Adventures in Provo Part 2: The most epic cake ever.
One day this week I was goofing off looking at food blogs, and I found the most beautiful looking cake.http://www.theartoftwotarts.com/2010/01/21/happy-birthday-sarah-white-cake-layered-with-pastry-cream-and-a-strawberry-filling/ I showed it to my best domestic goddess friend, and soon (after a few setbacks) I was on my way to her house to make this beautiful/delicious cake.
Directions (theirs) plus pictures (mine) follow:
White cake: Suzy and I used a boxed white cake, but with the whole egg recipe so that it was a little sturdier. We did an 8" round in her super snazzy fatty cake pan (i don't even know what to call it!), but I would suggest using 9" rounds, and even 1 1/2ing the recipe to make a bigger layers (if you're going for a real, not out of the box, cake) The recipe called for 4 layers, we only did 3.
Directions:
Mix everything, besides 1 cup of strawberries, in a medium pot over medium heat. Let the mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes until the strawberries have melted a little and the mixture has thickened.
Turn off heat and mix in the last cup of sliced strawberries.
Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cool.
1\2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks (you'll need the whites for the cake!)
3 Tbs Cornstarch
4 Tbs of unsalted butter, cold and cubed.
1 tsp vanilla paste (You could also use one vanilla stick or tsp a vanilla extract)
1\2 cup of whipped cream ( We do this to make the cream lighter and it seriously makes a BIG difference)
One at a time, melt the chocolate in the microwave in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring each time. Heat and stir until smooth.
Line a baking pan with parchement paper. Hold the strawberries by the stems and dip each one into the semisweet chocolate. Lift and twist the strawberries to let the excess chocolate drip off. Then place onto the parchement paper.
Dip a fork into the white chocolate and drizzle the chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
Let the chocolate set.
Directions (theirs) plus pictures (mine) follow:
White cake: Suzy and I used a boxed white cake, but with the whole egg recipe so that it was a little sturdier. We did an 8" round in her super snazzy fatty cake pan (i don't even know what to call it!), but I would suggest using 9" rounds, and even 1 1/2ing the recipe to make a bigger layers (if you're going for a real, not out of the box, cake) The recipe called for 4 layers, we only did 3.
Strawberry filling.
3 cups of slice strawberries
1\4 cup granulated sugar
1\2 cup of water
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs cornstarch
1\4 cup granulated sugar
1\2 cup of water
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs cornstarch
Directions:
Mix everything, besides 1 cup of strawberries, in a medium pot over medium heat. Let the mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes until the strawberries have melted a little and the mixture has thickened.
Turn off heat and mix in the last cup of sliced strawberries.
Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cool.
Pastry cream.
2 cups of half and half1\2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks (you'll need the whites for the cake!)
3 Tbs Cornstarch
4 Tbs of unsalted butter, cold and cubed.
1 tsp vanilla paste (You could also use one vanilla stick or tsp a vanilla extract)
1\2 cup of whipped cream ( We do this to make the cream lighter and it seriously makes a BIG difference)
Directions
Heat the half and half, vanilla paste, 6 Tbs sugar and salt in a medium pot over medium heat until it starts to simmer.
In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, in a medium bowl, with the remaining sugar and cornstarch for about a minute.
When the half and half mixture reaches a full simmer, pour have of if into the egg mixture bowl and whisking constantly.
Return the mixture to the pot and whisk the cream over medium heat. Let the cream thicken for about 1-2 minutes. Once the cream has thickened, turn of the heat and mix in the butter until melted.
Strain the cream through a sieve over a medium bowl. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and press the wrap directly over the cream so that a skin will not form. Refridgerate until cold and set.
Once the cream is cold fold in the whipped cream. Use right away of refridgerate until ready to use.
Heat the half and half, vanilla paste, 6 Tbs sugar and salt in a medium pot over medium heat until it starts to simmer.
In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, in a medium bowl, with the remaining sugar and cornstarch for about a minute.
When the half and half mixture reaches a full simmer, pour have of if into the egg mixture bowl and whisking constantly.
Return the mixture to the pot and whisk the cream over medium heat. Let the cream thicken for about 1-2 minutes. Once the cream has thickened, turn of the heat and mix in the butter until melted.
Strain the cream through a sieve over a medium bowl. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and press the wrap directly over the cream so that a skin will not form. Refridgerate until cold and set.
Once the cream is cold fold in the whipped cream. Use right away of refridgerate until ready to use.
Frosting
3 cups of heavy whipping cream
1\3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat whipping cream in a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in the sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until peaks are stiff.
3 cups of heavy whipping cream
1\3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat whipping cream in a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in the sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until peaks are stiff.
Chocolate covered Strawberries
6 oz of semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces of white chocolate, chopped
15-16 large strawberries
Put the chocolates in seperate microwave safe bowls.
6 oz of semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces of white chocolate, chopped
15-16 large strawberries
Put the chocolates in seperate microwave safe bowls.
One at a time, melt the chocolate in the microwave in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring each time. Heat and stir until smooth.
Line a baking pan with parchement paper. Hold the strawberries by the stems and dip each one into the semisweet chocolate. Lift and twist the strawberries to let the excess chocolate drip off. Then place onto the parchement paper.
Dip a fork into the white chocolate and drizzle the chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
Let the chocolate set.
Place one layer of cake, cut side up, on a cake board and pipe a ring of whipped cream around the edges of the cake. This keeps the filling from oozing out!
Place half the strawberry filling in the middle and smooth it out to the edges.
Place the second layer of cake, cut side down, on top and pipe another ring of whipped cream around the edges.
Place the pastry cream in the middle and smooth it out to the edges.
Place the fresh strawberries on top of the pastry cream.
*this part we didn't do, but feel free*(Place the 3rd layer of cake, cut side up, on top and pipe another ring of whipped cream around the edges.
Place the other half of strawberry filling in the center and smooth out.)
Place the last layer of cake, cut side down, on top.
Cover the entire cake with the whipped cream.
You don't have to be perfect because all of this will get covered up!
Place the rolled wafers, alternating the flavors, around the sides of the enitre cake.
When done, tie some ribbon around the cake to help hold the wafers in place! Place the dipped strawberries on top of the cake. The wafers will keep them from sliding of the top. (Not pictured)
Beautiful right?
I think I'm in love.
A cross cut:
Friend, this web site might be fabolous, i just like it. california suncakes
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