Xmas Pastry Workshop 1 Recipes (Improved Version)

Dear all,

Here are the improved and alternative versions of the recipes from the Xmas Pastry Workshop 1.

Kirschtorte (Bavarian Black Forest Cake)
8 portions
Ingredients:
1 no Chocolate Sponge Cake, sliced horizontally into 3 pcs
For The Filling:
2 cans Canned Dark Pitted Cherries, slice into half, drained.
2tbsps Kirsch (cherry liqueur or brandy) or 1tsp kirsch essence
For The Syrup:
100g Sugar
125ml Water
50ml Kirsch (cherry liqueur or brandy) or 2tsps kirsch essence
For The Chocolate Whipped Cream Topping:
5 pcs Gelatine Leaf (~5g)
3tbsps Kirsch (cherry liqueur or brandy) or 1 ½ tsp kirsch essence
600ml Whipping cream
50g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
50g Icing Sugar
l tsp Vanilla Essence
For Garnish:
200-250g Chocolate Shavings or Chocolate Curls
Canned Dark Pitted or Fresh Cherries

Preparation Method:

1. Mix cherries and kirsch, transfer to a bowl and let it steep for half an hour.

2. In a saucepan combine the sugar and water, bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and stir in Kirsch. Let it cool.

3. In small saucepan combine gelatine and Kirsch and let soften 5 minutes or soak gelatine leaves in cold water till soft before adding Kirsch essence if using. Gently heat mixture over low heat or a hot water bath, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat. In chilled bowl, beat cream until it holds soft peaks, add sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Add gelatine mixture in stream, beating, and beat until it holds stiff peaks.

4. Place one layer of cake onto a cardboard round, brush with some of syrup and arrange some cherries over it. Spread some of the whipped cream over cherries and invert second layer of sponge onto cake.

5. Brush with syrup, spread with remaining cherries and top with some more whipped cream, spreading it into an even layer and invert third sponge layer onto cake. Brush top with syrup and spread some whipped cream over top and sides of cake reserving the rest for garnish.

6. Transfer remaining whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe rosettes decoratively around top and bottom edge of cake and top the rosettes (on top edges of cake) with cherries. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining chocolate shavings and let cake stand, covered and chilled, for at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours.

INDIVIDUAL BLUEBERRY TRIFLES
8 Portions
Ingredients:
200g Fresh Blueberries reserve some berries for garnish
70g Sugar
2tbsp Sherry
300ml Whipping Cream
2tbsps Icing Sugar
8 slices Pound Cakes, cut into cubes
200g Instant Custard Powder
500ml Milk
½ tsp Vanilla Essence
Preparation Method:
1. In a medium-sized bowl, place the blueberries; stir in sugar and sherry; with a fork, mash about one-third of the blueberries. Allow the berries to steep in the wine

2. In another bowl, whip cream and icing sugar; set aside. Cut pound cake in 1-inch cubes. Whisk instant custard powder with milk. Stir vanilla into cooled pudding; fold in half of the sweetened whipped cream.

3. In eight parfait or wine glasses, or dessert bowls, arrange alternate layers of cake cubes, sugared blueberries and custard cream, repeating twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; chill.

4. Just before serving, top with remaining whipped cream and blueberries. Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds and top with mint leaves, if desired.

Xmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
300g Butter, softened to room temperature
300 Sugar
580g Plain flour
20g Baking Powder
5no Eggs, beaten
50ml Rum
350g Mixed Dried Fruits soaked in extra 50 ml of rum
50g Walnuts nuts, coarsely chopped
1tsp Cinnamon Powder
1no Lemon, grated for zest
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
Preparation Method:
1. Heat oven to 160ºC. Beat the butter and sugar for 3mins until very creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the sides of the bowl half way through. Add in the eggs gradually and the rest of the flour slowly until well incorporated.

2. Mix in rum (the mix will look curdled), then add the presoaked mixed dried fruits, nuts, lemon zest, spice and vanilla. Beat together to mix, then stir in the baking powder.

3. Spoon mixture into the tin and smooth the top, Bake for 30 mins, then lower temperature to 140°C and bake a further 40mins, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then take the cake out of the tin. When completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil to store until ready to decorate. The cake will keep for several months.