Getting the Princess Treatment
That’s right, we’re back with another – this time with my Chocolate, Cherry & Malt version. Plus, the latest Around the World cake and my easy, speedy and oh so delicious Key Lime Pie.
Hey Friends!
So yes, I am late with the newsy this week and for that I am very sorry. Could I make up some excuse for why I’m late? Yes, yes I could but honestly folks I’m not gonna do that. Instead, I’ll be truthful and say, I don’t know what happened this last week. I did a whole lot of everything, which all equated to a whole load of nothing. Like I have been swamped and yet I have nothing to show for it? Make that make sense.
What I also want to know is, how are we on the 6 thousand gazillionth day of January??? How and why has this month lasted an eternity? I am never one to wish away time but goodness gracious, wouldn’t it be marvellous for January to just do one now? My motivation seems to be at an all time low and I can’t tell if that is thanks to a week full of failed bakes or whether it is simply just this time of year?
My social media feeds are full of people on health kicks, smashing their goals, sticking to their new year resolutions and truly, I love that for them. Me on the other hand, still has one hand stuck in a packet of crisps and the other hand shovelling another fork full of cake into my mouth, gaslighting myself as I say ‘I will do better tomorrow’.
Fun fact folks: I never do. And I probably never will.
This time of year has me craving comfort and cosy weekends. I want to just be snuggled up in front of my non-existent fireplace, watching soppy rom coms I have seen a million times over and enjoying snuggles with my new puppy (again non-existent but a hopeful reality one day). Whilst I keep on dreaming about that, I’ve been working over the weekend trying to catch up on bits I have been purposely putting off.
I have officially made a mountain out of a mole hill on several bits – this newsletter included – so here I am, manically typing away on a Sunday afternoon, hoping to make some headway on life sometime soon (second book included). If it comes across as slightly unhinged, that is entirely because I am. How else can I justify remaking the same version of the very same cake 5 times in a row, being overly unhappy because of marginal errors which included but not limited to:
Not liking the colour of marzipan.
Not liking the unequal layers.
Thinking the cake should be smushier.
Changing up all the flavours halfway through testing.
Reverting back to the original flavour on the very last try.
Still being unhappy over the lack of precision.
Not liking the shape. Thinking there wasn’t enough cream. Needed more chocolate.
Safe to say I am not enjoying my incessant internal monologue which seems to be torturing my want to get a life this year. WHICH can I say – I learnt not long ago that not everyone has an internal monologue. Apparently, it’s just…empty in there???
No voice narrating your day-to-day activities. No voice berating you for your life choices. No voice romanticising your morning walks. Nothing. Which I find incredibly terrifying and oddly unsettling. If you are one of these people, please let me know. I am fascinated as to how and what is going on in there. Is it tumbleweed? Is the silence deafening? Tell me all!
As predicted, I have digressed. Let’s get back to what we are all here for.
We’ve got 3 lots of delicious morsels on the menu this week. First up, we have:
The latest Around the World Cake. We head back to Germany – the land that just can’t stop caking – for a slice of their Baumkuchen, otherwise known as a German Tree Cake. It’s an almondy, mildly chocolatey, multi layered affair. Not one for the weak hearted and definitely not one to tackle when you’re after a speedy bake. My suggestion? Find someone to bake it for you instead.
Next up is my take on a Key Lime Pie. It’s nothing like the original as it does not use a single key lime but not through any fault of my own. Having undertaken a quest to locate, I resorted to ordering a bunch online which cost me £15 for a handful and let me tell you folks, what a mistake that was. They were tiny, yielding little to no juice and basically tasted exactly like a normal lime. I felt mugged but thankfully was comforted by a deliciously easy and moreish bake – sweet, zesty, sharp and smooth. Mine is topped with a coconut cream and sits upon a ginger biscuit base. So good, I have known to eat a whole one to myself. Self-control? Don’t know her.
Finishing up the menu this week is another take on a Princess Cake but this time, we have made it filthy. I tried to resist the temptation to remake but the urge to go all things chocolate on it became too much. I got in trouble for calling it a Princess Cake last time so let’s just say, it’s the Princesses naughty sibling. My Chocolate, Cherry and Malt version is RIDICOUSLY good. It features a thick layer of dulce de leche in amongst it all to really knock that filth factor up another peg or two.
Let’s get stuck right into it with the latest Around the World cake, a German Baumkuchen, otherwise known as a German Tree Cake. This has been a cake that I have wanted to make for such a long time – it has all the hallmarks of a cake that I just KNOW I will love.
A good whack of almond flavour? Check.
Lots of layers? Check.
Chocolate? Check.
So you can see why I thought this would be a dreamboat of a cake through and through. Well folks, I got played. This unassuming number is traditionally made over a spit or a rotating roller and can have anywhere between 15 to 30 layers – which can I say, is crazy work.
Every layer is made up of an almond based sponge which is then baked until golden, smothered in either more batter or a thin layer of apricot jam and then repeated for what honestly felt like ten million times. Finished in a chocolate glaze and decorated with flaked almonds - it is truly delicious. But the secret to this cake is that every layer is baked, before the next can be added. I’m surprised I didn’t give myself Repetitive Strain Injury, which I know sounds wildly dramatic but my cake layers all cooked at different times (anywhere from 1 min 30 to 5 mins) under the grill so each time I opened the oven, it was a total surprise.
Is it baked? Is it incinerated? Why is it still liquidy? Why isn’t it an even golden brown? What am I doing??? Were all questions I asked myself on repeat for the few solid hours I trudged through to get this bake done. I know I love a long winded bake. I know I love a multi layered, multi flavoured, high maintenance little bake but folks I also like to have a break in between it all but this was nothing but a relentless, arduous task which meant I couldn’t be more than 5 steps away from my oven at all times in fear of the whole thing burning to a crisp.
If you’ve made this on more than one occasion, I ask you…ARE YOU OKAY?!
I’d personally just recommend buying a slice if you can or convincing someone else to make it for you cause it made me lose the will to live not even half way through HOWEVER, if you are looking for new ways to spice up your life, let me introduce you to hell.
Recipe Makes: 1 x 22 cm / 9 inch Cake
Recipe Serves: A little of this goes a long way – so A LOT.
Y O U – W I L L – N E E D –
Sponge Batter
375 g Marzipan, diced
90 ml Single Cream, room temp
200 g Unsalted Butter, room temp
200 g Caster Sugar
10 Large Eggs, separated
30 ml Dark Rum
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste/Powder
1 Lemon, zest only
120 g Plain Flour, sifted
90 g Cornflour, sifted
2 x Pinch of Salt
2 x 340g jar Apricot Jam, passed through a sieve
Choc Glaze
60 g Unsalted Butter, diced
1 tbsp Dark Rum
40 ml Golden Syrup/Corn Syrup
115 g Dark Chocolate, chunks/chips
Pinch of Salt
To Finish
50 g Flaked Almonds
M E T H O D –
Grease and line the base of your baking tin (ensure it is one with a removable base or springform) and leave to one side.
Into a stand mixer bowl, add the diced marzipan and single cream (half and half in US) and use the paddle attachment to beat together for approx. 5 minutes. You are after a smooth whipped paste consistency.
Add the butter and 100 g of caster sugar to the bowl and continue to beat for another 5 minutes on a high speed until you are left with a light and airy mix.
Add the eggs to the bowl, mixing well between each addition.
Pour in the rum, vanilla bean paste and lemon zest until combined.
In a separate bowl, add the flour, cornflour and pinch of salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine before adding the flour to the mixer bowl. Mix on a slow speed until just combined and there are little to no flour streaks visible. Pop the bowl to one side.
In another mixer bowl, add the egg whites, alongside a pinch of salt. Use the whisk attachment to mix until the whites are stiff but not dry.
Add the remaining 100 g caster sugar to the bowl, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Once all the sugar has been added and the whites are now stiff, add ¼ of the whites to the flour bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix well – don’t worry too much about being gentle, we are adding the whites to help loosen the mix.
Add the remaining whites too the batter and carefully fold in, ensuring a light batter with no visible egg white streaks.
Preheat your grill/broiler (I went for 200C/390F with my Grill heated).
Use either an ice cream scoop or a ¼ cup, to scoop the batter into your lined tin. Use a pastry brush, or the back of a spoon, to help you spread the batter over the base. It will be a super thin, very light layer so don’t be tempted to add any more – just ensure the base is completely covered.
Pop the in under the grill for approx. 3 minutes until golden brown (please note this could be anywhere between 1 min 30 to 5 minutes depending on your grill).
Once golden brown, remove immediately and pour over another ¼ cup of batter on top. Use your pastry brush again to spread over the batter for a thin, even layer and pop back into the oven for another couple of minutes.
Remove the tin, and this time, add a tbsp of strained apricot jam on top. Use a brush or the back of the spoon to spread, before topping with another layer of batter. Spread carefully, to avoid mixing the batter with the jam. Pop back into the oven until golden brown. Please be careful with your timings – mine changed on each layer and the cook time was not consistent so keep a beady eye on the bake to avoid any burnt layers.
Repeat this process until there is no more batter – you should be looking at about 28 to 30 layers of batter.
Once the last layer of batter has been baked, leave to cool at room temp before popping into the fridge to set overnight.
The next day, remove the cake from the tin and use a serrated knife to trim the edges and remove any overcooked bits.
Use the remaining apricot jam to glaze the top and sides of the cake. Pop back into the fridge to set.
Meanwhile, make the chocolate glaze by adding the butter, rum, golden syrup/corn syrup and salt to a pan. Place over a medium heat and gently cook until the butter had melted.
Add the chocolate and mix until smooth. Leave to cool for approx. 15 minutes.
Remove the cake from the fridge. Once the chocolate has cooled, place your cake onto a wire rack and place a large tray underneath. Pour over the chocolate glaze and use an offset palette knife to spread the chocolate for an even layer. Make sure the sides are also covered. Use any surplus chocolate in the tray to pour over again or to coat the sides.
Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before pressing in the flaked almonds to the sides and to the top to finish.
Pop into the fridge to set and use a hot knife to slice when ready to serve.
Moving onto the second bake of the day which is my super easy, super delicious, Key Lime Pie. I made the below for Ainsley’s Fantastic Flavours which is currently airing every weekend over on ITV (uk only), where we explore flavours and treats from around the world. When I was told I had to choose and make something from the US, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Something zesty, something fresh, something simple and something that anyone with any skill set could whip up and make.
Whilst my version isn’t traditional in any sense, it’s still equally (if not more?) delicious as the OG version. Using ginger biscuits for our tart case, a mix of lime and lemon juice for a punchy, citrussy filling and topping it all with a coconut and mint cream, I could eat the entire lot solo on a good day. Best baked the day before to allow the pie filling to set, it’s an incredibly versatile treat that can be adapted to suit your own taste.
You can switch out the limes for any other citrus fruit (grapefruit would be lovely, a pure lemon number would make the back of your cheeks squeal in delight, or an orange filling would team perfectly with a chocolate cream topping) and you can play around with the flavour of the cream. I love the velvety smooth, indulgent taste of a coconut cream – it brings a nice cooling, creamy taste to an otherwise sharp and zesty dessert but you can sub the coconut for plain cream if my version doesn’t entirely float your boat.
If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on Key Limes, then please do use those but I struggled to locate them when I last made this and had to buy a bunch online from a place called exoticfruits.co.uk (I wonder what they sell there??) which charged me an extortionate amount of money for key limes that were smaller than a golf ball. I was honestly thrilled to have spent 15 golden coins on key limes which tastes exactly like normal limes, so if you are in the UK, save your pennies and just use what you can find in the supermarket.
Zero skill set is required for this bake. If you manage to fail on the below, I fear there is no hope for you (partially joking).
Recipe Serves: 8
Recipe Makes: 1 x 22 cm / 9 inch loose bottomed Tart Tin
Y O U – W I L L – N E E D -
Pie Crust
180 g Ginger Biscuits
65 g Light Brown Sugar
60 g Unsalted Butter, melted
Filling
2 x 397 g Tin Condensed Milk
250 g Plain Greek Yoghurt
Zest of 2 Limes
110 ml Lime Juice
60 ml Lemon Juice
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Coconut & Mint Cream
200 g Coconut Cream
50 g Icing Sugar, sifted
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
400 ml Double Cream, fridge temp
Zest of 1 Lime
3 Mint Leaves, finely chopped
M E T H O D -
Preheat the oven to 180C (no fan)/355F and position your oven rack on the middle shelf.
Into a food processor, add the ginger biscuits and blitz to a crumb.
Add the sugar and melted butter to the biscuits and pulse until everything is well combined and the crumb begins to clump together.
Transfer the crumb to a 22 cm loose bottomed tart tin and press in to line the base and sides - I find using the bottom of a flat based glass helps to achieve an even base.
Pop the tart tin onto a baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
Once baked, remove from the oven, and lower the temperature to 175C (no fan)/ 350F.
In a large bowl, add all the filling ingredients and mix well using a balloon whisk. You want this to be a lovely, smooth consistency before you carefully pour into your baked biscuit case.
Bake for 15 minutes until the filling still has a slight wobble. Leave to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, before popping in the fridge for at least 4 hours/overnight to set completely.
Once your filling has set, make the cream topping. Add all the ingredients into a stand mixer bowl and whisk together until medium peak. Alternatively use an electric hand whisk to avoid overwhisking. You want the cream to just be holding i’s shape – remember the cream will continue to thicken as you begin to scoop and transfer onto the pie.
Generously dollop on top of your set, cool filling and serve immediately.
Following my obsession with what I dared to label my take on a Princess Cake (fyi Sweden does not tolerate any blasphemy, change or variation on this bake so it seems), I thought why the hell not make another one and piss a few more people off. After the glorious Tonka Bean version from the last newsletter, I couldn’t resist making a choccy version. Something a little naughtier. Something a whole lot filthier. And something so tempting, I can barely make eye contact with a slice because I go a little bit feral the minute I have a tiny bite.
It’s been the bane of my life for the last week but let me introduce you to the filthy Princess aka my Chocolate, Cherry & Malt Layer Cake.
There is this unspoken, unwritten and undiscussed vow that when you’re a baker, and it’s someone’s birthday you remotely like or tolerate, you will bake them a cake because otherwise what is your purpose in life? The disappointment I have experienced whenever I have showed up to places empty handed is real. The third hand embarrassment you feel when the feeling of disappointment is lingering in the air, is even worse. So I decided to test run what had been living rent free in my head for the last few weeks for my GBFF Antony’s birthday cake. A bold move as I didn’t know whether it would work or not but thrilled to say, several licked clean plates later, we had success.
His cake was made up of:
Black Cocoa & Olive Oil Sponge bathed in a Hot Chocolate Soak,
Malt Whipped Mascarpone Cream,
Amarena Cherry Compote,
Another layer of Black Cocoa & Olive Oil Sponge bathed in a Hot Chocolate Soak,
Whipped Milk Chocolate Mascarpone,
Layer of Dulce de Leche,
A final layer of Black Cocoa & Olive Oil Sponge bathed in a Hot Chocolate Soak,
A mountain of more Malt Whipped Mascarpone Cream,
And finished with an obligatory layer of Marzipan.
This version of the cake is much trickier than the Tonka Bean version, primarily due to the super soft chocolate sponge. As someone who lives for a dense, rich, mud sponge when it comes to choccy cake, I wanted something that had the same filth factor but with a much lighter finish. It took more attempts than I care to admit to, to get right but the final result is a chocolate sponge so light, so delicate and so tender, which defies all sense and logic, as it’s moist, soft and rich all at the same time. We are using Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the sponge for its flavour – the mild taste helps to balance out the chocolate for a smoother, softer taste.
I do warn you, if you begin to eat the chocolate sponge offcuts you will just not stop. I generally also tend to not pop my sponges in the fridge whilst they are cooling but it is imperative you do so for the choccy sponge as it is near impossible to lift up without it disintegrating into a million pieces. IF you fancy all the flavours above but cannot be bothered with the effort and fuss with the Princess cake (I don’t blame you), you can opt to make the sponge in round tins for a more traditional style cake OR you can do what I did with the many leftovers from all the various attempts, and serve up the sponge and accompaniments in fancy glassware for individual servings.
Cherries and chocolate are a match made in heaven in my eyes. But amarena cherries?? Now that folks, is a WILDLY good combo. Amarena cherries are wild cherries soaked in sugar syrup which results in an almondy tasting cherry. Yes, they are expensive but if you hunt around you can find a good sized jar for a fraction of the price. Alternatively, you can use frozen cherries and add 1/2tsp of Almond Extract for a similar flavour profile OR sub entirely for another frozen berry of your choice. Raspberries would work well with the chocolate and dulce, as would blackberries.
She’s got a whole lot of attitude, a sh*t tonne of sass and the right amount of cheekiness. This is my sorta baking, through and through. Whilst the layers aren’t as prim and proper as her more behaved Tonka Bean sibling, the little rough around the edges finish, sums up the cake to a tee. It’s not authentic in any sort of way, so Swedish friends please don’t hate me.
This is MY filthy princess, just the way I like it.
Recipe Makes: 30 x 40 cm / 12 x 16 inch shallow baking tray
Recipe Serves: A lot – a good 10 slices, which can then be sliced in half depending on your cake consuming abilities.
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