Martha Stewarts Lardy Cake Food

VERSATILE VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Place one cake, bottom side up, on a cake stand. Tuck strips of parchment paper underneath. Using an offset-spatula or table knife, spread top with Whipped Frosting. Top with remaining cake; frost top, then sides.

SOUR LARDY CAKE DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 cup warm water and the yeast. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup warm water and the sponge. Mix on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture, and mix on low speed, 1 minute. Change attachment to dough hook, and mix on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and just sticks to your fingers when squeezed, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out dough, and knead 4 or 5 turns into a ball. Place dough, smooth side up, in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk and is slightly blistered and satiny, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down, and fold over 4 or 5 times. Place folded side facedown in bowl. Cover, and let rise again in a warm place until doubled in bulk and satiny, about 50 minutes. Divide dough in half, and wrap in plastic until ready to use.

LARDY CAKE SPONGE

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1/4 cup warm water and the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Add remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water and the flour; mix on low speed, 2 minutes; the sponge should feel like a very wet dough.
• Place sponge in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store sponge, refrigerated, up to 1 week, or freeze in plastic for up to 3 months. Bring sponge to room temperature before using.

MARTHA STEWART'S LARDY CAKE

Steps:

• To make the sponge - In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/4 c warm water (110 degrees) and first set of yeast. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add 1 1/4 c warm water and flour. Mix on low speed, 2 minutes; the sponge should feel like very wet dough. Place sponge in lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store sponge, refrigerated up to 1 week or freeze in plastic up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.
• To make dough - With paddle attachement on mixer, combine 1 c warm water and second set of yeast. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup warm water and 3 1/2 cups of the sponge that has been pulled into small pieces. Mix on low until combined, about 2 minutes.
• In a medium bowl combine bread flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture and mix on low for 1 minute. Change to dough hook and mix on medium low until dough is smooth and just sticks to your fingers when squeezed, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out dough and knead 4-5 turns into a ball. Place smooth side up in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, slightly blistered and satiny, about an hour. Punch down dough and fold over 4-5 times. Place folded side face down in bowl. Cover and let rise again until doubled and satiny, about 50 minutes. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic until ready to use.
• To make cake - Using a rolling pin, roll out half of the dough into a 16" square on a lightly floured surface. Cover remaining half with plastic and set aside.
• In small bowl, combine spices. In a large bowl combine dried fruit.
• Spread 4 T of butter over top of dough, leaving 1/2" border around perimeter. Sprinkle 6 T brown sugar over butter. Sprinkle 1/4 of the spices over the sugar and 1/4 of the fruit over the spices. Using palm of hand gently press fruit into dough. Fold four corners of square into the center, creating a smaller square, enclosing the filling. Gently press dough down with a rolling pin. Spread 2 oz butter over dough, leaving a 1/2" border around perimeter. Sprinkle 6 T brown sugar over butter. Sprinkle another 1/4 of the spices over the sugar and another 1/4 of the fruit over the spices. Using palm of hand gently press fruit into dough. Fold dough into thirds.
• Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper; roll out into an 11"x16" rectangle. Carefully lifting parchement paper; transfer to baking sheet. Refrigerate 20 minutes to chill butter.
• Repeat with remaining dough, butter, brown sugar, spices and dried fruit.
• Heat oven to 350 degreees.
• Combine jam and brandy in a small saucepan. Set over low heat; cook until liquified. Strain mixture; discard solids. Brush surface of lardy cakes with jam mixture.
• Bake cakes until golden and puffed, 35-45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
• Lardy cake will keep up to 3 days, very tightly wrapped in plastic. Reheat cake before serving.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour and salt in a sieve set over a bowl; sift into bowl, and set aside. With a mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high until foamy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Continue to beat, gradually adding sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla; beat to combine.
• Gently transfer egg-white mixture to a large, wide bowl. In four batches, using the sieve again, sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture. While turning the bowl, use a rubber spatula to fold in the mixture by cutting down the center and coming up the sides.
• Gently spoon batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan with a removable bottom; smooth top. Cut a knife or small spatula through batter to release air bubbles. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when lightly pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Invert pan; let cool in pan, 1 hour. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and around the tube to release cake, and unmold. Use knife to release cake from bottom of pan, and remove.