HOW TO MAKE A WEDDING CAKE

Have a sneak peak of the new issue. Luke Stephenson and his team decided to do a wedding cake story for us including recipe. I hope you enjoy and once you decide to try your own cake please send us images.


VIDEO: Luke Stepenson
PRODUCTION: Henriette Primus
FOODSTYLING: Annie Nichols


Fairy Tale Castle Wedding Cake

Choc Fudge Cake
Pomegranate Glue
Lemony Sponge Cake
Frosting
Pomegranate Meringue Turrets
Silver dragees
Edible glitter

You will need:
One each of 20cm, 23 cm & 30 cm chocolate fudge cakes
Two each of 20 cm, 23 cm & 30 cm Lemony Cakes
Three swiss rolls
One quantity of Pomegranate Meringues
One quantity of Pomegranate Glue
Three quantities of Frosting

Place one of the largest Lemony sponge cakes on a large cake board. Drizzle all over with a little of the pomegranate glue, then top with a chocolate cake. Add glue to this and top with another sponge cake.

Repeat with the next 2 cake layers. Cut the swiss rolls to desired length and arrange on top of cake.

With a spatula cover the whole cake smoothly with Frosting. Using a piping bag, pipe rosettes all around the cake. Top with 3 meringue turrets and finish off with silver dragees and dust heavily with edible glitter.


Choc Fudge Cake
Makes a 20 cm round cake

200 g dark brown sugar
100 g molasses sugar
4 tablespoons water
250 g butter, softened
250 g dark chocolate, (about 60-70 % cocoa solids)
6 medium eggs, separated


Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin with parchment paper and
preheat an oven 160 C.

Break the chocolate into pieces into a large heatproof bowl and add the butter. Place the sugar and water in a small pan, bring to a boil stirring to dissolve then pour over the chocolate and butter in the bowl. Stir until smooth.

Beat the egg yolks with a fork and stir well through the chocolate mixture.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then fold gently in.

Pour into the tin. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the tin, then chill over night.

To make the larger cakes
For 23cm multiply the chocolate cake quantities by 1 ½
For 30 cm multiply the quantities by 2
Cooking times stays the same.

Pomegranate Glue
3 cups pomegranate juice
2 cups caster sugar
Juice lemon

Pour the sugar and juice into a small pan. Bring to the boil and let it bubble away for about 20-30 minutes. Add the juice and boil again until it thickens to a sticky, syrupy glaze. Pour into a bowl and cool completely.


Lemony Sponge Cake and Swiss Roll
Makes 2 x 20 cm round cakes or a 33 x 23 swiss roll

3 eggs
125 g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
125g plain flour
Pomegranate glue

Preheat oven 200 C.
Grease 2 x 20 cm cake tins or a 33 x 23 swiss roll tin and line the base with baking parchment.

Whisk the eggs, sugar and lemon zest for about ten mintues or until pale and really fluffy. (you’ll need a machine for this.) Lift the whisk and write your initials on the surface and if it sits for at least 10 seconds then it’s ready, if not, keep going.

Drizzle over the lemon juice and gently fold in the flour, then pour into the tin or onto the swiss roll tin, spreading it or letting it roll into the corners.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes. If making the swiss rolls, lay a clean wrung out damp tea towel out on a flat surface. Place a piece of parchment larger than the swiss roll tin out on top and sprinkle liberally with caster sugar.

When, if you gently poke the swiss roll, the sponge bounces back, then it’s ready. Tip the swiss roll out onto the paper, drizzle with the pomegranate glue and quickly roll up from one short end, then leave in the paper to go cold. Cut to desired length.

To make the larger cakes
For 23cm multiply the chocolate cake quantities by 1 ½
For 30 cm multiply the quantities by 2
Cooking times stays the same.


Frosting
180g caster sugar
75ml water
2 large egg whites
250 g butter, at room temperature.
Add cornflour will help to stiffen the mixture and stabilize it esp in heat

Put the sugar and water into a small saucepan and stir over low heat to dissolve. Increase the heat to high and boil the syrup until it reaches 120°C on a sugar thermometer.

When the sugar syrup is nearly ready, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and gradually pour in the sugar syrup in a steady stream. Continue to beat until the meringue has doubled in volume and the sides of the mixing bowl no longer feels hot.

Gradually beat in the butter. Will keep happily in the fridge for a day or so.

Pomegranate Meringue Turrets
Makes about 6 meringues

3 medium egg whites
pinch salt
175 g caster sugar
Pomegranate glue


Pre heat oven to 120 C and line a couple of baking trays with baking parchment.

Whisk egg white and salt together until stiff. Gradually add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time making sure it is mixed well in after each addition, until the mixture is thick and glossy.

Drizzle some of the pomegranate syrup backwards and forwards over the meringue in the bowl and scoop out large spoonfuls as turrets onto the baking sheet. Add more syrup to the bowl each time you take out a spoonful of meringue. No need to swirl as this will create a marbled effect on its own

Bake for 4 hours until crisp and dry. Cool on wire rack.


© Annie Nichols 2010
www.hotmealsnow.com