Caramel Topped Semolina Cake Food

CARAMEL-TOPPED SEMOLINA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the center.
• Make the cake: Place milk and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce heat and stir in farina. Cook according to package directions, stirring and adjusting heat as necessary, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla; let stand until cooled slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Make the caramel: Place an 8-inch round cake pan in oven to preheat. Place sugar, 1/4 cup water, and lemon juice in a small skillet or saucepan over high heat. Stir until sugar is moist and bring to a boil. As sugar begins to caramelize, carefully swirl pan to heat sugar evenly. Cook until sugar begins to turn dark amber in color, about 5 minutes. Remove cake pan from oven and pour caramel into pan, tilting pan to evenly coat; set aside.
• Stir eggs and raisins into farina mixture and pour into prepared cake pan. Transfer to oven and bake until firm, puffed up, and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Invert a rimmed serving plate over cake pan and, working carefully (caramel will be very hot), turn pan over onto plate and lift it off; caramel will run down the sides of the cake. Let cake cool to room temperature before serving.

EASY CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter two 20cm springform tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and both sugars in a bowl with an electric whisk for a few mins until lighter in colour and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour and beating in between each egg. Add the remaining flour and milk. Divide between the cake tins and bake for 25-30 mins until they're golden, spring back when pressed, and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Cool in the tins for a few mins, then tip out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, for the icing, put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk for a few mins until light and airy. Whisk in the caramel briefly, adding 1 tbsp of boiling water to loosen, if needed. Set aside until the sponges are completely cool before assembling, or the icing will melt.
• Use half the icing to sandwich the cakes together, then spread the remainder over the top, smoothing it out with a knife or the back of a spoon. Leave in a cool place until ready to serve. Drizzle with the 3 tbsp extra sauce (warm briefly in the microwave if it's a little stiff), allowing some to drip down the sides if you like, and scatter over the toffee, chocolate or caramel pieces to serve. Edible glitter, birthday candles or sparklers, optional.

CREME ANGLAISE FOR CARAMEL-TOPPED SEMOLINA CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside. Bring milk and cream to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk yolks and sugar together until well combined and slightly thickened. Slowly whisk in 1/3 of the hot milk mixture until egg mixture is slightly heated, then continue whisking remaining milk mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and place over medium heat; cook, stirring, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches between 170 and 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove from heat and strain into a bowl; stir in vanilla. Place bowl in ice-water bath and stir to cool, about 20 minutes. Remove bowl from ice-water bath and cover; transfer to refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days before using.

ISABELLE'S SEMOLINA CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200 °C). Have ready a 6-cup (1 1/2 l) soufflé dish or charlotte mold.
• 2. Make the caramel: Place the 6 tablespoons sugar in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. It will gradually dissolve, and as it does so, swirl it around in the pan. When it is a pale caramel color, after 4 to 5 minutes, quickly pour it into the mold, swirling the mold so the caramel completely covers the bottom. Use the pastry brush to brush the sides of the mold with the melted butter.
• 3. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until they are blended and set aside.
• 4. Place the milk, 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar, and vanilla bean in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Stir, and heat over medium heat until the milk is steaming and small bubbles have formed around the edges. Immediately remove from the heat, cover and let infuse for 10 minutes. Then remove the vanilla bean, rinse it well, and reserve it for another use.
• 5. Return the milk to medium heat, and when small bubbles have formed around the edges, add the salt and the semolina, lightly sprinkling the semolina over the milk and stirring constantly. Continue to stir constantly as the semolina cooks (it will thicken dramatically), until it has become like a paste, at least 10 minutes.
• 6. Remove the semolina from the heat and whisk in the eggs until they are thoroughly combined. Then whisk in the nutmeg and stir in the raisins.
• 7. Pour the mixture into the prepared mold and bake in the center of the oven until the cake is puffed and golden, 45 minutes.
• 8. Remove the mold from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then unmold the cake onto a serving platter.