Gingerbread Roulade With Caramel And Glaceed Fruits Food

GINGERBREAD ROULADE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper so it fits the bottom snuggly. Butter and flour the parchment and the sides of the baking sheet.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, allspice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Beat the egg yolks and 3/4 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is thick and falls into heavy ribbons when the beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted butter, molasses and vanilla. Sift the spiced flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture and use a rubber spatula to gently fold together until just incorporated.
• Rinse the egg beaters and beat the egg whites and remaining pinch salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until frothy. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.
• Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the cake batter to loosen it up a bit. Then gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites until just combined. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking sheet and spread it out in an even layer. Bake until the middle of the cake springs back when pressed, 12 to 15 minutes.
• To roll up or train the cake: While the cake is still hot, use a knife to cut around the sides of the baking sheet to release the cake. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar. Spread a large clean kitchen towel (preferably not terrycloth or microfiber) over the top of the cake. Quickly invert the baking sheet onto the towel. Tap the bottom of the baking sheet and slowly lift up; the cake should release and be positioned squarely on the towel. Carefully peel away the parchment paper, making sure not to tear the cake. Trim away any rough edges if desired. Then, while the cake is still warm and starting at the long side of the cake, roll it up into a tight log, taking the towel with it. Let the cake cool completely, rolled up just like this, about 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt and beat until thick and smooth. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the filling.
• To fill and roll the cake: Unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling over the top in an even layer. Then roll the cake back up (without the towel this time) and put it seam-side down on a serving platter. Dip each gum drop in some of the reserved filling and evenly space them down the center of the roulade. Dust the cake with more confectioners' sugar. Slice and serve.

BUMBLE'S GINGER ROULADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line bottom and sides of a buttered 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) with a sheet of parchment paper and butter parchment.
• Melt butter with treacle, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, then cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and ground ginger in a large bowl. Whisk in butter mixture and egg yolk until smooth.
• Beat egg white in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold into batter gently but thoroughly.
• Pour into baking pan, spreading evenly, and bake until top is golden and firm to the touch, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes, then cover cake with a slightly damp kitchen towel and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Dust cake generously with confectioners sugar, then cover with a sheet of parchment, then with a baking sheet or rack. Invert cake and peel off parchment now on top.
• Beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then spread evenly over top of cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle crystallized ginger over cream. Roll up cake, starting from a short side, to make a 10-inch log, removing parchment as you go.
• If desired, slices of roulade can be frozen (up to 1 week), then lightly sprinkled with turbinado sugar (such as Sugar in the Raw) and broiled (do not thaw first) in a shallow baking pan 5 to 6 inches from heat until golden, about 3 minutes.

GRANNY'S GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in molasses and egg until well blended. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water., Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack., For caramel sauce, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. Serve with warm cake. Top with whipped cream if desired.

GINGERBREAD ROULADE WITH CARAMEL AND GLACEED FRUITS

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15 1/2x10 1/2x1-inch baking sheet. Line with waxed paper; butter and flour paper.
• Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until mixture falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in melted butter, molasses and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, spices and salt over yolk mixture; fold in gently. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 additions. Spread batter evenly in prepared sheet.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cut around baking sheet sides to loosen cake. Lay kitchen towel on work surface; dust with powdered sugar. Turn cake out onto towel; peel off paper. Brush cake with brandy. Starting at 1 long side, roll up warm cake together with towel jelly-roll style. Cool cake in towel.
• For filling:
• Beat all ingredients in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Unroll cake. Spread with filling. Roll up cake only (not towel). Place seam side down on long platter and refrigerate.
• For frosting:
• Stir brown sugar and cream in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Place in freezer until cold, about 15 minutes. Beat butter, powdered sugar and spices in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in cold brown sugar mixture. Spread frosting all over cake. Chill until set, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.)
• For caramel:
• Stir sugar, water and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing pan sides with wet pastry brush. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using teaspoon and working quickly, drizzle caramel over cake. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead; chill.)
• Serve cake with fruits, if desired.

GLACEED FRUITS

Steps:

• Line large baking sheet with foil. Wipe fruits clean. Insert 1 skewer halfway into each fruit (excluding grape clusters).
• Combine sugar and water in heavy medium 4-inch-deep saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Add corn syrup and ginger. Increase heat and bring to boil, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach candy thermometer to saucepan. Boil without stirring until syrup is golden amber color and candy thermometer registers 340°F, swirling pan occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
• Holding skewer, carefully dip 1 fruit into hot caramel, coating completely. Hold fruit over pan, allowing some of excess caramel to drip off. Place fruit, still on skewer, on foil-lined sheet. Repeat dipping with remaining fruits and caramel. Hook stem end of each grape cluster in tines of fork; dip into caramel to coat. Place on prepared sheet. If necessary, carefully tilt pan to submerge fruits in caramel. (Can be prepared ahead. Cranberries, strawberries and orange segments can stand at room temperature up to 6 hours. Kumquats, dried apricots and grape clusters can be refrigerated uncovered overnight.)

GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH CARAMEL BISCUIT ICING

Steps:

• Measure the milk and treacle into a saucepan (grease the measuring spoon with a little oil first and the treacle will easily slide off). Bring to a gentle simmer and stir until combined, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, grease 3 x 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins with a little oil and line the bases with baking parchment (if you don't have enough cake tins, see tip). If the tins are any shallower than 4cm, line the sides with a deep collar too. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and spices into a large bowl, then add ½ tsp fine salt. Mix the dry ingredients together with a large whisk; if there are any large lumps of sugar, squeeze these through your fingers until you have an even, sandy-textured mixture.
• In a jug, whisk the oil, buttermilk, eggs, rum and vanilla. Add the milk and treacle mixture, and mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk into a smooth batter. Divide between the tins and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. You may have to swap the cakes over to cook evenly, but don't do this until they've had at least 20 mins cooking. Cool the cakes in their tins for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack, peel off the parchment and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, you can wrap the sponges in cling film and store in a cool place for 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months - the texture and flavour will be all the better for it.
• To make the icing, put the butter and half the icing sugar in a large bowl. Mash together roughly with a spatula, then whizz with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Add the remaining icing sugar, the cream cheese, vanilla bean extract and biscuit spread. Mix again until smooth and evenly mixed. Transfer half the icing to another bowl and set aside. Use the remaining icing to stack the cakes and cover the entire outside in a thin layer - don't worry about making the cake look too neat at this stage, as any crumbs trapped in the icing will be covered in the final coat. Chill the cake for 30 mins and the remaining icing for 20 mins (remove the icing from the fridge 10 mins before the cake to soften a little).
• When the icing on the cake is firm, remove it from the fridge and use the remaining icing to cover the cake. Smooth the sides using a palette knife, but leave peaks and dips on top for your snow scene. Top the cake generously with desiccated coconut, a dusting of sieved icing sugar and some edible glitter, if you like, then decorate the top and sides with gingerbread shapes (see tip). If you're not eating the cake within a few hours, store it in the fridge, but bring back to room temperature before serving. Wlll keep for 2 days.

MERINGUE ROULADE WITH PASSION FRUIT CREAM

Steps:

• To make the meringue, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a 23 x 33cm baking tray with baking parchment and lightly brush with oil.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Gradually whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, and continue whisking until the mixture is thick and glossy, then fold in the remaining meringue ingredients. Spread the meringue evenly onto the prepared baking tray. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the temperature to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and cook for a further 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, dust another sheet of baking parchment with icing sugar. Once cooked, remove the meringue from the oven and leave to cool for 2 mins on the tray. Turn out onto the dusted piece of parchment. Cool for a further 5 mins, then gently peel off the bottom sheet of parchment from the meringue. Cover with another layer of parchment and roll up the meringue from the long side until ready for use.
• To make the filling, whip the double cream with icing sugar and fold in the mascarpone and passion fruit pulp.
• Unroll the meringue, spread the cream mixture over the surface, top with the shredded mint leaves and roll up again, using the parchment to help you. Chill, then serve in slices, dusted with icing sugar.