mariadnoca
Moderator
These look like wrapped presents on the plate. Very pretty.
Cake and Ice Cream "Presents" with Strawberry Sauce. Makes 18. Layers of cake, lemon cream and strawberry ice cream are wrapped in chocolate ganache and topped off with a ribbon of icing. A bonus: these can be made a week ahead.
Note: read through recipe before making as it takes steps over more than 1 day.
CAKES
2 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder pinch of salt
1 c milk
2 T (1/4 stick) of unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
2 c sugar
FILLINGS
3 c whipping cream
1 1/2 c sugar
6 T fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 T grated lemon peel
4 1/2 c purchased strawberry ice cream, softened slightly
GANACHE
2 1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 c light corn syrup
2 lbs bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 c cognac or brandy
RIBBON ICING
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
5 T water
Strawberry Sauce (see below)
FOR CAKES:
Preheat oven to 350:F. Butter and flour two 8 inch square cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Bring milk and butter to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; cover to keep hot.
Beat yolks and one cup sugar in large bowl until pale, about 1 minute. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Beat dry ingredients into yolks alternately with hot milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in whites in three additions. Divide batter between baking pans. Bake cakes until tester in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto floured kitchen towels. Cool. Cut each cake horizontally into 3 equal layers.
FOR FILLINGS:
Mix cream, sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Freeze lemon cream until slightly firm but still soft enough to spread, about 2 hours. Line 2 clean 8 inch square baking pans with plastic, overlapping sides. Place one cake layer in each prepared pan. Spread 2 1/4 cups strawberry ice cream over each. Top with second layer of cake. Spread 2 1/4 cups lemon cream over each. Top with third layer, cut side down. Cover and freeze cakes overnight.
Turn 1 cake out onto baking sheet. Peel off plastic. Trim cake edges. Cut cake into nine 2 1/2 inch squares; place in freezer. Repeat with remaining cake.
FOR GANACHE:
Bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a large saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Stir in cognac. Cool until thickened slightly but still pourable.
Remove 3 cakes from freezer and place on wire rack set over baking sheets. Pour 1/3 cup ganache all at once over top of one cake. Working quickly, spread ganache over sides. Repeat with remaining 2 cakes.
Return to baking sheet in freezer. Glaze remaining cakes, 3 at a time. Freeze until glaze is firm, about 1 hour.
FOR RIBBON ICING:
Whisk powdered sugar and 5 T of water into medium bowl to blend. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with small plain tip. Remove 1 baking sheet from freezer. Pipe icing over top of each cake, forming bow. Return to freezer. Repeat with cakes on second baking sheet. Freeze until icing sets, about 30 minutes.
(Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover with plastic; keep frozen.)
Place 1 cake on each plate. Pour some of sauce around each cake and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
Makes about 4 cups 2 16 oz packages frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed 1/2 c orange juice Working in batches, puree berries and juice in blender. Transfer to bowl.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) December 1999, Bon Appitit
Cake and Ice Cream "Presents" with Strawberry Sauce. Makes 18. Layers of cake, lemon cream and strawberry ice cream are wrapped in chocolate ganache and topped off with a ribbon of icing. A bonus: these can be made a week ahead.
Note: read through recipe before making as it takes steps over more than 1 day.
CAKES
2 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder pinch of salt
1 c milk
2 T (1/4 stick) of unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
2 c sugar
FILLINGS
3 c whipping cream
1 1/2 c sugar
6 T fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 T grated lemon peel
4 1/2 c purchased strawberry ice cream, softened slightly
GANACHE
2 1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 c light corn syrup
2 lbs bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 c cognac or brandy
RIBBON ICING
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
5 T water
Strawberry Sauce (see below)
FOR CAKES:
Preheat oven to 350:F. Butter and flour two 8 inch square cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Bring milk and butter to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; cover to keep hot.
Beat yolks and one cup sugar in large bowl until pale, about 1 minute. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Beat dry ingredients into yolks alternately with hot milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in whites in three additions. Divide batter between baking pans. Bake cakes until tester in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto floured kitchen towels. Cool. Cut each cake horizontally into 3 equal layers.
FOR FILLINGS:
Mix cream, sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Freeze lemon cream until slightly firm but still soft enough to spread, about 2 hours. Line 2 clean 8 inch square baking pans with plastic, overlapping sides. Place one cake layer in each prepared pan. Spread 2 1/4 cups strawberry ice cream over each. Top with second layer of cake. Spread 2 1/4 cups lemon cream over each. Top with third layer, cut side down. Cover and freeze cakes overnight.
Turn 1 cake out onto baking sheet. Peel off plastic. Trim cake edges. Cut cake into nine 2 1/2 inch squares; place in freezer. Repeat with remaining cake.
FOR GANACHE:
Bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a large saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Stir in cognac. Cool until thickened slightly but still pourable.
Remove 3 cakes from freezer and place on wire rack set over baking sheets. Pour 1/3 cup ganache all at once over top of one cake. Working quickly, spread ganache over sides. Repeat with remaining 2 cakes.
Return to baking sheet in freezer. Glaze remaining cakes, 3 at a time. Freeze until glaze is firm, about 1 hour.
FOR RIBBON ICING:
Whisk powdered sugar and 5 T of water into medium bowl to blend. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with small plain tip. Remove 1 baking sheet from freezer. Pipe icing over top of each cake, forming bow. Return to freezer. Repeat with cakes on second baking sheet. Freeze until icing sets, about 30 minutes.
(Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover with plastic; keep frozen.)
Place 1 cake on each plate. Pour some of sauce around each cake and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
Makes about 4 cups 2 16 oz packages frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed 1/2 c orange juice Working in batches, puree berries and juice in blender. Transfer to bowl.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) December 1999, Bon Appitit