Elegant Raspberry Lemon Torte Food

RASPBERRY LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• For lemon curd, in a heavy saucepan, beat eggs and sugar. Stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon zest. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Cool for 10 minutes. Cover and chill for 1-1/2 hours or until thickened., For cake, preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; set aside to cool., In a large bowl, cream beat butter, oil and 1-1/2 cups sugar until blended, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in gelatin mixture, lemon juice, lemon zest and extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes., In a microwave-safe bowl, combine lemonade concentrate and remaining sugar. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Poke holes in warm cakes with a fork; pour lemonade mixture over cakes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla; beat until blended., To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 6 tablespoons raspberry jam. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread about 1/2 cup lemon curd over top of cake (save remaining curd for another use)., Spread frosting over sides of cake and pipe a shell border along the top and bottom edges. Garnish with raspberries if desired. Chill 1 hour.

SPECIAL RASPBERRY TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper., In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges are golden, Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely. In a large bowl, beat shortening and butter until combined. Beat in confectioner's sugar alternately with extract and enough milk to reach a spreading consistency., Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the preserves. Top with another cake layer and 3/4 cup frosting. Place third cake layer over frosting; spread with remaining preserves. Top with remaining cake layer., Frost top and sides of cake with 1 cup frosting, forming a crumb coating. Refrigerate cake until frosting is set, about 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and cover with remaining frosting. Top with raspberries.

LEMON RASPBERRY TARTS

Steps:

• For the curd: Whisk together the sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest for garnish, then stir the lemon juice and remaining zest into the sugar-egg mixture. Put the bowl over a double boiler and cook, whisking, until the mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Scrape into a clean bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• For the raspberry sauce: Reserve 12 raspberries for garnish and put the rest into a small pan. Add the sugar and cook over medium-low heat, breaking up the raspberries to release their juices. Do not let boil. Strain the juice into a bowl and let cool; discard the solids.
• For the tarts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the shells to a rack to cool.
• To assemble the tarts: Spoon a small amount of the raspberry sauce into each tart shell. Whisk the cream with a spoonful or 2 of the raspberry sauce and a splash of vanilla. Fill each shell with the lemon curd and then top with a dollop of whipped cream and a whole raspberry. Sprinkle with some of the reserved lemon zest and add a mint leaf.

RASPBERRY, LEMON & FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, put the flour and butter in a large bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Tip in the sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and mix slightly. Now work in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until you have a smooth dough. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
• While the pastry is chilling, make the lemon crème pâtissière (lemon custard). Put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk together using a balloon whisk for 1-2 minutes until the mixture turns pale. Tip in the flour and cornflour and mix well. Put the milk and lemon zest in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour the boiling milk over the mixture in the bowl, whisking continuously until everything is smooth.
• Pour the custard into the pan, place over a medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until it has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter. Pour the custard into a clean bowl and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool, then put in the fridge until completely cold. (The custard will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.)
• To make the frangipane (almond cream), tip all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until everything is well combined. (The frangipane will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.)
• On a floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use to line a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Trim the pastry with a small knife but leave a lip hanging over the edge. Chill the tart case for at least 1 hour - if you have room to put it in the freezer, this would be ideal.
• Put a baking tray in the oven and preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Using a spatula, stir the crème pâtissière until smooth, then spread three quarters of it over the base of the tart case.
• Spoon the frangipane into a piping bag fitted with a smallish nozzle (about 1cm). If you don't have a piping bag, spoon the mixture into a tough plastic bag, squeeze it into the end, then cut off the tip. Pipe lines of frangipane evenly over the custard. Don't worry about the gaps, as the frangipane will spread while cooking.
• Put the tart tin on the hot baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes until the frangipane is golden brown and the pastry is biscuity brown. The frangipane will puff up during the baking. Trim off the overhanging pastry with a small knife to give a professional finish. Lift the tart and base from the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the topping, put the cream in a bowl and lightly whip until billowy. Using a spatula, gently fold the remaining crème pâtissière into the cream, then spread the mixture evenly over the frangipane.
• Arrange the raspberries on top, placing them upside down in concentric circles as closely as possible. Put the jam and kirsch in a small pan and bring to the simmer, stirring, until it lightly coats the back of the spoon. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the raspberries with the glaze. Cool slightly, then, using a palette knife, ease the tart off the base on to a serving plate.

LEMON TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add vanilla and cream of tartar; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff and glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. , Spread in a well-greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 300° for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack. , Meanwhile, in the top of a double boiler, whisk egg yolks until lemon-colored. Add the lemon juice, zest and remaining sugar. Cook over hot but not boiling water, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a thermometer reads 160°. Cool to room temperature. , Spread half of whipped cream over meringue shell; cover with lemon mixture. Top with remaining whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate. Best made one day before serving.

LEMON ICE TORTE WITH STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SAUCE

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Combine almonds and sugar in processor and chop finely. Transfer to medium bowl. Combine margarine and cinnamon and mix into almonds. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Using plastic wrap as aid, press almond mixture firmly 2 inches up sides and then over bottom of pan. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pan with crust on cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes. If crust sides slip, press back in place with back of fork. Transfer pan to rack and cool crust completely.
• Melt strawberry preserves in heavy small saucepan. Pour into cooled crust and spread to cover bottom. Cool. Soften ice very slightly and spread in pan. Freeze until firm. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and freeze.)
• For Sauce:
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Simmer 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and stir to dissolve. Add rhubarb. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until rhubarb is tender, about 8 minutes. Add frozen strawberries and bring to simmer. Cool. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
• Remove vanilla pod from sauce. Cut between crust and pan sides with small sharp knife. Remove pan sides. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce over center of torte. Mound fresh strawberries in center. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs. Cut torte into slices and serve with sauce.