Almond Cake With Kirsch Cream And Lingonberry Preserves Food

ALMOND CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE, GANACHE AND FRESH STRAWBERRY FILLING, VANILLA BUTTERCREAM ICING AND PINK POURED FONDANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Prepare two 16-inch cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fixed with the paddle attachment, add the liquid shortening, inverted sugar and vanilla. Then add the cake flour, granulated sugar, milk powder, baking powder, sea salt and cream of tartar. Mix on speed 1 for 1 minute. Then add half of the egg whites and mix on speed 1 for 3 minutes.
• Add the remaining egg whites and mix on speed 1 for 1 minute. Then mix on speed 3 for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, and add the whole eggs, water and almond extract. Mix on speed 1 for 1 minute. Then on speed 3 for 3 minutes. Lastly, mix on speed 1 for 10 minutes.
• Fill the cake pans two-thirds full and bake until golden and a tester such as a toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely.
• To assemble the cake: Torte the cooled cakes (level and split them horizontally into 2 layers each). Generously spread a layer of the Ganache on the first layer of cake, then a generous layer of Cream Cheese Filling. Layer some fresh strawberries on top of the Cream Cheese Filling. Repeat with the next 2 cake layers. Top with the last cake layer and ice the cake smooth with the Vanilla Buttercream Icing. Lastly, pour a thin layer of Pink Poured Fondant over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
• In a microwave-safe glass bowl, heat the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring between each intervals. Add the cream and mix with a spatula until smooth. Let cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and cream cheese until smooth. Then add the confectioners' sugar, sea salt, vanilla and butter emulsion. Mix it all on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening until smooth. Then add the confectioners' sugar, sea salt, vanilla and butter emulsion.
• Mix it all on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the confectioners' sugar, then the water, corn syrup, almond extract, vanilla, liquid whitener and food coloring. Mix it all on medium speed until smooth, about 10 minutes. Yield: enough for one 16-inch layer cake.

ALMOND CAKE WITH KIRSCH CREAM AND LINGONBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter pan generously and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• Break almond paste into pieces and pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and very fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add almond paste and vanilla and beat until combined well, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down side of bowl. Add flour mixture and mix at low speed 30 seconds. Finish mixing batter by hand with a rubber spatula, scraping bottom of bowl.
• Pour batter into tube pan, smoothing top. Bake in middle of oven, rotating pan halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean and edges begin to pull away from pan, 55 minutes to 1 hour total.
• Cool cake completely in pan on a rack. (Cake may shrink and buckle slightly, but don't worry. This won't be visible once cake is inverted.) Run a thin knife around outside and inside edges and invert a plate over pan, then invert cake onto plate.
• Make kirsch cream:
• Just before serving, beat together cream and kirsch in a chilled bowl with cleaned beaters until soft peaks form.
• Serve cake with kirsch cream and lingonberry preserves.

ALMOND LINGONBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter four 9-inch round cake pans, dusting them in flour to ensure the batter does not stick to the pan.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites until incorporated. Set aside.
• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until very light, about 3 minutes. Beat in the almond and vanilla extracts. Continue to beat on medium speed and add 1/3 of the sifted flour mixture until incorporated. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture, again beating until incorporated. Again, add 1/3 of the sifted flour and, once incorporated, add the rest of the buttermilk mixture until homogeneous. Finally, add in the remaining flour mixture and continue beating the batter on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes to insure the ingredients are well mixed.
• Divide the batter evenly among the four pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cakes are springy to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Place the cakes on a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife between the rim of the pan and the cake to insure the cake will cleanly detach. Remove the cakes from the pans and invert on the rack until completely cool.
• To assemble the cake:
• Level each layer of almond cake with a cake leveler or serrated knife. Place a spoonful of buttercream on your serving plate, followed by your first layer of cake, cut-side up. Place the remaining buttercream in a pastry bag with a frosting tip.
• Evenly cover your first layer with about 1/3 cup of creme frangipane. Next create a moat of buttercream around the layer of cake with the piping bag in preparation for the lingonberry jam. Evenly spread 1/3 cup lingonberry jam within the moat. Finish the layer by piping icing over the layer, about a 1/4 inch thick.
• Add the next layer of cake and repeat the previous steps. Repeat with the third layer of cake. Complete the cake with the 4th layer of cake, cut-side down. Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream and top with a few lingonberries from the jam.
• Be sure all tools are thoroughly degreased before beginning. (I usually use lemon juice or vinegar to remove all traces of grease.)
• In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of water with the almond and vanilla extracts and set aside. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks on medium speed for 1 minute. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, place 1/2 cup water and the sugar on the stove. Bring the sugar and water to a boil until it reaches 238 degrees F. DO NOT STIR. Stirring will cause the sugar crystals to adhere to the edge of the saucepan, causing the syrup to become grainy. Be sure not to overcook the sugar, as it will crystalize and form brittle chunks in your frosting. Once the syrup is heated to 238 degrees F, immediately remove from the heat. Slowly and steadily stream the syrup into the eggs while mixing on low, avoiding the edge of the bowl as well as the whisk. Once the eggs and syrup are incorporated, add in the extract mixture and beat on medium speed until completely cool, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Beat in the butter, one piece at a time until silky smooth. (If your buttercream curdles, do not despair! Simply heat the bowl over the stove until slightly warmed, 10 to 20 seconds, until the buttercream becomes slightly melted near the edge of the bowl. Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.)
• In a food processor, pulse the almond paste until crumbly. Add the cream, sugar, butter, flour, almond extract, vanilla extract and salt and pulse until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Cover tightly and refrigerate until needed.

ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set rack to middle position.
• Line the bottom of an 8" cake tin with parchment paper. Butter and flour the tin.
• Using an electric mixer (stand mixer or hand held) cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the almond paste about a walnut sized piece at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the kirsch (or brandy or rum), almond extract and the salt.
• Combine the cake flour and baking powder in a small bowl, add to the batter and beat vigorously for about 30 seconds.
• Pour the batter into the cake tin.
• Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown on top and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Start testing at the 30 minute mark.
• Cool the cake in the tin on a rack. Unmold the cake on to a serving platter. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
• Notes:.
• This cake has a tendency to collapse in the middle as it cools. I have found that beating the batter vigorously after the flour is added develops a bit of structure that helps alleviate the collapse. Because it is cake flour there is only so much gluten that can be developed so the cake does not become tough. And anyway, collapsed or not, it still tastes great.
• This cake is delicious served plain as is. With a little raspberry coulis, a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh berry or two, it makes for an elegant desert.
• If you have cake strips you can use them here. It's not really necessary but I find you get more even rise if you do.
• If you don't have any liquor in the house you can omit it altogether.
• This cake keeps very well, wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days.

LINGONBERRY-CARDAMOM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle 1/2 cup almonds onto bottom of a greased 10-in. springform pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and cardamom; cut in margarine until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture for topping. To remaining mixture, beat in sour cream, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Spread over almonds., In another large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar substitute and remaining 1 teaspoon almond extract until smooth. Gently beat in remaining egg. Alternately drop cream cheese mixture and jam over cake mix. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake for 40 minutes., Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup almonds. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is almost set, 30-40 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerated until chilled, at least 4 hours, covering when completely cooled. Remove rim from pan. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

ALMOND KIRSCH CAKE

Steps:

• For cake, preheat oven to 325 °F.
• Grease and line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Grease again and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Pulse marzipan, butter and sugar in a food processor until smooth.
• Add eggs, kirsch and vanilla and purée on high until smooth (scraping into the bottom of the bowl, if needed).
• Scrape batter into a bowl and stir in flour in two additions.
• Scrape into prepared pan and bake for 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool completely in the pan.
• For meringue layer, reduce oven temperature to 250 °F and line bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan with parchment.
• Pulse 1/3 cup sugar and almonds in food processor until ground.
• Toss with cornstarch and set aside.
• Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy, then add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and whip until a stiff peak forms.
• Quickly but gently fold in ground nuts and spread evenly into prepared pan.
• Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until dry.
• Run a spatula around edge of pan to loosen meringue, cool completely.
• For Kirsch cream, whip cream to medium peaks, and whip in icing sugar and Kirsch.
• To assemble, slice marzipan cake in half.
• Spread 1 cup of Kirsch cream over cake and sprinkle with ½ cup of cherries.
• Place meringue disk on top and spread with another cup of cream and ½ cup of cherries.
• Top with other half of marzipan cake and spread remaining cream, topped with cherries.
• Chill until ready to serve.
• Cake can be assembled up to 4 hours in advance.

ALMOND CAKE WITH PEACHES AND CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.
• Place almond flour and confectioners' sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add egg white, almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and process until it all forms a paste.
• Add granulated sugar to the food processor and pulse until everything is well combined and crumbly. Add butter and vanilla, and continue processing until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the machine running, add eggs one at a time, processing until smooth between eggs.
• Stop the machine, scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, and add flour, baking powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse a few times, until the dry ingredients are just integrated. (Be careful not to overprocess.)
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes for a 10-inch pan and 70 to 80 minutes for a 9-inch pan. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely before unmolding and serving.
• Put the peach slices in a bowl and taste a slice. If they seem tart, sprinkle peaches with a little confectioners' sugar.
• Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar. You can serve slices of the cake with the peaches and cream on the side or dollop some whipped cream on top of the cake and top with the peaches before cutting.