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An invitation to almonds

frangipane


The flower that is coupled in fruit



Frangipane

Makes 50 (3 cm each):

200 g marzipan
200 g butter, softened
200 g sugar
5 eggs (255 g)
85 g cake flour

Topping:
230 g marzipan

Apricot jam:
400 g apricots
120 g sugar
½ vanilla bean

Peel, crush and pit the apricots.
Mix the apricot puree, sugar and vanilla bean in half in an open pan.
Bring to simmer, keeping a slow boil and reduce until you reach the desired texture (15, 20 minutes).
Close the jars and turn them with the lid down to create a vacuum for 15-20 minutes.
Pour the jam into jars with screw sterile, turning them with the lid down for 30 minutes to create a vacuum.
To sterilize the jars just get them directly from the dish washer or plunge them into boiling water for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 190 º C.
Grease and line with parchment paper tray of a 34 X 44 cm.
Combine the marzipan with the butter and sugar until fluffy (10 minutes).
Mix the eggs, one by one, until the previous one is completely incorporated.
Gently fold in the flour.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
Cool completely in the mold.
Unmold the cake.

Cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal parts.
Spread a thin layer of apricot jam between layers and on top of the cake.
Roll the marzipan with a rolling pin with a thickness of 3 mm and cut the excess.
Cover the top of the cake with marzipan and reverse on a tray with parchment paper (the marzipan should be underneath).
Refrigerate until the cake is firm.
Cut the cake into squares.
Invert the squares and decorate to taste.
* the cake can freeze up to 3 weeks.

February 18, 2010 | Filed under cakes, muffins and madeleines, custards, fillings, sauces, and glazes | 5 Comments 

Clockwork orange

bolos de laranja

Orange cakes

Makes 12 halves:

Cakes:
3 eggs
125 g cake flour
180 g sugar
100 g butter, softened
zest of 2 oranges

Orange custard:

180 ml orange juice
125 g sugar
2 egg yolks
1 egg
45 g butter
15 g cornstarch

Cakes:
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
Grease and flour semi-espherical molds (7 cm diameter).
Beat the butter with the sugar until smootth and creamy.
Add the eggs and mix until tender.
Add the zest and the flour combining until smooth.
Pour the batter into the molds until half and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and unmold.
Let the cakes cool down on a rack.

Orange custard:
Combine the cornstarch with a small portion of the orange juice.
Combine all the ingredients until smooth.
Cook over medium heat until thick stirring constantly.

Spread the custard between two halves of the cake and coat with the custard.
Make a small hole on top of one of the halves and place a halved green pistachio.




bolos de laranja

January 30, 2010 | Filed under cakes, muffins and madeleines, custards, fillings, sauces, and glazes | 3 Comments 

A letter to Santa Claus…

bolo pudim

Someone wrote me asking for this recipe to praise her mother in Christmas…



Flan Cake

For a 14 cms flan pan:

Caramel:
125 g sugar
30 ml water

Flan:
3 eggs
150 g sugar
120 ml cream
140 ml milk
Cinnammon stick, lemon zest or vanilla

Cake:
3 egg whites
47 g butter, softened
47 g self-raising flour
94 g sugar

Caramel:
On a heavy bottomed pan combine the water and the sugar.
Bring to boil until sugar caramelizes.
Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the flan pan, making sure to coat all the interior.
Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.

Flan:
Bring to boil the milk and cream with the cinnammon stick, lemon zest or vanilla.
Let it boil for a few minutes and sieve.
Beat the eggs with the sugar.
Pour the milk and cream into the egg mixture.
Beat until smooth.
Pour this mixture into the pan.

Cake:
Whisk the egg whites until firm.
Beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
Fold in the sifted flour and the egg whites alternatively.
Gently pour the batter over the flan mixture making sure the surface is even.

Bake for 50-60 minutes on a double-boiler.

I didn’t cover the pan. When the cake started forming a crust, I’ve convered with aluminum foil.
Unmold at room temperature!

December 13, 2009 | Filed under cakes, muffins and madeleines, desserts, puddings and soufflés | 10 Comments 

Nuts for all…

bolo de noz


Some nostalgic voices are claiming for the walnut cake that was part of so many family reunions. The walnut cake that after being present for many Christmas had been forgotten on a old piece of paper with my grandmother’s dim caligraphy. The same walnut cake that today appears again for a revival.





Walnut cake with egg custard

Serves 6-8:

Egg custard:

8 egg yolks
8 tbsp sugar
8 tbsp water

Combine all the ingredients until smooth.
Bring to low heat and stir until thick.
Remove from heat and keep stirring until room temperature.
Cover tightly with wrap film and refrigerate.

Walnut cake

250g sugar
250g walnuts, powdered
8 eggs

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
Grease a 22 cms diameter pan and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form.
Whisk the yolks with the sugar until thick and white.
Gently fold in the powdered walnuts and combine with a rubber spatula.
Add the egg whites and combine gently.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Remove from oven and let it cool down on the pan.
Unmold and using a long serrated knife cut the cake horizontally in two layers.
Spread a thin layer of egg custard between the two cake layers and on top.
Decorate with walnuts.

December 11, 2009 | Filed under cakes, muffins and madeleines | 3 Comments 

Christmas lights

bolo ingles


A classic at a portuguese Christmas table…


bolo ingles

Christmas fruit cake

225 g butter, softened
200 g sugar
4 eggs
300 g wheat flour
8 g baking powder
150 ml rum
120 g raisins
350 g candied fruits

Candied fruits to decorate
Quince jelly

Macerate the raisins in rum overnight.
Drain the raisins and reserve the remaining rum.
Pre-heat the oven to 250ºC.
Grease and flour a plum cake pan.
Chop the candied fruits.
Mix the butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, combining well.
Fold in the sifted flour with the baking powder and combine just until smooth.
Add the raisins combining gently with the help of a rubber spatula.
Add the candied fruits following the same procedure.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Place the pan into the oven and reduce temperatur to 180ºC.
As soon as a crust forms on top, make a lenghtwise cut.
Bake for 1 hour.
Remove from heat and let it cool down 10 minutes before unmolding.
Pour the rum on top of the cake and brush with the jelly.
Decorate with the candied fruits.
Let the cake cool down completely.
Preferably prepare the cake 4 days in advance.
Refrigerate covered with wrap film.
Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes – 1 hour before serving.

Why to macerate the raisins?

Macerate the rainsins makes them softer and tender and helps to balance the liquid quantities of the recipe as they can absorb part of the batter moisture. Rum also gives a special flavor to the batter.

December 6, 2009 | Filed under cakes, muffins and madeleines | 5 Comments 

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