Rose's Heavenly Cakes (42 page)

Make the Raspberry Cream Topping

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream and sugar and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. (Chill the mixer's beaters alongside the bowl.)

In a small bowl, whisk together the raspberry preserves and Chambord.

Whip the cream and sugar, starting on low speed, gradually raising the speed to medium-high as it thickens, just until beater marks begin to show distinctly. Add the raspberry mixture and whip just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised.

Final Presentation

For a piped decoration, immediately fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open star pastry tube (3/8 to ½ inch) with the raspberry cream and pipe, starting at the edges of the bowl and working toward the center, mounding it more toward the center. (You may also swirl the raspberry cream on top of the trifle with a small silicone spatula.) Place the remaining ½ cup of raspberries decoratively on top. Refrigerate. Remove the trifle from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Plan Ahead

For best flavor and texture, compose everything but the topping 1 day ahead. Make the whipped cream topping, if using, up to 8 hours ahead.

Special Equipment

Two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans, coated with baking spray with flour, then topped with parchment rounds    |    One 3- to 3½-quart (96 to 112 ounces) trifle bowl    |    Large pastry bag fitted with a Saint-Honoré tube or large open star pastry tube (3/8 to 1/2 inch); optional

Preheat the Oven

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Prepare the Butter

In a medium microwavable bowl, or a saucepan over medium heat, warm the butter until almost hot (110° to 120°F/40° to 50°C). Stir in the vanilla, cover, and keep it warm.

Beat the Eggs

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a long-handled wire whisk, lightly combine the eggs and sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat just until lukewarm to the touch, stirring constantly with the whisk to prevent curdling.

Attach the whisk beater. Beat the mixture on high speed for a minimum of 5 minutes. The mixture will triple in volume and be very thick and airy. (A handheld mixer will take at least 10 minutes.)

Mix the Flour and Cornstarch

While the eggs are beating, sift together the flour and cornstarch.

Make the Batter

Remove almost 1 cup of the beaten egg mixture and whisk it thoroughly into the melted butter.

Sift about half the flour mixture over the remaining egg mixture and, with a large balloon whisk, slotted skimmer, or silicone spatula, fold it in gently but rapidly until almost all the flour has disappeared. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture until all traces of flour have disappeared.

Fold in the butter mixture just until incorporated. With a silicone spatula, reach into the bottom of the bowl to be sure to moisten all the flour. Immediately scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces evenly with a small offset spatula. If you have beaten the batter long enough, the pans will be a little more than half full.

Bake the Cakes

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown and start to shrink slightly from the sides of the pans. To prevent the collapse of its delicate foam structure, while still hot, the génoise must be unmolded as soon as it is baked. Have ready a small metal spatula and three wire racks that have been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Unmold and Cool the Cakes

Run the small metal spatula between the sides of the pans and the cakes, pressing firmly against the pans, and invert the cakes onto two of the prepared wire racks. Leaving the parchment in place, immediately reinvert the cakes onto the prepared racks so that the firm upper crust keeps the cake from sinking. Cool completely.

Make the Grand Marnier Syrup

In a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring the sugar and water to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Cover immediately, remove it from the heat, and cool completely. Transfer the syrup to a glass measure and stir in the Grand Marnier. If the syrup has evaporated slightly, add enough water to equal 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of syrup. Cover tightly to prevent evaporation. The syrup keeps for up to 24 hours at room temperature or for up to several weeks refrigerated.

Make the Chiboust Cream

In a mixing bowl, pour the cream and refrigerate. (Chill the mixer's beaters alongside the bowl.)

In a medium heavy saucepan, bring the milk to the boiling point over medium heat. Cover and keep hot.

With a small sharp knife, split the vanilla beans lengthwise in half.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the sugar. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the sugar and rub them in with your fingers. Add the vanilla pods to the chilled cream.

Attach the whisk beater and add the yolks. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until well mixed. Add the cornstarch and gelatin and beat for a few seconds until well blended. Gradually beat in the hot milk.

Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk, reaching well into the bottom edges of the pan. As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, it will become very thick. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly with the whisk. Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the Grand Marnier and vanilla extract, and pour the mixture into a bowl. Coat plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray and set the wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming.

Allow the pastry cream to cool until it has reached room temperature. If you watch it carefully, you can speed cooling by placing the bowl in the refrigerator or the freezer. To prevent premature setting around the sides, use a glass or plastic bowl and stir gently two or three times. It will take about 30 minutes in the freezer.

When the pastry cream is cool, set it aside at room temperature so that the gelatin doesn't set while you are whipping the cream.

Complete the Chiboust Cream

Remove the vanilla pods and rinse and dry them for another use. In the chilled bowl, starting on low speed, gradually raising the speed to medium-high as it thickens, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form when the beater is lifted. Using a large balloon whisk, slotted skimmer, or silicone spatula, fold it into the cooled pastry cream. Use it at once or cover and chill for up to 3 days.

Prepare the Strawberries and Preserves

Reserve a few attractive strawberries for decoration. If the strawberries are very tart, in a large bowl, toss the rest of the strawberries with the sugar and macerate for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade and Grand Marnier until soft enough to spread easily.

Compose the Trifle

Use a long serrated knife and your fingers to remove the crust from the top of each cake layer, and remove the parchment from the bottoms. Scrape off any remaining bottom crust. Wash and dry the knife and split each cake layer horizontally in half. Use the trifle bowl as a guide for trimming the layers to fit: invert the bowl over the layer and cut away the excess cake. (If the bottom of the bowl is smaller than the top, you will need to trim three of the layers slightly more to fit the bowl, but all layers should be slightly larger than the inside of the bowl to fit snugly. This will help control the amount of cream that seeps between the layers, keeping the outside edge attractive.)