Simnel Cake is a special food item associated with Easter. Known since the Medieval Times, a Simnel Cake is a rich fruit cake with a layer of almond paste on top and in the middle. The cake is often toasted.
The cake is made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top, representing the 11 disciples (Judas is not included).
The cake was traditionally boiled in water, then baked. The Lent fast dictated that the Simnel cake be kept until Easter.
The word Simnel is said to have been derived from the Latin word "simila" which means a fine wheat flour mainly used for baking a cake.
Ingredients
For the cake
Three lemons, finely zested plus seven tablespoons of juice
150g of crystallized ginger, finely chopped (or stem ginger, well drained)
250g pf butter, softened
250g of golden caster sugar
Six large eggs, separated
225g of self raising flour, sifted
Two teaspoons of ground ginger
175g of ground almonds
For the white chocolate ganache
300g of white chocolate, broken into squares
150ml of double cream
35g of butter
For the white chocolate butter icing
125g of butter, softened
225g of icing sugar
One tablespoon of milk
50g of white chocolate, melted and cooled
For the marzipan balls
250g of natural marzipan
Edible gold dusting powder
Blue gel food colouring
Purple gel food colouring
Pink gel food colouring
Green gel food colouring
Method
1) To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, gas 4. Grease the sides of 2 20cm (8in) round, deep, loose-based cake tins. Line the bases with baking paper.
2) Mix the lemon rind and juice with the chopped ginger and set aside. Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and using an electric whisk, beat until pale, smooth and creamy.
3) Add the egg yolks, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Fold half of the flour, ground ginger and ground almonds into the mixture followed by half of the lemon and ginger mixture. Repeat with the remaining flour, almonds and lemon and ginger mixture.
4) Using a clean electric whisk, beat the egg whites until white, foamy and stiff. Add a large spoonful to the cake mixture and fold in to loosen the mixture a little. Using a large metal spoon, carefully fold the remaining egg white in to the mixture until well combined. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out on to a wire cooling rack and leave until completely cool.
5) Meanwhile, make the white chocolate ganache. Put the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl. Stand the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (without letting the water touch the base of the bowl) and heat gently, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted. Alternatively microwave on high for 1-1 1/2 mins. Add the butter and remove the bowl from the pan. Beat in the butter and cool. Chill for 35-45 minutes or until the mixture thickens to a spreading consistency.
6) Meanwhile, make the buttercream: place the butter, icing sugar and milk in a bowl and beat until smooth and combined. Stir in the cooled, melted chocolate. Set aside at room temperature.
7) When the cakes are cold sandwich them together with a thin layer of the white chocolate ganache, placing the flattest side of the top cake uppermost. Using a palette knife, spread the buttercream all over the top and sides of the cake, making it as smooth as possible. Chill for 10-15 minutes until firm.
8) Using a palette knife spread the remaining white chocolate ganache over the top and sides of the cake. Chill while making the marzipan balls.
9) To make the marzipan balls: Divide the marzipan into 5 pieces, making one piece slightly larger than the rest; divide this into 3 and roll into balls. Sprinkle some of the gold dusting powder over a small plate and roll the marzipan balls in it to coat. Colour the remaining pieces of marzipan using a few drops of each of the colourings. Shape each colour into 2 balls. Arrange on top of the cake and serve.
not mine.credit and source: GET WEST LONDON
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