Dessert - by Scarlett

From soufflé to parfait, you'll find my personal selection of yummy dessert recipes here and more!! So for home-made goodness or sweet treats around Sydney, be sure to check here - oh, and bon appétit!! Scarlett :)

Tarts - Dessert

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Torta Glassata Al Limone (Iced Lemon Cake)

April 9th 2008 15:35

Torta Glassata Al Limone (Iced Lemon Cake)

About Cake

Cake is a form of food that is usually sweet and often baked. Cakes normally combine some kind of flour, a sweetening agent (commonly sugar), a binding agent (generally egg, though gluten or starch are often used by vegetarians and vegans), fats (usually butter, shortening, or margarine, although a fruit puree can be substituted to avoid using fat), a liquid (milk, water or fruit juice), flavours and some form of leavening agent (such as yeast or baking powder), though many cakes lack these ingredients and instead rely on air bubbles in the dough to expand and cause the cake to rise. Cake is often frosted with buttercream or marzipan, and finished with piped borders and crystallized fruit.

Cake is often the dessert of choice for meals at ceremonial occasions, particularly weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. There are literally millions of cake recipes (some are bread-like and some rich and elaborate) and many are centuries old. Cake making is no longer a complicated procedure; while at one time considerable labour went into cake making (particularly the whisking or egg foams), baking equipment and directions have been so perfected and simplified that even the amateur cook may easily become an expert baker.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 6 - 8

1 cup butter, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 lemon, grated zest
4 eggs
1¼ cups potato flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the icing

1 lemon, juice
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar

For the loaf pan

Butter, as needed
Flour, as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.

3. Add the lemon zest followed by the eggs, one at a lemon zest followed by the eggs, one at a time.

4. Stir in the potato and all-purpose flours, then the baking powder.

5. Butter and flour a 9 X 5-inch loaf pan and pour in the mixture.

6. Bake for about 1 hour.

7. Set aside on a cake rack to cool.

8. Beat the confectioners’ sugar with enough lemon juice to make a thick icing.

9. Spread on the cake and serve.

**From “The Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**

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Posted By: Scarlett - Category: Tarts

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Torta Moka Alla Crema (Mocha Cream Cake)

February 19th 2008 04:39

Torta Moka Alla Crema (Mocha Cream Cake)

About unsweetened cocoa powder

Cocoa powder is made when chocolate liquor is pressed to remove three quarters of its cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make fine unsweetened cocoa powder. There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-processed.
1. Dutch-Processed or Alkalized Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be used in recipes calling for baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used. It has a reddish-brown colour, mild flavour, and is easy to dissolve in liquids. Its delicate flavour makes it ideal in baked goods like European cakes and pastries where its subtle flavour complements other ingredients. Droste, Lindt, Valrhona, Poulain and Pernigotti are some popular brands.
2. Natureal Unsweetened Cocoa Powder tastes very bitter and gives a deep chocolate flavour to baked goods. Its intense flavour makes it well suited for use in brownies, cookies and some chocolate cakes. Whwn natural cocoa (an acid) is used in recipes calling for baking soda (an alkali), it creates a leavening action that causes the batter to rise when placed in the oven. Popular brands are Hershey’s, Ghirardelli, and Scharffen Berger.
The role of cocoa powder in cakes:
When used alone in cakes, cocoa powder imparts a full rich chocolate flavour and dark colour. Cocoa powder can also be used in recipes with other chocolaates (unsweetened or dark) and this combination produces a cake with a more intense chocolate flavour than if the cocoa wasn’t present. Most recipes call for sifting the cocoa powder with the flour but to bring out its full flavour it can be combined with a small amount of boiling water. (If you want to try this in a recipe, substitute some of the liquid in the recipe for boiling water). Often times, you may notice that more butter and leavening agent are used in recipes containing cocoa powder. This is to offset cocoa powder’s drying and strengthening affect in cakes. There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-processed and it is best to use the type specified in the recipe as the leavening agent used is dependent on the type of cocoa powder. Some prefer using Dutch-processed cocoa as a slight bitterness may be tasted in cakes using natural cocoa and baking soda.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 6 - 8

For the cake base

4 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup milk
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt

For the filling

1 quantity vanilla cream
2 tablespoons unflavoured gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
⅓ cup strong hot coffee

For the vanilla cream

5 egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
4 drops vanilla extract

For garnish

½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
coffee beans (optional)

For the cake tin

Butter, as needed
Flour, as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. To make the cake base. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.

3. Stir in the milk, butter, cocoa powder, coffee, flour, and baking powder. Beat until smooth.

4. Whip the egg whites and salt until stiff and fold them into the mixture.

5. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan and pour in the mixture.

6. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. Place on a cake rack to cool.

8. To prepare the filling, prepare the vanilla cream first. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.

9. Bring the milk to a boil with the salt and vanilla, then stir it into the egg and sugar.

10. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens. Set aside.

11. Soften the gelatin in the cold water. Stir in to the hot coffee until it dissolves.

12. Combine the coffee mixture with the vanilla cream.

13. Cut the cake in half and fill with the vanilla cream.

14. For the garnish, whip the heavy cream with the confectioners’ sugar until stiff. Cover the cake with cream and coffee beans.

**From “The Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking”, “JoyofBaking.com” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**

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