Almond flavored cake/Prajitura cu aroma de migdale.

Almond flavored cake

Now is the turn of a traditional family recipe received from a true lady of the traditional baking ,the former colleague of my sister, mrs. Rodica.
I’m not a very big fan of vanilla cream, though I like the flavor, but combined with almond and chocolate even vanilla cream gets personality.

Sponge cake :
7 eggs
7 spoons of white sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
7 spoons of regular flour
2 tsp baking powder

Meringue :
6 egg whites
200 gr, white sugar
200 gr. smooth grounded almonds

Cream:
6 egg yolks
200 gr powder sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
300 gr soften butter
3 spoons of cocoa
1tsp almond oil(you may omit )

Decorating:
70 gr bitter chocolate

Method:
Sponge cake :
Beat de egg whites until stiff ,add the sugar, keep beating until very stiff . Add the egg yolks mixing gently and the flour mixed with baking powder.
Preheat the oven at medium heat.
Grease and line with baking paper a tray. Bake 20-25 min or until the toothpick test.
Cool down

Meringue:
Beat the egg whites. Add the sugar and beat until very stiff. Add the almonds mixing gently. Bake in greased and paper lined tray. Bake 30 minutes at low heat(to dry)
Let it cool.

Cream:
Mix the egg yolks with sugar and vanilla in bain marie until creamy. Cool down.
Cream the butter and add the egg cream gradually.
Split the result in 2.
Mix ½ with almond essence.
Mix ½ with cocoa.

Assembly:
Spread the cocoa cream on the yellow cake.
On top of it put the meringue.
Spread the almond cream on the meringue.

Decorating:
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or bain-marie. Put it in a plastic bag, cut a corner and decorate the cake by your own fantasy.

Prajitura cu aroma de migdale

De aceasta data e randul unei retete cu traditie in familia mea dobandita de la o doamna adevarata a bucatariei, fosta colega a surorii mele ,d-na Rodica.
Nu prea sunt eu fana a prajiturilor cu crema de vanilie desi imi place aroma ,dar in combinatie cu migdalele si ciocolata chiar si crema de vanilie capata personalitate.

Blat :
7 oua
7 linguri de zahar tos
1 vanilie(1 lingurita de esenta)
7 linguri de faina
1 praf de copt (2 lingurite)

Bezea :
6 albusuri
200 gr, zahar tos
200 gr. migdale fin macinate

Crema:
6 galbenusuri
200 gr zahar pudra
2 lingurite de esenta de vanilie
300 gr unt moale
3 linguri de cacao
1lingurita esenta de migdale(se poate omite )

Decor:
70 gr ciocolata amaruie.

Preparare:
Blat:
Se bat albusurile spuma,se adauga zaharul si se bate in continuare pana se tine. Se adauga galbenusurile amestecand usor si apoi cu treptat faina amestecata cu praful de copt .
Se incalzeste cuptorul pe treapta din mijloc.
Aluatul se pune in tava unsa si tapetata cu hartie de copt.
Se coace 20-25 de minute sau pana iese scobitoarea curata.

Bezea:
Albusurile se bat spuma tare.Se adauga treptat zaharul si se bate in continuare pana spuma e foarte teapana. Se adauga migdalele macinate amestecand foarte usor.
Se pune in tava unsa si tapetata cu hartie de copt.Se coace la foc mic 30 minute in lerul preincalzit.
Se raceste.

Crema:
Galbenusurile se freaca cu zaharul si vanilia in bain marie (pe abur) pana devine o crema groasa.
Se raceste.
Se spumeaza untul si se adauga treptat crema de oua.
Crema se imparte in 2 parti.
½ se amesteca cu esenta de migdale.
½ se amesteca cu cacao.

Asamblare:
Blatul galben se unge cu crema de cacao
Deasupra se aseaza bezeaua .
Bezeaua se unge cu crema de migdale.

Se topeste ciocolata la microunde sau in bain-marie.Se pune intr-o punga de plastic care se taie la un colt.Se decoreaza tortul dupa fantezie.

Tip: esenta de migdale "taie" din dulceata prajiturii.

Sfat pentru ce-i care nu tolereaza gustul(pentru ca sunt cativa care mie imi sunt foarte dragi si lor li se adreseaza sfatul):

Inlocuiti migdalele cu nuca sau alune si nu puneti esenta de migdale.

Prajitura e la fel de fina dar putin mai dulce.

Tort OPERA / OPERA cake

Am citit mult pe internet si nu numai, despre faimosul Tort Opera celebra creatie a lui Louis Clichy.
M-a impresionat istoria lui plina de fantezie si lumina ,povestea retetei nascuta din visul unui cofetar care a trait cu pasiunea pentru savanta combinatie de migdale ,ciocolata si cafea.
Acest tort elegant mi-a depasit orice asteptare.Ma asteptam la o reteta complicata, elaborata si dupa ingrediente ,foarte dulce si astfel tipic frantuzeasca.
Surpriza!!!
A mers extreme de repede, e foarte usor de facut, nu a creat probleme deosebite si s-a terminat urgent in ropote de aplauze gustative.

Tort Opera
Ingredientele
Blat:
7 oua mari
7 linguri de zahar
6 linguri de faina
1 praf de copt
200 gr migdale macinate (se pot folosi alune sau nuci-precizare pentru prietena mea, Gabitza)
25 gr de unt topit si racit

Crema de cafea:
1 ou
200 gr de zahar
300 gr de unt moale
2 lingurite de cafea instant
1 lingurite de apa

Crema ganache:
200 gr ciocolata amaruie
150 ml de frisca (eu am folosit vegetala –Maestro)
1 fiola esenta de rom (Dr. Oetker sau Ruff)

Glazura:
100 de grame ciocolata
80 ml de frisca

Preparare :

Blat:
Se bat albusurile spuma cu mixerul electric pana se tine, se adauga zaharul si se bate in continuare pana spuma e teapana. Se adauga galbenusurile amestecand usor cu un tel in forma de para(nu se bate!!!) .
Se amesteca faina, cu migdalele macinate si praful de copt si se adauga lingura cu lingura la compozitia de oua.Se adauga untul topit si racit amestecand usor.
Se unge si tapeteaza o tava pentru copt sau o forma de tort(forma clasica e dreptunghiulara asa ca eu am folosit tava).
Se toarna compozitia in tava si se coace 20 – 25 de minute la foc mediu in lerul preincalzit,sau pana trece proba scobitorii (vezi postarile anterioare).

Crema de cafea:
Se amesteca ouale cu zaharul in bain-marie aproximativ 10-15 minute .Compozitia devine o crema groasa si consistenta cu tendinta de uscare pe margini.
Cafeaua se amesteca cu apa pana la dizolvare.Se adauga la crema de oua si se mai amesteca 5 minute .
Se raceste.
Se spumeaza untul si se adauga crema de oua treptat ,cu lingurita ,amestecand bine dupa fiecare adaugare.

Crema ganache:
Frisca se incalzeste pe foc sau la microunde pana la punctual de fierbere.
Ciocolata se rupe in bucati mici, (eu am tocat-o) si se adauga in frisca fierbinte impreuna cu esenta de rom.
Se amesteca pana la omogenizare si se raceste.

Asamblare:
Blatul racit se taie pe 3 nivele.
Pe primul nivel se pune ¾ din crema de cafea.
Pe al doilea crema ganache.
Ultimul nivel se unge cu restul de crema de cafea.

Glazura:
Se infierbanta frisca la fel ca la ganache si se adauga ciocolata.Se amesteca pana la omogenizare si se continua amestecarea pana este rece.

Se glaseaza tortul si se da la frigider.
Se poate taia de indata ce se intareste glazura.

Tip: Atentie la temperatura glazurii deoarece risca sa “fuga de pe stratul de crema”
Tortul se decoreaza cu numele lui scris cu crema de unt pe un colt.Se pot adauga la decorare note musicale, foita comestibila de aur(asta asa pentru effect deosebit).



Un tort minunat ,foarte elegant potrivit pentru sarbatori, asta ca se apopie cu pasi repezi Pastele.


Nu mai spun cat de potrivit este pentru cafea....

Opera cake

I read a lot on the internet and not only there, about the notorious Opera cake, the famous creation of Louis Clichy.

I was impressed of it’s fantastic and bright history,the story of the recipe born from the dream of a maestro baker who lived with the passion for the savant combination of almonds, chocolate and coffee.

This elegant cake surpassed everything I was expecting from it. I was on guard for a complicated recipe, elaborated, and after the ingredients list extremely sweet and typically French.
Surprise!!!
It went quickly, very easy to make, no special problems, and was speedily finished in culinary ovations.

Joconde(almond sponge cake):

7 large eggs
7 spoon of white sugar
6 spoons of flour
1 unit baking powder (2 tsp)
200 gr gounded almonds (other kind nuts can be used)
25 gr melted an cooled butter

Coffee buttecream:

1 egg
200 gr sugar
300 gr butter soften
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp water

Ganache:
200 gr bittersweet chocolate
150 ml cream (I used vegetal –Maestro)
1 vile rum essence -1 tsp (Dr. Oetker or Ruff)

Glaze:
100 gr chocolate
80 ml cream

Method:

Joconde:
Beat the egg whites with the electric mixer until stiff, add the sugar and keep beating until very stiff. Fold in, gently; the egg yolks (do not beat).
Mix flour, almonds and baking powder and add spoon by spoon at the egg mixture. Add the melted butter and mix very gently.
Grease the tray or cake pan (the classical shape is rectangular so I used the tray)
Preheat the oven on the middle temperature. Pour the batter in the tray (I used baking paper and I strongly recommend it). Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until that toothpick tests ok. (See the previous posts)

Coffee butter cream:
Mix the egg and sugar in bain-marie for 10-15 min. The mixture will become thick with the tendency to become dry on the edges.
Mix the coffee with water until dissolved. Add it to the egg mixture and mix for another 5 min.
Let it cool completely.
Cream the butter and add the egg cream by teaspoon mixing well after each addition.

Ganache:
Heat the cream close to boiling point (you can use the microwave).
Break the chocolate into small pieces (I grounded it) and add it to the hot cream. Mix very well until it resembles a chocolate sauce. Cool at room temperature.

Assembly:
Cut the sponge cake on 3 layers.
Put ¾ of the coffee butter cream on the bottom layer.
Put the ganache on the middle layer.
Spread the left butter cream on the top layer.

Glaze:
Heat the cream like you did at ganache and add the chocolate. Mix well until smooth and continue mixing until cool.
Glaze the cake and refrigerate.
The glaze hardens very quickly and you can cut the cake after the glaze is dry.

Tip: Be careful at the glaze temperature .There is a risk it will “run “.
Decorate the cake with its name written with butter cream on a corner. You can draw musical notes, and put eatable gold (this for a special effect)

A wonderful cake, perfect for Holydays,since Easter is so close.

I won't say how well does it go with coffee...