apples                                 

                       75gr                                   melted butter

                       3                                        eggs

                       130gr                                  brown sugar

                       150gr                                  ground almonds

                       40gr                                    cornstarch

                       1/2tsp                                cannelle

                       as prefered                         vanille powder or extract

                       8-10Tbs                              apricot cream from ''Croissant'' post

                                                                                                                            

First prepare the dough as described in previous post and chill until less soft for about 30min. Meanwhile, core, peal and slice the apples, tossing the slices in some lemon juice.

When finished, roll the dough on the bottom of a 24x20cm pan and return in fridge. Proceed with the almond filling by whisking the eggs with the sugar to thick ribbon stage (it doesn't matter if doesn't get that stiff, it may be the used type of sugar).

Fold the ground almond, cornstarch, butter, cannelle and vanille in the beaten eggs and spread the apricot cream on the bottom tart crust. Pour in the filling, tightly arrange the apple slices in rows and optionally sprinkle some additional sugar on top.

Finally bake at a preheated oven to 190C for about 50min, reducing gradually the temperature to the lowest point of 160C if the fruit on top starts to get burnt. Let the tart cool and maybe brush with some of the cream (or jam) or dust with powdered sugar.





Browned butter and almond cake

  

       The challenge I had to tackle this week was making a recipe that includes strictly 7 ingredients with almond and citrus among them. In this cake I mostly used almond as the main element and add it in the form of candied nut, praline, crumble and paste with a light orange aroma. Unfortunately the failure of my makeshift pastry bag and an oven breakdown didn't allow me to take a propper photograph of what the almond topping should be, however the instructions I give are according to what I intended to make. The white chocolate buttercream filling was a successful addition as flavor, and despite the mishaps the general result was very satisfying.

            Crumble and candied almonds

            70gr                                            flour

            130gr                                          granulated sugar

            55gr                                            melted butter

            55gr                                            ground almonds

            170gr                                          unpeeled almonds

            35gr                                            Grand Marnier

           Browned butter cake

           80gr                                            almond praline

           180gr                                          butter

           200gr                                          flour

           140gr                                          granulated sugar

           4                                                eggs

           4Tbs plus 25gr                            Grand Marnier

           Almond paste topping

           200gr                                          ground almonds

           50gr                                            granulated sugar

           40gr                                            powdered sugar

           1                                                egg white

           6Tbs                                           Grand Marnier

          White chocolate buttercream

          120gr                                           butter, room temperature

          80gr                                             white chocolate, melted and let cooled

          60gr                                             granulated sugar

          3                                                 egg whites

          25gr                                             Grand Marnier

For the crumble, mix flour with butter, ground almond and 55gr sugar and let the dough harden in the fridge. When ready, grate it on a paper lined pan and bake it along with the whole almonds in a preheated oven to 180C. After 15min take out the roasted nuts and let the crumble in for another 5min. Then bring in a wide saucepan the rest of the sugar with Grand Marnier to a boil for a few minutes and add the baked almonds. Stir until the sugar that has been crystallized melts into brown caramel and quickly pour the mixture on a silicon mat or parchment paper. After the almonds have cooled, mash 80gr to praline that is going to be used for the cake, coarsely chop the rest and mix the pieces with the crumbe.

   Starting the cake, melt butter on low heat and then turn it to medium, in order to make the butter boil and intensely bubble (better use a wide pan). At this point, beware not to burn it and remove it from the heat as soon as it gets a light brown color and smells nutty. After browning the butter, the milk solids should be quite burnt, sedimented and then removed by straining. Put the strained butter in the fridge until it gets solid, beat it with 30gr of the sugar using the paddle attachment, and  add the 80gr of praline. Wisk the 4 egg whites to meringue with the rest of the sugar and beat the yolks in the butter one at a time. Mix the 4Tbs of Grand Marnier in the butter-yolk mixture and lighten it with half of the meringue. Shift the flour in, fold in the rest of meringue and spread the batter on a 24x24cm cake pan. Bake at a preheated oven to 160C for 25min. 

    For the almond macaroon-like layer beat the almond with powdered sugar in a food processor until very fine and mix in the Grand Marnier. Whisk the egg white with granulated sugar to meringue, fold it into the almond paste and pipe the mixture (if the stiffness allows it) with a 24x12cmrectangle bar-pattern. Bake it at a preheated oven to 180 until golden. To make the buttercream, prepare an italian meringue with sugar, Grand Marnier and egg whites as described in previous posts (kirsch mousse cake) and whisk it while adding portions of softened butter. When all of the butter has been incorporated, keep beating the mixture with the whisk and pour in the melted chocolate. Cut the cake into two equal 12x24cm pieces, take two layers from each and moisten them with the additional 25gr of Grand Marnier. Spread the buttercream between them, on the top and the sides of the cake, place the almond macaroon on top and cover the sides with the crumble-almond mixture. At last garnish with powdered sugar and candied orange peel.

Raspberry and lime torte

Since I enjoy making tortes more than any other dessert, I could not skip making my birthday cake, in which I omitted chocolate and combined two of my favorite ingredients : raspberry and lime. However, lime curd can easily be substituted by chocolate ganache from previous recipe ''Mascarpone torte''.

         Almond genoise
       70gr                                     almond paste
       142gr                                   granulated sugar
       16gr (1)                                yolk
       308gr (6)                              eggs
       190gr                                   flour, shifted
       60gr                                     butter, melted
       as preferred                         vanilla powder                          


      Lime curd
      65gr                                      lime juice
      106gr                                    granulated sugar
      1 tsp                                     lime zest
      65gr                                      eggs
      98gr                                      butter, room temperature


      Raspberry mousse
      400gr                                    raspberry puree
      25ml                                     raspberry liquer
      160gr                                    granulated sugar
      15gr                                      glucose or corn syrup
      50ml                                     water
      85gr                                      egg whites
      8gr                                        softened gelatin
      270ml                                    heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks and refrigerated

      Glaze and syrup

      172gr                                   water

      172gr                                   sugar

      275ml                                  raspberry puree

      4gr                                      softened gelatin

For the genoise, beat with the paddle attachment almond paste and sugar, rubbing with your fingers if necessary to achieve a homogenous mixture. Add the egg yolk and when it's fully incorporated, change the paddle with the whip attachment and whip the mixture with the rest of the eggs and vanilla. Keep whipping until fluffy for about 15min at medium speed ( do not whip further if the eggs have reached their maximum volume ). Then fold in the flour carefully and transfer one-eighth of the batter in a separate bowl. Mix the small batter quantity with the melted butter and gently combine it with the rest of the mixture. Bake the cake in a buttered 24x15cm pan, with the oven preheated to 180-190C for 26-28min. If you prefer another pan size, simply multiply the quotient ''pan's bottom surface in sq cm''/360 with each ingredient quantity, not only for the genoise.

   

 Continue with lime curd. Combine 50gr of the sugar with the juice and zest in a saucepan and bring to boil. In a metal bowl whisk the eggs with the rest of the sugar to homogenize and temper the mixture with one-quarter of the hot juice. Return to the heat and boil 1min whisking vigorously. If your egg whites are cooked and curdled (like mine) pass the cream through a strainer for a smoother result. Let the curd come to room temperature and gradually add the butter, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.

For the syrup, boil sugar and water for 1min. Transfer 100ml in separate metal pot and while it is still hot, stir in the gelatin to disolve. Add 50ml of the puree to make the glaze and set aside to cool. Combine the rest of the puree with the remaining syrup. With a flat knife cut three layers of the genoise and place one in a bottomless 24x15cm cake form. When the syrup has cooled, use it to moisten the genoise layer and spread half of the curd on top. Cover with the second layer, brush with syrup and spread the remaining curd. Finish with the last, moistened layer and refrigerate. 

 To make the mousse warm one-fifth of the puree until hot , stir in the liquer and gelatin to disolve and combine with the rest of puree. Then prepare a meringue with egg whites, sugar and glucose as described in the ''Kirsch torte'' recipe, fold in it one-quarter of the puree and at last the whole quantity. Add the whipped cream gently, cover the last genoise layer with the mousse and freeze until hard. Finally, pour (or spread if refrigerated ) the glaze over the mousse , chill untill set and garnish with white chocolate decorations.