Recipes

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Served by Janet, February 2019, for "Alexander Hamilton"

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Slightly Modified from Epicurious: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/almond-cake-366229

Ingredients

• 8 oz (1 3/4 cups) blanched almond flour (Trader Joe’s)
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 cups superfine (caster) sugar (can make your own by grinding regular sugar in the food processor)
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (or two Meyer lemons instead of 1 orange and 1 lemon)
• 1/8 tsp almond extract
• Simple syrup (recipe follows)

Directions

1. With an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar to a smooth pale cream. Beat in the zests and almond extract. Add the almond flour and mix very well.
2. With clean beaters, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form (can add ½ tsp cream of tartar near the end of beating egg whites to help them keep their shape).
3. Fold egg whites into the egg yolk and almond mixture (the mixture is thick, so that you will need to turn it over quite a bit into the egg whites). This can be simplified by using your hands to mix in egg whites until they are nearly incorporated, then use spatula as you would normally do to blend in egg whites.
4. Grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan, with butter and dust it with flour (or spray with cooking spray). Pour in the cake batter, and bake into a preheated 350°F for 40 minutes, or until it feels firm to the touch. As soon as cake is removed from oven, brush on simple syrup and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
5. Let cool before removing sides of springform pan. Additional simple syrup can be drizzled onto cake before serving, if desired.

Simple Syrup

Mix ½ cup lemon juice with ½ cup sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts. It should be thick enough at this point, but can be cooked for a few more minutes until it thickens a bit more. Add 1/8 tsp almond extract (or more), if desired.

Meyer Lemon Curd

From Martha Stewart: https://www.marthastewart.com/331788/meyer-lemon-curd

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• Zest of 3 lemons
• 3 large eggs
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup Meyer lemon juice
• 5 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Prepare and ice-water bath. Set a medium bowl in ice-water bath and set aside.
2. Place sugar and lemon zest in a mortar and grind with a pestle to combine and release the oils. Transfer sugar mixture to a medium heatproof bowl along with eggs and egg yolks; whisk to combine. Place over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon juice and continue whisking until mixture is thick and reaches 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add butter and whisk until well combined.
3. Strain lemon mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over prepared bowl. Cover lemon curd with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly onto surface. Transfer to refrigerator until completely chilled.

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Served by Allan, December 2018, for "The Invention of Hugo Cabret"

Ingredients

• 625g/1lb 6oz panettone (or pandoro)
• 6 tbsp Tuaca liqueur (or rum, brandy or Marsala)
• 2 free-range eggs, at room temperature
• 75g/2½oz caster sugar
• 500g/1lb 2oz mascarpone, at room temperature
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream, at room temperature
• 125ml/4½fl oz Marsala
• 75g/2¾oz marrons glacés, chopped (optional)
• 125g/4½oz mini chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate
• 100g/3½oz pistachios, chopped
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Method

1. Using a serrated knife, cut the panettone roughly into 1cm slices, then use about a third of these to line the bottom of a 23cm/9in springform cake tin. Tear off pieces to fit so that there are no gaps: panettone is fabulously soft and mouldable, so this isn’t a hard job. Drizzle two tablespoons of the Tuaca (or other liqueur) over it so that the panettone lining is dampened. It looks like a beautiful golden patchwork made out of cake.
2. Now get on with the luscious filling. Whisk – using a freestanding electric mixer for ease- the eggs and sugar until very frothy and increased in volume and lightness.
3. More slowly, whisk in the mascarpone and double cream, then gradually whisk in the Marsala and carry on whisking until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Remove 250ml (a good cupful) to a bowl or other container, cover and put in the fridge: this is for the top layer, which is not added until you serve the cake.
4. Crumble the marrons glacés into the big bowl of mascarpone cream mixture, followed by 100g of the chocolate chips and 75g of the chopped pistachios, and fold in. Use half of this creamy filling to top the panettone layer that is lining the cake tin.
5. Use another third of the panettone slices to cover the cream filling, again leaving no holes for the cream to escape through. Dampen with another two tablespoons of liqueur.
6. Spoon on the other half of the cream mixture and spread it evenly. Then top with a third and final layer of the panettone, covering the cream as before, and drizzle over it the last two tablespoons of liqueur. Cover tightly with cling film, pressing down on the top a little, and put in the fridge overnight or for up to two days.
7. When you are ready to serve, take the cake out of the fridge, unmould and sit it on a flat plate or cake stand, then spread with the reserved mascarpone mixture. Don’t try to lift the cake off the base as the panettone slices at the bottom are too delectably damp.
8. Scatter the top – and all around the cake, if wished – with the remaining chocolate chips and chopped pistachios and your pomegranate jewels. These sprinklings also provide beauteous camouflage for any less than aesthetically uplifting edges of the springform base which may be visible.

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Served by Michele, June 2016, for "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk"

Amelie cake from Pix Patisserie. Winner of the Patis France Chocolate Competition! Orange vanilla crème brûlée sits atop a glazed chocolate mousse with caramelized hazelnuts, praline crisp, and Cointreau génoise.

Served with an assortment of macarons ...

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Served by Marilynn, March 2016, for "The Goldfinch"

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Served by Janet, February 2016, for "Unnecessary Woman" Recipe from Orangette.net: http://orangette.net/2004/08/and-then-the-cake-came-forth/

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Served by Michele, October 2015, for "Super Sad True Love Story"
Recipe adapted from food.com

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup coconut (liquid form) or canola oil
• ½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 4 cups apples, peeled and chopped

For the frosting:

• 6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9"x13" pan.

In large mixing bowl, beat eggs and oil until smooth.
Add next 6 ingredients and mix well.
Fold in chopped nuts and apples.
Pour into greased pan - batter is very thick.
Bake at 350F degrees for 50-55 minutes.

Allow to cool, then make frosting. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Author: Date: January 1, 1970Categories: Desserts

Carrot and Pineapple Cake

Served by Michele, January 2015, for "A Signature of All Things"
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable or coconut oil (melt then cool to room temperature)*
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans*
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple or canned crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut*
• 1/2 cup rum or pineapple juice* (optional for soaking raisins)

For the frosting:

• 1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature (2 8-oz packages)*
• 1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted (about 3 cups, to taste)

For the decoration:

• pineapple slices
• unsweetened flaked coconut*

Instructions

To soak the raisins in rum, measure 1 cup raisins in a small bowl, pour some rum over the top, let soak for a few hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then flour the pans.

For the cake:

Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients.

If soaking raisins, drain, then combine 1 cup raisins and 1 cup chopped nuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Stir to combine, then add to cake batter.

Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.

Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

For the frosting:

Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with pineapple, coconut flakes, and a hula girl if possible. 🙂

Notes: Makes one 2-layer cake. Served 12-14*, with vanilla ice cream and coffee.
* Modifications
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