Savarin Cake With Vanilla Grand Marnier Syrup Food

SAVARIN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat 6 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons water until just slightly warm. Pour into a bowl with 1 heaping teaspoon of sugar, whisk to dissolve. Add 1/4 ounce of fresh yeast and whisk to break up and dissolve the yeast. Pour into a standing mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Turn on low, add 5 tablespoons melted butter. Add the flour and salt and mix just until it comes together. Raise the speed to medium, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until it becomes elastic and smooth. Turn dough into a bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and let it rest and proof for 10 minutes. Punch down and allow to rise another 5 minutes. The dough should not proof too long, or the savarins will become crumbly.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter each savarin ring. Using your finger, schmear baba dough in the ring to fill it up half way, using about 1 ounce of dough. It will stick to your fingers, but don't dip your fingers in flour to prevent this. Let the dough rise until it reaches the top of the ring, about 30 minutes. Bake the savarins for 15 minutes. Let the cool in their rings then turn them out.
• To prepare the syrup, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Dip the savarins in the syrup then place them in a rectangular pan and drizzle more syrup over them. Cover and let them soak overnight. Add more syrup the next day if they'll absorb it.
• To serve, cut up the strawberries and stir the honey into the creme fraiche. Serve the savarin on a plate with a spoonful of strawberries and a large dollop of honey-creme fraiche. You may put the leftover syrup in a decorative bottle and pour more of it over the dessert as you serve it at the table.

FROZEN GRAND MARNIER SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Combine the eggs and granulated sugar in the top of a stainless steel double boiler and, being careful not to scramble the eggs, whisk over gentle heat until the mixture is golden in color and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon in ribbons. Remove from the heat and set the mixture aside to cool.
• While the egg mixture is cooling, prepare four 1/2 cup souffle dishes by cutting waxed paper long enough to encircle each souffle dish twice, and stand 3 to 4 inches above its top. Wrap the waxed paper snugly around the outside of the dish and seal the edges with transparent tape. Butter the inside of the dish with softened butter, then sprinkle with granulated sugar, tapping out any excess sugar onto a plate.
• Using an electric mixer, combine 1 cup of the heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and Grand Marnier, orange zest and whip into firm peaks. With a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into the buttered souffle dishes, filling them above the rim and into the area enclosed by the waxed paper.
• Place the souffles into the freezer, for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. When ready to serve, whip the remaining cream until soft peaks form, remove from the frozen souffle from the freezer, and carefully remove the waxed paper collar. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and several orange segments.

STRAWBERRY GRAND MARNIER CAKE

Steps:

• GOLDEN CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Generously grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed or parchment paper. Grease paper.
• In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add vanilla.
• Add flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour, mixing on low speed.
• Bake in prepared pans for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely.
• GRAN MARNIER BRUSHING SYRUP.
• Stir together sugar and water. Bring to boil. Set aside. Cool. Add Grand Marnier.
• Using a pastry brush, soak cake thoroughly, at least twice with this syrup.
• WHITE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING.
• Cream butter and shortening with mixer.
• Add vanilla.
• Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating on medium speed.
• Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
• When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk or water and beat at medium speed until ready to use.
• FOR ASSEMBLY.
• Place one golden cake down.
• Spread a layer of Smucker's Strawberry Preserves on cake.
• Spread layer of buttercream icing on top of preserves.
• Add second cake layer on top.
• Frost with remaining buttercream frosting.
• Decorate as desired.

GOLDEN GRAND MARNIER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chips and a few spoons of Grand Marnier until chips are moistened and shiny. Add the 1 ½ teaspoon flour and toss until evenly coated.
• In a medium bowl, lightly combine the eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, and vanilla.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and orange zest and mix on low speed a moment to blend. Add the butter and remaining ¾ cup sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium high speed for 1 ½ minutes to aerate and develop structure. Scrape down sides. Gradually add egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients. Scrape down the sides, and fold in the chocolate chips.
• Scrape the batter into a well buttered bundt pan. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick.
• Shortly before the cake is done, prepare the syrup: Heat the sugar, orange juice, and Grand Marnier until the sugar is dissolved. DO NOT BOIL. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan on a rack, poke the top all over with a wire tester, and brush on ½ the syrup. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Brush with the remaining syrup and cool completely before wrapping airtight.
• This cake can be made several days ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well. I like to glaze it with a Chocolate Cream Ganache before serving.