ITALIAN MERINGUE SPONGE
Nes ek dink ek het die perfekte icing resep, kry ek ‘n beter een. Die een is TOPS. Ek het hoeveelhede effens verander.
300g sugar
250ml water
4 egg whites
2.5ml cream of tartar
325g room temp unsalted butter – [250g block plus half of another 250g]
5ml vanilla essence
Half cup passionfruit pulp, seeds removed (about 6 + 1 extra)
Sponge cake of choice (See recipe below)
Boil sugar and water for approx. 10 minutes to soft ball stage, or 120°C on sugar thermometer.
While boiling, prepare egg whites by whisking with cream of tartar until stiff peaks forms. With motor running, add hot syrup in a steady stream, and keep beating until mixture cools. This takes up to 7 minutes or longer. If skimping on this or syrup not hot enough, the mixture may weep.
When the meringue is cooled down (not before) beat the butter until light and fluffy, add the pulp in steady stream and continue beating with the vanilla until smooth and light. Fold in the meringue until mixed well.
Cut the cake into layers and spread half the mix between them. Use the other half to coat the sides and top, and drizzle the 1 reserved passion fruit (pulp and seeds) over the top.
VARIATIONS:
– Use other fruit in season instead of passion fruit.
– Drizzle matching liqueur or juice or melted jam over sponges before spreading with icing mix.
SPONGE
120g (250ml) flour, sieved 3x
40g (75ml) cornflour sieved with flour
5ml baking powder
1ml salt
2ml cream of tartar
5 eggs, separated
210g (250ml) castor sugar
100ml ice cold water
Preheat oven to 160°C (yes slightly colder than normal). I bake my cakes in a colder oven for slightly longer = flat cake, no rising volcanoes. Line cake tin with baking paper, and use another piece of baking paper long enough to go around sides and overlap, fold in half and line sides with folded side at the bottom. This will stick up over edge of cake pan, making it deeper.
Sieve flour, cornflour, salt and baking powder three times (more air, fluffier cake). Beat egg whites with cream of tartar (more stable foam) and set aside.
Beat egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy and all sugar dissolved. Add ice-ice cold water a bit at a time. This will increase volume. Too much at once will destabilise your foam. Fold dry mixture into yolk foam with a metal spoon. Carefully fold in whites with metal spoon, so that you preserve as much air as you can.
Spoon into prepared cake dish and bake immediately for approx. 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven when a skewer comes out clean, let cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan. Any longer may make your cake shrink from the sides. Remove paper and cool on a wire rack. Fill with Italian meringue icing.
Photo and recipe: Kiti de Jager
Hierdie is nog steeds die lekkerste versiersel wat jy KAN maak as jy nie versiersuiker in die huis het nie. Heerlik.