Almond Kirsch Cake Food

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust the bottoms and sides of the pans with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
• Put the eggs (in their shells) in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water; let stand 5 minutes (warming the eggs will help them whip better). Sift the cocoa powder, cake flour and salt into a medium bowl, then whisk in the almond flour; set aside.
• Remove the eggs from the water and crack into a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and beat with a mixer on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until pale, fluffy and thick, about 10 minutes. The mixture should fall off the beaters in a ribbon when lifted.
• Sprinkle one-third of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold with a whisk until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture in two batches, adding the vanilla with the final addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Immediately run a small offset spatula around the edges to loosen. Let the cakes cool 5 minutes in the pans, then remove to a rack, parchment-side down, and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: Whisk the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan (the cornstarch will help stabilize the whipped cream). Slowly add 3/4 cup heavy cream, whisking, until a paste forms. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring, until thick and bubbling, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the cherries, cherry syrup, kirsch and granulated sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the almond extract and transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Finish the whipped cream: Beat the remaining 2 1/4 cups cold heavy cream and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the cooked cream mixture and beat until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Drain the cherries and reserve the syrup. Discard the parchment from the cakes. Trim a thin layer off the top of each cake with a long serrated knife. Put one cake cut-side up on a cake stand or serving plate and brush with half of the reserved syrup. Spread about 1 cup whipped cream over the top in a thin layer, then top with all but 1/4 cup cherries. Spread 1 cup whipped cream over the cherries in a thin layer. Top with the remaining cake and brush with the remaining syrup. Spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer (some crumbs are OK). Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Sprinkle the shaved chocolate around the top of the cake and press into the sides; top with the reserved cherries. Refrigerate overnight; the cake will soak up the syrup.

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 KIRSCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until light and creamy. Add almond paste, 1 piece at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in kirsch, almond extract and salt. Mix flour and baking powder in small bowl; add to batter. Beat just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• Transfer cake to platter. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.) Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Make the cake according to the package instructions, but substitute half of the water with coffee, and the other half with buttermilk (most likely it will call for 1 cup total of water). Bake in two 8-inch round cake pans according to package instructions. Let the cakes cool completely.
• For the cream: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar and almond extract together in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
• For the cherries: Combine the cherries and kirsch in a small bowl.
• To assemble: Use a serrated knife to cut the cakes in half horizontally. Create layers of cake, cherries and whipped cream, repeating. Top the cake with whipped cream, a few cherries and chocolate shavings.

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.

CHERRY, CUSTARD & ALMOND SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Butter two 20cm loose-bottomed round sandwich tins and line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 4. Tip the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 10 mins, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt and the milk. Spoon the batter into the prepared tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 22-25 mins, or until risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Put the cherries, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice and kirsch or liqueur (if using) in a pan and bring to a simmer over a low heat. Cook for 5 mins, turn up the heat to medium and cook for 5-7 mins more until the liquid becomes syrupy. If the cherries are softened but the liquid isn't yet syrupy, strain the liquid into a separate pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Beat the cream and icing sugar together using an electric whisk until the cream has thickened, then fold in the custard and chill for 1 hr.
• Put one of the sponges on a cake plate or stand and spread over the custard cream. Spoon over the cherries, then top with the second sponge. Dust with more icing sugar and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep chilled for two days and are best served at room temperature.

MINIATURE ALMOND CAKES WITH SUGARED CHERRIES AND KIRSCH CREAM

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan and line bottom with parchment or wax paper. Butter paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and extract in a large bowl until combined well, then whisk in flour and salt.
• Beat whites with an electric mixer at high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, mixing at low speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir about one third of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Pour batter into cake pan, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and a tester comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack.
• Make sugared cherries while cake bakes:
• Whisk together powdered egg whites and warm water in a small bowl until combined well. Put superfine sugar in another small bowl.
• Holding 1 cherry by stem, brush evenly with some egg white and spoon sugar over it to coat. Transfer to a rack to dry and coat remaining cherries in same manner.
• Make kirsch cream:
• Beat cream with kirsch and sugar using cleaned beaters until it holds stiff peaks.
• Assemble cakes just before serving:
• Cut out 20 rounds from cake with cookie cutter and transfer to a platter. Top each round with a teaspoon of kirsch cream, then top cream with a cherry.