White Vanilla Bean Cake With Balsamic Strawberry And Mascarpone Filling Food

VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM, VANILLA BEAN WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AND VANILLA SYRUP FOR WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• For the buttercream: Combine the sugar and egg whites in a double boiler and heat to 120 degrees F.
• Transfer the egg white mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the lemon juice and salt and beat on high speed until completely cooled, about 15 minutes. Add the butter piece by piece and whip until light fluffy, about 10 minutes. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and reserve the rest.
• For the vanilla bean white chocolate mousse: Whip the egg yolks on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light and foamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Heat the sugar, vanilla bean paste and water to 120 degrees C in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the sugar syrup to the whipping yolks and beat until cool, about 15 minutes. Once cooled, fold in the whipped cream.
• Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler until 110 degrees F., about 10 minutes. Add the melted chocolate to the egg and cream mixture and fold to combine. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and reserve the rest.
• For the vanilla syrup: Combine the vanilla bean paste, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.
• To assemble the cake: Split the cake rounds in half to make 4 layers. Brush the top of each with 3 tablespoons of the vanilla syrup. Place 1 round on desired platter and pipe the buttercream around the top edge of the cake to create a dam. Fill the dam with a layer of the white chocolate mousse. Top with a second cake round and repeat piping and filling with the remaining layers, leaving the top undecorated. Place the stack in the freezer until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Remove from the freezer and lightly frost the whole cake with some of the buttercream. Place the cake back in the freezer to firm up, another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Frost and decorate the cake as desired with the remaining buttercream and mousse.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.)
• Mix 1/2 cup water with the cream in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and the centers spring back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

NAKED VANILLA CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 6-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• Combine butter and sugar in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually sift in flour and continue mixing until batter is smooth. Add vanilla extract and whisk for an additional 2 minutes. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• While cake is cooking beat cream, mascarpone cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth, creamy, and thick. Cover bowl and refrigerate filling until cake is ready for decorating.
• Once cakes are cooled completely, carefully cut each in half horizontally to create 4 layers. Set aside a handful of raspberries and blackberries for garnish. Mix remaining raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries together in a bowl.
• Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter and cover with 1/3 of the mascarpone cream. Sprinkle 1/3 of the berries on top. Add the next cake layer and top with 1/3 of the mascarpone cream and 1/3 of the berries; repeat with remaining 2 layers, mascarpone cream, and berries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and reserved blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Dust cake top with confectioners' sugar.

STRAWBERRY FILLING

Steps:

• Cut and slice 4 cups fresh strawberries and add to a medium bowl. Add 1 cup rum and 2 cups sugar and stir to combine. Let mixture sit overnight covered in the refrigerator. Remove strawberries from the refrigerator and place in a medium saucepan. Add the remaining 2 cups of sugar and the orange zest and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.

STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes., Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottoms of two 8-in. round baking pans; line with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together twice; place in another large bowl., In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1-1/4 cups sugar, oil, water, orange zest and almond extract until blended. Add to flour mixture; beat until well blended., With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until soft glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites., Gently transfer to prepared pans. Bake on lowest oven rack until top springs back when lightly touched, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., Meanwhile, for whipped cream, in a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour. For filling, in a small bowl, beat mascarpone cheese and cream until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until assembling., Drain strawberries, reserving juice mixture. Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes if domed. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Brush with half of reserved juice mixture; spread with 3/4 cup filling. Arrange half the strawberries over top, creating an even layer; spread with remaining filling. Brush remaining cake layer with remaining juice mixture; place layer over filling, brushed side down. , Gently stir whipped cream; spread over top and sides of cake. Just before serving, arrange remaining strawberries over cake.

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Tightly wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Mix biscotti crumbs and butter in bowl. Press mixture evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, mascarpone and 1 1/4 cups sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time; beat just until blended. Spread cheese mixture evenly over crust in pan. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake is golden and center of cake moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Transfer cake to rack; cool 1 hour. Chill overnight. (Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.)
• Mix strawberries, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and vinegar in large bowl. Let stand at room temperature until juices form, about 30 minutes.
• Cut cake into wedges. Spoon strawberries alongside and serve.