638322 Tue Jul 21 12:07:10 -0700 2009 80 31 Home Cooking 0 4877846 I am baking my own birthday cake this year. I like chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate ganache -but obviously this will kill my house guests. I wanted something luxurious and a *little* more involved. I thought about making that cake that is composed entirely out of crepes- or just a yellow cake and chocolate frosting. I can't make up my mind... what's your version of your dream birthday cake, if you are to make one for yourself? Tue Jul 21 12:07:10 -0700 2009 133265 jeniyo 1 4877896 I've always wanted to make a Paris-Brest. You can certainly put ganache on it or a puddle under each slice for your chocolate fix. http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pbp/pastry.html Tue Jul 21 12:18:51 -0700 2009 4877846 84890 nemo 2 4878018 how fun! that looks like a giant doughnut! regardless, i love this recipe and i'm making very soon! =) Tue Jul 21 12:50:52 -0700 2009 4877896 133265 jeniyo 3 4878234 This is a cake I just created this weekend after a visit to the County Fair where they had a vendor selling chocolate covered bacon. Chocolate layer cake with crispy bacon chips. Put the layers together with whipped cream and cover with chocolate frosting. Top with crumpled crispy bacon chips.... hmmmmm Tue Jul 21 13:49:32 -0700 2009 4878018 1095281 Salty_Loves_Sweet 4 4878360 wow. that's wild. how would think to replace bacon with the standard praline!?! Tue Jul 21 14:20:39 -0700 2009 4878234 133265 jeniyo 1 4877919 If you like super-chocolate, that's totally what you should make. I think your house guests will probably love it too! That said, my dream birthday cake would probably be chocolate cake, hazelnut mousse, a thin layer of buttercream, and a chocolate band around the outside. Tue Jul 21 12:25:09 -0700 2009 4877846 92823 milklady 1 4877942 I actually really love pie for my birthday but....a few years back my husband made me the Persian Love Cake that was on the cover of a Bon Appetit that month for my birthday. it was delicious and all our friends loved it. We went through a year or so cycle where everyone wanted it at their birthday. Someone also just mentioned this same cake in the rosewater thread. if you like the flavors involved give it a try: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Persian-Love-Cake-232273 Tue Jul 21 12:31:32 -0700 2009 4877846 16406 ziggylu 2 4880756 this sounds absolutely lovely! there's no birthdays happening this weekend but my friend is moving which is enough of an occasion for such a dessert. i think i'll try it - thanks for posting this! Wed Jul 22 09:28:15 -0700 2009 4877942 207355 jmullen1251 1 4877948 Yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Add a teeny bit of almond extract to the frosting! Tue Jul 21 12:32:32 -0700 2009 4877846 113759 CurlieGlamourGirlie 1 4878070 Ooooh! I've been spending all of my free time lately thinking about this! I'm turning 30 in late august and think I will be making a chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip ice cream, perhaps with cream cheese frosting. I'll have to do extensive tests to see if frozen cream cheese frosting works with mint chip ice cream. But this will magically make it intact to the picnic where we will celebrate it with magically warm gougeres, veggie summer rolls, chorizo and champagne. Tue Jul 21 13:02:45 -0700 2009 4877846 22624 relizabeth 2 4878093 sounds like fun! Tue Jul 21 13:08:33 -0700 2009 4878070 133265 jeniyo 1 4878641 Hey, your birthday = your decision! Have you seen this recipe? It fits your description: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Double-Chocolate-Layer-Cake-101275 I can tell you that I made it and it was delicious - and a big hit with others. This year I made a red velvet cake off the epicurious site that was covered in berries - very festive looking and good too. A little harder to make though - you have to be careful not to overmix the batter or over bake it. Those were cakes for others though. My personal dream birthday cake would definitely be a carrot cake. :) Tue Jul 21 15:51:00 -0700 2009 4877846 116820 Jitterbug 2 4878770 I agree with Jitterbug that the Double Chocolate Layer cake is great chocolate cake. In a recent quest to bake my SO a chocolate cake for his birthday, I tried 11 different chocolate cake recipes (a little obsessive I know, but I was on a mission), and this was by far my favorite. My boyfriend's favorite was Beatty's chocolate cake http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe/index.html.(Martha Stewart's Chocolate cake recipe from the Baking cookbook was a close third) Both very rich, deep chocolately flavor and moist- the kind of cake that you can easily pick up the crumbs with your fork. I will frost with the neoclassical buttercream frosting from the Cake Bible (the SO prefers a sweeter frosting), but I would prefer the Mousseline frosting (aka Italian meringue buttercream)- light and airy and not as sweet, but just as decadent. Happy birthday! Tue Jul 21 16:50:57 -0700 2009 4878641 120164 BigSal 3 4880633 thanks! talks of chocolate cake always goes back to the double chocolate cake from epicurious. I love that cake too! Just for kicks, i might try out beatty's chocolate cake this weekend.. =) it looks VERY similar to the first though. Wed Jul 22 08:55:16 -0700 2009 4878770 133265 jeniyo 4 4883270 Yes, the ingredients are almost identical except the double chocolate layer includes melted semisweet chocolate. Let us know which you prefer of the two. Thu Jul 23 04:18:01 -0700 2009 4880633 120164 BigSal 2 4881584 I was going to recommend the "Double Chocolate Layer Cake" from epicurious as well. It really is decadent and deliciously chocolatey. Definitely worth the effort! Wed Jul 22 13:03:36 -0700 2009 4878641 11028 DanaB 1 4879120 There is a cake we've been making in my family since the 1970s. It is from a Gaston LeNotre cookbook (Faites votre patisserie come LeNotre, in French, and I KNOW it has been translated into English, but don't know the title). It is called a concord, and it is pretty spectacular. Takes 2-3 days, though. 1st day 1. make chocolate mousse (I use Julia Child's recipe, which is lighter than most, owing to mousse-ing with whipped egg whites rather than whipped cream). Refrigerate. 2. make chocolate meringue. Pipe 3 identically sized oval disks of meringue on 2 cookie sheets (2 on 1 sheet, 1 on the 2nd, and not onto cookie sheets directly: use parchment paper). Pipe a series of long lines of meringue on the empty space on the 2nd sheet. Bake. Allow meringue to dry out overnight if you can. 2nd day. 1. peel meringue disks away from parchment paper, being careful not to break or crumble. peel long lines away, breaking into cigarette-like lengths. 2. remove mousse from fridge. and use it as you would use frosting to put a cake together. You should have a bottom layer of meringue, a reasonably thick layer of mousse, a layer of meringue, another reasonable layer of mousse, a last layer of meringue, and then a frosting of mousse all over the top and sides of the cake. 3. cover the entire cake, now covered entirely with mousse, with meringue "cigarettes". top, sides, everwhere. no particular order, but quite tightly packed. 4. transfer to serving plate, refridgerate overnight. 3rd day. 1. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Eat. That overnight refridgeration makes a huge difference, for some reason. If you serve the cake immediately, you'll find it won't taste as good as the leftovers do the next morning, when the mousse and the meringue have had a chance to get to know each other a little bit. This cake is not something to whip together in an hour, but it is gorgeous if you like chocolate. Tue Jul 21 19:02:33 -0700 2009 4877846 78679 linengirl 2 4883071 Wow... that sounds absolutely amazing, linengirl. I'm going to hunt down this recipe and give it a try. Any reason why the mousse should rest overnight? (Mine tend to fall a bit when held.) Wed Jul 22 22:49:38 -0700 2009 4879120 64215 cimui 3 4885482 No, you can absolutely use the mousse the day you make it. It does need to set up in the fridge a bit so as to not get runny when you are "icing" your cake. I just make it the day before because it's an easy thing to do while the meringue is baking low and slow... And it IS amazing. The impressive to difficulty ratio is fabulous, for dinner party/impressing birthday-person purposes, and if you like chocolate, it really is delicious. Thu Jul 23 16:58:40 -0700 2009 4883071 78679 linengirl 2 4884651 I have the Lenotre book. It's called, "Lenotre's Desserts and Pastries". It is available from amazon.com for $5.24. And yes, the Concord does look nice. I should make it soon. My favourite birthday cake is a flourless fig cake from a recipe I got from "Chocolatier" magazine. It consists of dried figs simmered in cognac, then combined with eggs, butter, sugar, bittersweet chocolate, and ground toasted hazulnuts. It is then glazed with a mixture of whipping cream, bittersweet chocolate, and hazelnut praline (nougat). Attached is a picture. Thu Jul 23 12:35:03 -0700 2009 4879120 13143 souschef 3 4885485 Whoa! Yes PLEASE... Thu Jul 23 16:59:33 -0700 2009 4884651 78679 linengirl 4 4885658 Are you asking for the recipe? CH does not allow that, I believe, as it's from a magazine. But IIRC it is okay to post the list of ingredients. If so, I can do that. Can anyone confirm ? BTW I always make my own birthday cake, much to my wife's chagrin. Thu Jul 23 18:25:02 -0700 2009 4885485 13143 souschef 5 4885709 It's ok to post the recipe here if you paraphrase it a little. It sounds delicious. I wish you were cooking my birthday cake this year! Thu Jul 23 18:40:34 -0700 2009 4885658 179628 toveggiegirl 6 4885910 Does the "to" in your name stand for "Toronto" ? I live about 4.5 hours East of you (by car). Thu Jul 23 19:59:11 -0700 2009 4885709 13143 souschef 4 4886001 Okay, I checked the CH recipe posting guidelines, and am paraphrasing as well as including one modification. I am also abbreviating the ingredients as I type religiously - "seek and you shall find". BTW please use high quality chocolate. I have just discovered Felchlin, and it is wonderful; not cheap, but wonderful. Taken from the March 1986 issue of Chocolatier magazine: Sinclair's American Grill Chocolate Fig Cake With Gianduja Glaze. Cake: 4 ounces dried figs, finely chopped 1/4 cup Armagnac or Cognac 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped. 5 ounces hazelnuts, roasted and skins removed 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 2/3 cup granulated sugar Pinch of salt 3 large eggs, lightly beaten Glaze: 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 3 ounces Gianduja or one 3-ounce chocolate praline bar, such as Lindt's Swiss Milk Chocolate Praline-filled bar 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon whipping cream Decoration: 48 blanched sliced almonds. Note: I have a local source for some fabulous Gianduja; it makes a huge difference. The cake: Oven at 375.Butter and base line an 8-inch springform pan. Dust sides with flour. Figs and Cognac - combine and bring to a simmer and cool Melt the chocolate and cool to lukewarm Reserve some nuts for decoration. Throw the rest into a food processor with the breadcrumbs and take them for a spin until ground finely. Beat the butter in a mixer till light, then add the sugar and salt gradually till light and fluffy. Add the eggs in a thin stream. Don't panic - they will look separated. Fold in the chocolate till the batter is smooth - it WILL happen. Fold in the hazelnut mixture and the figs. Put into the pan and smooth. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted 1" from the sides comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife round the pan and take off the springform. Allow the cake to cool on the base of the pan - the recipe tells you to invert it onto another rack, but I find that this breaks up the cake. The glaze: Throw the two chocolates into a food processor. WIth the food processor running, pour in the cream that you have brought to a gentle boil, till smooth. Take the cake off the base, place it on a rack, and pour about half the glaze over the cake; smooth the top and sides, using a sheet pan underneath to catch the excess. Chill the cake (in the fridge) for 30 minutes, then pour the rest of the glaze (which you have kept warm) over the cake. Allow to set for 2 hrs then decorate per the picture I attached. Any small bubbles on the surface can be liberated with the point of a knife. VITAL: The cake HAS to be served at room temperature, or you miss a major component of its flavour. I usually make the cake in a 9.5" pan, increasing the ingredients by 50%. This makes the cake somewhat fragile, so I put a thin 8" board under it before glazing. Thu Jul 23 20:36:14 -0700 2009 4885485 13143 souschef 5 4886491 I forgot to specify (the recipe does not state this) that one important requirement is that the eggs be at room temperature. When I first made this cake (as a neophyte, some 20+ years ago), I used eggs right out of the fridge. When I added the chocolate it seized immediately. Fri Jul 24 05:52:30 -0700 2009 4886001 13143 souschef 3 4885528 nice! Thu Jul 23 17:21:49 -0700 2009 4884651 50431 chef chicklet 2 4885547 okay is this meringe and mousse, no cake? I love the older mousse recipes, I use several myself from the 80s, I love them. One of course with my favorite liiquor, Grand Marnier. This does sound pretty delicious though. Thu Jul 23 17:28:39 -0700 2009 4879120 50431 chef chicklet 3 4885793 Yes, you are correct. It is meringue and mousse, no cake. If you want to see what various cooks and chefs have produced when they have made it for themselves, google gaston lenotre concord. That could get you lots of useful links. Thu Jul 23 19:16:20 -0700 2009 4885547 78679 linengirl 1 4880728 My favorite is strawbeerry cassata cake, like this: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_76063.html Sadly, I've only made it a few times, as there's only two of us in the household and that's an awful lot of calories for just two people, plus you need either one whole day or parts of two to complete the whole thing. Maybe I should throw myself a party, lol. I really love it, though - the Italian bakeries and restaurants where I grew up would make it and you just can't find it where I live now. Wed Jul 22 09:22:59 -0700 2009 4877846 133831 romansperson 1 4880789 I made the Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting from Smitten Kitchen's blog - wow, that was the best (and prettiest) cake I've made so far. It will now be my go to cake for all birthdays. Wed Jul 22 09:34:24 -0700 2009 4877846 26942 burbankfoodie 2 4881504 i was thinking about that cake too! guah... can a girl get two birthday cakes? hehe Wed Jul 22 12:36:31 -0700 2009 4880789 133265 jeniyo 2 4890031 I'm considering that one for my upcoming birthday - glad to read a positive review. Sat Jul 25 13:08:44 -0700 2009 4880789 238442 KathyNashville 1 4881581 The Ebinger's Chocolate Blackout cake from America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Country: http://cookscountrytv.com/recipes/login.asp?docid=7814 Requires registration, but that's free. Wed Jul 22 13:01:31 -0700 2009 4877846 62998 DebL 1 4882493 Have you thought about the Elvis cake oft discussed on this board? It's an amazingly moist banana cake with a creamy peanut butter frosting. I like to add a layer of chocolate ganache in the middle instead of more frosting. It's what I refer to as an absolute girly cake. Wed Jul 22 18:06:04 -0700 2009 4877846 12124 TorontoJo 2 5145472 The Elvis cake sounds amazing...I have never seen/heard of it in Toronto...does it exist somewhere here? p.s. I found a place to bake my 'big' Birthday cake, I wanted a single sheet cake to serve 50 people..it's going to be a Fresh Banana Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting ... I hope it's going to be the 'cake of my dreams' , I'll know better the night of the Party (November 14th!!) Will post the yay/nay on the Ontario CH board!!! Sat Oct 31 13:43:32 -0700 2009 4882493 78717 pearlD 3 5147840 Hi pearl -- I'm looking forward to hearing back about your birthday cake! The bakery you're using on Wilson is not too far from me. I pass it all the time and have never noticed it. The "Elvis cake" is a recipe someone posted about on the home cooking board (and which has gotten much discussion!). I've made it a couple of times and it is wonderful. The perfect banana cake (tender and moist) with a peanut butter frosting. If your birthday cake doesn't work out, you should make one for yourself after your birthday to treat yourself! Sun Nov 01 17:32:22 -0800 2009 5145472 12124 TorontoJo 1 4883005 I always consider chocolate cake with vanilla frosting a good go-to favorite. Chocolate cake with mocha frosting is also a delicious combo, especially when served with some cappuccino or espresso. Wed Jul 22 21:59:07 -0700 2009 4877846 1095990 TheIceCreamMan 1 4883016 I think I'd go for the chocolate cake with chocolate icing, but I'd add a layer of raspberry jam between the layers. Wed Jul 22 22:07:29 -0700 2009 4877846 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 4883080 Princess Cake!....haven't tried making one yet, but it's on my list of cakes to make Photo: http://www.lovescool.com/uploads/bcakes69.jpg Recipes for Princess Cake: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/princess-cake-recipe/index.html http://www.axis-of-aevil.net/archives/2005/05/may_the_cream_b.html Wed Jul 22 22:54:42 -0700 2009 4877846 10626 phoenikia 1 4883338 the most delicious cake i've ever had is a southern living recipe: sweet potato layer cake with coconut frosting and pecans inside and out. it's made with grated fresh sweet potatoes, and is really high. i can't find my recipe! help, anyone? Thu Jul 23 05:25:05 -0700 2009 4877846 105717 alkapal 2 4884281 that sounds like a fun cake! this will be on my list of to-do cakes! Thu Jul 23 10:59:54 -0700 2009 4883338 133265 jeniyo 3 4885588 Here's the recipe for Southern Living's Sweet Potato Cake with Coconut Filling and Caramel Frosting. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=640828 Thu Jul 23 17:48:26 -0700 2009 4884281 179628 toveggiegirl 4 4886080 i've seen that recipe, but that's not the one i'm talking about. the one i seek uses grated raw taters, and the icing doesn't use cream cheese, but is a boiled sugar, coconut, nut icing. Thu Jul 23 21:14:48 -0700 2009 4885588 105717 alkapal 5 4886215 actually, this recipe looks very close if not identical to the sweet potato cake i'm crazy about: http://southernfood.about.com/od/sweetpotatodess/r/bl30413a.htm the cake is addictive! my sister had one while i was housesitting for a weekend, and i ate sliver by sliver until it was practically gone (and it had started out as half of a large 3-layer cake). i made her a brownie pie that is to this day (some 30 years later) known as "apology pie." ;-). Thu Jul 23 23:12:41 -0700 2009 4886080 105717 alkapal 6 4928030 i found the recipe for my favorite cake, and it was in "cotton country collection" cookbook (but then southern living must've picked it up from there). anyhoo, this cake is DA BOMB! http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,186,144171-240196,00.html Sat Aug 08 02:55:28 -0700 2009 4886215 105717 alkapal 1 4883378 These are the two that I use for Special Occassions: Zuppa Inglese Cake (a very special Italian rum cake) Schwarzwalder Kirsch Torte (a German cake with cherries) If interested in either one......let me know and I will post recipes. Thu Jul 23 05:46:19 -0700 2009 4877846 65993 Lisbet 2 4883982 Love a proper Schwarzwalder Kirsch Torte aka Blackforest Cake.... and haven't had a chance to try a Zuppa Inglese Cake could you please post your recipes for both your cakes:) Thu Jul 23 09:33:27 -0700 2009 4883378 10626 phoenikia 3 4884822 Recipe from Lutz Conttinental Cafe and Pastry Shop (Since it takes some time to assemble the torte, prepare the cherry filling the day before and keep it chilled.) 1 recipe Cherry Filling 2 egg whites 1 3/4 cups sifted Cake Flour 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda 1/3 cup Cooking Oil 2 Egg Yolks 1 teaspoon unflavored Gelatin 2 tablespoons cold Water 1/2 cup Kirsch or Cherry Liqueur 1 square Semisweet Chocolate -- (1 oz.) shaved 1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream 1/2 cup granulated Sugar 1 cup granulated Sugar 1 teaspoon Salt 1 cup Milk 2 squares unsweetened Chocolate -- (2 oz.) melted and cooled 3 cups Whipping Cream 3/4 cup toasted Almonds Maraschino Cherries To Make CAKE: In a small mixer bowl beat egg whites 'til soft peaks form (tips curl over). Gradually add the 1/2 C sugar, beating 'til stiff peaks form. Into large mixer bowl sift cake flour, the 1 C sugar, the soda, and salt. Add oil, and 1/2 C of the milk; beat 1 min. at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl often. Add the remaining milk and the egg yolks; beat 1 min. more. Fold in egg whites. Pour a third of the batter into one greased and lightly floured 9-inch round cake pan; set aside. Add cooled 2 squares melted chocolate to remaining mixture in bowl; fold 'til well blended. Pour chocolate batter into two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake all three layers in 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 min. Remove and cool on wire rack. To make CHERRY FILLING: Drain two 16 oz. cans pitted tart red cherries, reserving 2/3 C juice. In 2-quart saucepan combine 2/3 C granulated sugar and 1/4 C corn- starch. Stir in reserved juice. Cook and stir 'til mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add cherries; cook 2 min. more. Remove from heat; stir in 1 t. vanilla. Cool. To make CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM: In small mixer bowl cream 3 T butter or mar- garine. Gradually beat in 1 C sifted powdered sugar. Beat in 1 square (1 oz.) un- sweetened chocolate, melted and cooled, 2 T light cream and 1 t vanilla. Gradually beat in another 1 C sifted powdered sugar 'til fluffy. Add a teaspoon or two of light cream, if necessary, to make of piping consistency. To ASSEMBLE CAKE: In small heatproof cup soften gelatin in water; place over low heat, stirring just 'til dissolved. Set aside but do not cool. In a large mixer bowl whip cream 'til slightly thickened. Add gelatin all at once; continue beating 'till soft peaks form. Place one chocolate cake layer on serving plate. Fit pastry bag with medium rose point (#2F); fill with chocolate buttercream. Starting a third of the way out from the center of cake, pipe a 3 in. diameter ring of buttercream. Pipe a second ring two thirds of the way from center. Pipe a third ring around outer edge of cake. Fill in area between buttercream with some of the cherry filling. Spread a thin layer (about 1 C) of whipped cream over top. Place yellow cake layer atop; drizzle kirsch very slowly over cake. Put about 2 C of the whipped cream in pastry bag with large rosette tip (#1C); pipe a band of whipped cream about 2 inches wide around outer edge of cake layer (save enough cream for rosette garnish). Fill center with cherry filling (there will be some filling left over).. Place second chocolate cake layer over cherries; frost cake with remaining whipped cream. Press almonds onto side of cake. Pipe rosettes evenly around top of cake. Sprinkle shaved chocolate in center. Garnish rosettes with cherries. Chill. Yield: "16 servings" Thu Jul 23 13:20:10 -0700 2009 4883982 65993 Lisbet 4 4884886 aaah, Lutz! I used to love going there for a dessert and coffee on Sunday afternoons. ;) Thu Jul 23 13:38:07 -0700 2009 4884822 52499 ChefJune 5 4886436 How Lucky You Are !!!!........to have visited Lutz's International Cafe! It must be a Fabulously Wonderful Bakery !! True German Konditorei ! Fri Jul 24 05:19:17 -0700 2009 4884886 65993 Lisbet 4 4885641 Thank you, Lisbet! Thu Jul 23 18:18:36 -0700 2009 4884822 10626 phoenikia 4 4886456 Which Lutz's is this? When I was a kid in Chicago I used to ogle the cakes at the Lutz's on Montrose and stare amazedly at the marzipan animals that rotated on the display case! Fri Jul 24 05:29:51 -0700 2009 4884822 68363 JungMann 5 4886546 I got the recipe for Schwarzwalder Torte from Better Homes & Gardens, the 1977 December issue, page 110. I have never been lucky enough to be able to actually go to Lutz's. If you use the Google site and type in "Lutz's International Cafe and Bakers", you will find that they have a web page. Also, apparently they do mail-order, too. I don't know, for sure, (never having been there) but imagine they are in the order of bakeries I have visited on a European trip. As well a selling whole cakes and goods to take home, they have lovely little tables where you and a companion can sit down and order a slice of selected cake (after viewing their display of the whole product in a glass show case) with coffee, or/and some equally wonderful house-made ice cream. Those Europeans really know how to live graciously and at a relaxed pace ! All I can do is imagine in my fantasies what Lutz's in Chcage must be like !! "ChefJune" has been there ! Fri Jul 24 06:13:58 -0700 2009 4886456 65993 Lisbet 3 4886396 As promised...here is my recipe for the Zuppa Inglese........... Zuppa Inglese Source: "Culinary Arts Institute, Chicago, Ill." Yield: "16 to 20 servings" (* I find that I need to make Two Batches of This Sponge Cake Dough for three 9" round layers). Recipe for Zuppa Inglese 5 Eggs, separated 1 Cup Sugar 2 Tblsp Lemon Juice 1 Tsp. grated Lemon Peel 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract 1/2 Tsp. Salt 1 Cup Cake Flour (plus 1 tsp. Baking Powder) 1/2 Cup Dark Rum 2 Tblsp Cold Water Pineapple Cream Filling: Abt. 3 Cups 2 Cup Milk 1/2 Cup Sugar 2 Tblsp Cornstarch 1/2 Tsp. Salt 3 Eggs 1 1/2 Cups Crushed Pineapple -- (No,2 Can, drained) 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract Chocolate Cream Filling: 1 1/2 Square Chocolate 2/3 Cup Sugar 2 cups chilled whipping cream For Zuppa Inglese Cake: *Unlike the regular sponge cake, this sponge cake batter is baked in three 11x7x1½-in. cake pans for 30 to 35 min. This gives the Zuppa three layers which are each about 1-in. in height-exactly what is needed to prepare the Zuppa. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper or parchment. Butter and flour before adding the batter. (I use round Wilton Cake Pans.) For Cake: Separate egg yolks from whites. Combine egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, lemon juice, grated peel, and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes. Set Aside. In another bowl beat until frothy the egg whites with ½ teaspoon of salt. Add gradually, beating well after each addition ½ cup of sugar, until rounded peaks are formed. Gently fold egg yolk mixture into beaten egg whites. Fold in the sifted cake flour, about one-fourth at a time. Turn batter into pans, and bake at 325 degrees F. 60 to 65 minutes until cake springs back when lightly touched in center or when a wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting. Pineapple Cream Filling: Scald milk in top of double boiler. Meanwhile sift sugar, cornstarch, and salt into a saucepan. Add ½ cup cold milk, stirring well. Gradually stir in scalded milk. Wash double boiler top to remove scum. Stirring gently and constantly, bring cornstarch mix rapidly to boiling over direct heat and cook for 3 minutes. Pour into double boiler top and place over simmering water. cover and cook about 12 minutes, stirring three or four times. Vigorously stir about 3 tablespoons hot mix into 3 slightly beaten eggs. Immediately blend into mixture in double boiler. Cook over simmering water 3 to 5 minutes. Stir slowly to keep mixture cooking evenly. Remove from heat. Cover and cool. Stir in the crushed pineapple with the vanilla extract. Chill in refrigerator. Chocolate Cream Filling: Follow above recipe. Add the 1½ square chocolate to milk and heat to scalding. Beat smooth with rotary beater. Increase sugar to 2/3 cup. Omit pineapple. Assembly: Sprinkle first layer of cake with one-third of rum mixture, and spread with Pineapple Cream Filling. Top with second layer and sprinkle with one-third of rum mixture. Spread with Chocolate Cream Filling. Top with third layer and remaining rum mixture. Cover cake with waxed paper. Place in refrigerator for several hours to chill. For frosting sides and top of cake and for decorating use Whipped Cream. Beat in a 1-quart bowl with chilled rotary beater, one cup at a time, 2 cupschilled whipping cream. Beat until cream stands in peaks when beater is slowly lifted upright. (I stabilize cream with melted gelatin) Also can be frosted with Butter Frosting or Seven-Minute Frosting. Combine with whipped cream in a large chilled bowl 6 tablespoons sifted Confectioners' Sugar and 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract. To Decorate: force frosting or whipped cream through pastry bag and a No.27 star decorating tube. Garnish with Cherries. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- P.S. You are very welcome "phoenikia"......It's always a pleasure for me to share when I have something that I think is especially good! :-) Fri Jul 24 04:55:45 -0700 2009 4883982 65993 Lisbet 4 4886563 That looks delicious, Lisbet;) Grazie mille! Phoenikia Fri Jul 24 06:21:13 -0700 2009 4886396 10626 phoenikia 4 4887930 Hi Lisbet - This recipe looks amazing but far beyond my capabilities as a baker! But I was wondering about one element of this recipe and wondering if you could help me out. I'm making Persian Love cupcakes tonight and wanted to use a stabilized whipped cream but have never made before. For 2 cups whipping cream, how much gelatin would you use? Fri Jul 24 12:58:35 -0700 2009 4886396 207355 jmullen1251 5 4889203 for "jmullen1251".......So sorry, but didn't see your post until this morning (7/25) !!! If I am too late, here is some "Kitchen Info." that you might want to print off and tuck into your cookbook: WHIPPED CREAM - Stabilized There are three ways to stabilize Whipped Cream when using it for frosting. The most common way is to use gelatin. For each cup of cream (1/2 pint) to be whipped, you will need 1 t. gelatin and 2 T. of cold water. Add the gelatin to the water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir over low heat 'til melted. Allow to cool, then begin whipping cream. As soon as cream barely mounds, begin pouring melted, cooled gelatin in a slow, steady stream into the cream, with beaters still running. Continue to beat the cream 'til it is stiff enough to use as frosting or for piping through a pastry tube. Put cake in a cool place. Serve chilled. Another way is to beat a little confectioners' sugar into whipped cream. The sugar absorbes some of the excess liquid in the whipped cream; it also contains cornstartch, which acts as a stabilizer. Whip cream 'til stiff, then fold in 3 T confectioners' sugar to each cupful of whipped cream. (Each 1/2 pint of whipping cream yields 2 C of whipped cream.) A third way is to let it drip 'til it is stiff from loss of moisture. Buy heavy whipping cream the day before you plan to use it, and put it into the coldest part of your refrigerator. Whip 2 C of cream in an electric mixer, or use a rotary beater 'til it begins to thicken. Then add 1/4 C sugar and continue shipping 'til thick, taking care not to over beat. Fold 2 t vanilla into cream. Rinse a triple layer of cheesecloth in cold water and wring out well. Use to line a colander or large strainer. Pour whipped cream into cheesecloth-lined colander. Set in a pan with raised sides, then drape remaining cloth over the top. Let sit for 24 to 48 hrs. in the refrigerator. As liquid drips out of the cream, the cream will get dense and very stiff. Makes 4 C. Use within 24 to 48 hrs. WAYS to MAKE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM There are two methods for making chocolate whipped cream. The first is to beat 2 C of whipping cream until slightly thick, then, with the beaters still running, pour 2/3 C of chocolate syrup into the whipped cream in a thin, steady stream. This makes a delicious chocolate whipped cream that can be used as a cake filling. A second method calls for a sifted mixture of 2/3 C of aconfectioners' sugar and 5 T of unsweetened cocoa. This combination with 2 C of whipping cream, and the mixture is beaten 'til stiff. If desired 1 t. of vanilla extract into the chocolate whipped cream while the beaters are running. You will have better results whipping cream if the cream is at least 1 day old and if the beaters and bowl are well chilled. From Bon Appetit Magazine April, 1983 p.124 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/articles/how-to/bring-whipped-cream-back.aspx Bringing whipped cream back from the brink from Taunton's Fine Cooking (75), pp. 82 by Jennifer Armentrout Tell me you’ve never done this before: There you are, whipping cream to go along with your luscious pumpkin pie or other dessert masterpiece, knowing that you’re probably getting close to perfect peaks when—whoops!—all of a sudden you push it too far and the cream goes from fluffy to grainy in a split second. Do you quietly curse yourself as you scrape the batch into the trash and pray you have enough cream to start over again? No, you don’t. What you do instead is add a few tablespoons of fresh cream to the overwhipped cream and start whipping again. As long as the overwhipped cream hasn’t begun to form clumps of butterfat (which means it’s more than just a little overwhipped and is actually on its way to becoming butter), the fresh cream should quickly smooth out the graininess. But this time, stop whipping before you overdo it again. For extra insurance, you can whip the fresh cream in by hand with a whisk Sat Jul 25 04:25:04 -0700 2009 4887930 65993 Lisbet 6 4889334 Another way to make chocolate whipped cream (which I like as it allows you to use a high-quality chocolate): Bring 1-1/2 cups whipping cream and 1 tbsp sugar to a full boil. Take the pan off the heat and vigorously stir in 2-1/4 ounces of finely-chopped chocolate, till melted and smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill for 5 hours. Then whip. Taken from the book "Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé". Sat Jul 25 06:23:48 -0700 2009 4889203 13143 souschef 6 4893849 Wow! Lisbet thank you so much! i didn't check sat morning before i made the whipped cream but i did look on the internet friday eve and basically came to the same point that you would have guided me to - i used gelatin and powdered sugar and it was the perfect consistency - it might have otherwise been too stiff but since i added rose water, that was enough to thin it out just enough - it piped beautifully - thanks again! Mon Jul 27 09:15:41 -0700 2009 4889203 207355 jmullen1251 1 4883929 My dream version would be a cake using either yellow or dark chocolate with layers of a hazelnut crunch and ganache, a nice vanilla custard in between the layers if possible, and a beautiful dark chocholate ganache frosting...with more chopped hazlenuts on the top and sides. I don't have a recipe but that's my dream cake, perhaps I need to get busy researching and practicing on a recipe for next year! Thu Jul 23 09:14:22 -0700 2009 4877846 50431 chef chicklet 2 4884316 that sounds fantastic. i'd love a triple chocolate cake with hazelnut praline and creme burlee on the bottom layer, chocolate mousse in between the upper layer. ganache all around with praline pieces around the outside of the cake. i never got around to research how to put creme burlee inside a cake, is it just a dense vanilla custard? or do i scoop out and spread on cake? Thu Jul 23 11:10:20 -0700 2009 4883929 133265 jeniyo 3 4885043 creme brulee is a wonderful custard, I don't think dense at all. The brulee is what would hold the hazelnut in place, like a soft candy almost. Praline is brown sugar and cream, its softer than brulee. I like your creme brulee idea, that's perfect. But all cremebrule is, to answer your question is a rich egg custard. Sure you could spread it, but don't go to close to the edge, it will slide out. Thu Jul 23 14:32:24 -0700 2009 4884316 50431 chef chicklet 2 4886082 chef c, that sounds deeee-lish! Thu Jul 23 21:16:29 -0700 2009 4883929 105717 alkapal 2 4928136 I have a recipe that sounds a bit like what you describe. It is called Hapsburger Torte, and consists of layers of hazelnut cake sandwiching chocolate hazelnut cake, ganache, and a layer of almond-pistachio butter. The whole works is glazed with a chocolate glaze; I don't like the one in the recipe, so I usually use the chocolate/cream/Gianduja glaze in the fig cake recipe I posted earlier. The decoration uses sliced almonds and chopped hazelnuts and pistachios. It's a very expensive cake to make, but feeds a large crowd. Wouldn't vanilla custard be a bit gooey in a cake, unless combined with butter? I LOVE butter. Sat Aug 08 05:36:21 -0700 2009 4883929 13143 souschef 1 4884284 I dream of white chocolate, but find that the confiture that usually moistens the cake takes away too much from the white chocolate itself. Were I to find something that were to spotlight white chocolate (and perhaps incorporate some coconut in there), I'd be in heaven. Thu Jul 23 11:01:02 -0700 2009 4877846 68363 JungMann 2 4884364 The Cake Bible has a great white chocolate cake recipe, as well as some good white chocolate frosting or ganache recipes. You could easily incorporate coconut, althout I find it goes better on its own then with white chocolate. Thu Jul 23 11:25:10 -0700 2009 4884284 1091916 1munchy1 1 4884362 Perhaps because of my Hungarian heritage, my favorite bakery cake is a Dobos torte. If I am baking, I do a riff on this by making 7 layers of very rich genoise, sprinling each layer very lightly with Frangelico (hazelnut liquor), using an espresso-chocolate cooked buttercream. The top layer is the traditional caramel one. I gild the lily by encasing the outside of the cake with finely chopped hazelnuts as well. My mother (born in Hungary) will turn 80 in early August and I will be making this for her. While my cakes don't always LOOK picture perfect, their taste is incredible as I use A+ ingredients (Plugra butter, cane suage, best vanilla, real cream, etc). The menu for this birthday dinner will be roasted shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce (Ina Garten), cesar salad with homemade dressing and croutons, miniature cloverleaf rolls, roasted prime rib, creamed spinach, potato gratin and the cake. A trip to the cardiologist may have to be the last stop (just kidding). Thu Jul 23 11:24:34 -0700 2009 4877846 15139 Diane in Bexley 2 4884636 I think we have the same dobostorte recipe, don't we Diane? It's been my go-to celebratory cake for some carb-heavy days! Thu Jul 23 12:31:30 -0700 2009 4884362 68363 JungMann 1 4884463 I can never make up my mind! Either: MIle high chocolate with fudge frosting and burnt carmel between the layers, covered in milk chocolate frosting. A cake made of big fresh baked chocolate chip cookies with melty chocolate fudge and frosting in between the layers-oozing out because the cookie layers are still warm. Top it with a bit of ginger ice cream. The cookies would have to have dark, milk and white chocolate in there. If you bake them in the bottom of spring form cake pans, you can form them and get them out easily. Or just cake pans. Make a ganache for between the layers. For me a dream birthday cake would be one I could eat a lot of and not gain an ounce. Make your favorite for YOU, not your guests. Go triple chocolate if you want! Thu Jul 23 11:50:31 -0700 2009 4877846 1091916 1munchy1 1 4884880 Paris Brest is really delicious and so easy to do! I have made a lot of birthday cakes in my life, but nothing gets as many requests as Coconut Pound Cake! Go figure. I really like to make a Sacher Torte for a birthday cake, and write the birthday person's name in the molten chocolate on the top. Very sophisticated, understated and super-delicious! Another that is really impressive is a Black Forest Cake that I make in an off-kilter heart shaped pan. Thu Jul 23 13:35:26 -0700 2009 4877846 52499 ChefJune 2 4886143 St. Honoré ia also delicious, but a bit more work than Paris-Brest. Thu Jul 23 22:00:48 -0700 2009 4884880 13143 souschef 1 4886132 I ask for a good black forest cake every birthday. I never get one. My mother makes me trifles or cheesecakes, but never a good black forest cake. Thu Jul 23 21:49:52 -0700 2009 4877846 164007 Bryn 1 4886776 Two more cakes to consider: Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte from Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible". I have made it many times, and it is really delicious, especially when you incorporate raspberry puree into the mix, as she suggests. All it contains is chocolate, butter, and eggs. I cannot recommend the book highly enough; it is a treasure trove of stuff. Queen of Sheba from Alice Medrich's book "Cocolat". This is another cake I have made many times. As both books are readily available I will not post the recipes. Fri Jul 24 07:31:51 -0700 2009 4877846 13143 souschef 1 4889450 I devised a chestnut cake for my husband's latest birthday, by cobbling togther recipes from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert (chestnut-walnut meringues, which I made into 3 9" layers (and some cookies out of the leftovers), Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible (chestnut layer cake, 2 9"layers), and some leftover chocolate glaze from Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets (the Medrich - which introduced me to the use of chestnut flour - and Greenspan books being two of my absolute favorites). Glued the meringue and cake layers together with a skim of the chocolate glaze, and frosted the whole shebang with a light ganache (2 parts heavy cream to 1 part TJ's 72% chocolate), chilled and whipped. It was quite wonderful if I do say so myself, although I think I will make the next one with chestnut génoise and not the layer cake for more lightness. (My ideal birthday cake for myself is a Zuger Kirschtorte, meringue and génoise with kirsch syrup and buttercream - which was lurking in the back of my mind when casting about for ideas for this cake - but the recipes I have for it make a whopping great cake, my husband prefers chestnuts to almost anything other than sour cherries, and we were having a small celebration, this significant birthday coming less than a week after we lost our venerable Maine Coon, Milan, RIP darling). Sat Jul 25 07:39:09 -0700 2009 4877846 13709 buttertart 2 4889471 Hey buttertart, if you like chestnut cakes, I have a recipe that is my wife's favourite. It consists of genoise layers moistened with rum syrup, then filled with a mixture of Swiss meringue, chocolate, butter, and chestnut puree. The whole thing is then frosted with a mixture of the same stuff minus the chocolate. The next time I make it I will try it with chestnut genoise. Thanks for the idea. Sat Jul 25 07:46:17 -0700 2009 4889450 13143 souschef 3 4889500 Ooh ooh ooh yes, pls post more recipe details - we are both mad for chestnuts, himself more in a savory vein, I adore marrons glacés above all else. And my bday is next month... Sat Jul 25 08:01:52 -0700 2009 4889471 13709 buttertart 4 4889623 I love marrons glacés as well. The best I have had came from Confiserie Rohr in Geneva - my sister-in-law who used to live in Geneva once arranged to have delivered to me 3 kilos of the stuff; it was a great Christmas. I tried to make them a couple of times, but failed miserably. I plan to try again, using techniques I have since gleaned from various source, and will start a thread here. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Here is the recipe for the chestnut cake (for brevity I will leave out the genoise recipe): Alex Miles' Winter Chestnut Cake (From Chocolatier magazine, January 1989) 9" Genoise (I use 6 eggs, 6 oz flour, 6 oz sugar and some beurre noisette) Rum syrup 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3 Tablespoons dark rum Swiss meringue 6 large egg whites 1-3/4 cup granulated sugar Chestnut filling 5 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened until shiny 1 cup unsweetened chestnut puree 1-3/4 cups Swiss meringue 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Vanilla buttercream: 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened until shiny 2 cups Swiss meringue 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract Decoration: 3/4 cup roasted sliced almonds Cocoa powder Stencil Make the genoise using your standard recipe. Chill overnight. Make the rum syrup: Dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, then bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add rum and cool. Make the Swiss meringue: In a large metal mixer bowl combine the egg whites and sugar, then beat over a pan containing hot water until the sugar has dissolved and the the mixture is white and creamy and hot (110 degrees) - 5 to 10 min. Using the mixer, beat the mixture for 10 -15 min, till cool and has formed a thick meringue. Make the chestnut filling: Melt the chocolate and cool till tepid. Beat the butter till creamy, beat in the chestnut puree, melted chocolate and meringue, until smooth. Add the vanilla. Make the Vanilla buttercream. Same as for chocolate filling, but w/o the chocolate Assemble the cake: Slice the genoise into three layers. Brush the bottom layer with 1/3 syrup. Spread half chestnut filling over. Cover with middle layer, brush with syrup and spread remaining chestnut filling. Brush top layer with syrup and place on top. Freeze the cake for 20 minutes. Frost the cake: Standard frosting technique using the vanilla buttercream. Cover sides with toasted almonds. Place in fridge for 30 minutes. Decorate: Place a stencil over the cake and dust with cocoa. remove stencil. I like to serve the cake at room temperature. Sat Jul 25 09:08:36 -0700 2009 4889500 13143 souschef 4 4889627 I also make a really nice chestnut and pork stuffing for roast turkey, but it does not belong in this thread. I once added the logical ingredient to it - 'shrooms, and it was delicious. Sat Jul 25 09:10:51 -0700 2009 4889500 13143 souschef 1 4928281 This is my husband's idea of dream birthday cake: http://cookbookfixation.blogspot.com/2009/08/birthday-cinnamon-buns.html He loves cinnamon buns but isn't a big fan of cake. Personally I love black forest trifle. Yum. Sat Aug 08 07:13:42 -0700 2009 4877846 1098404 PadmeSkywalker 1 5098962 Definitely Dobos Torte, the Hungarian 12-layer cake with burnt sugar on top. When I make it for my birthday, I make two and freeze the second. The layers are really thin, like crepes, and in between and on the outside is a chocolate butter cream. Yum! Tue Oct 13 05:00:18 -0700 2009 4877846 45208 somervilleoldtimer