Lemon Cake

Lemon Cake - This is the best recipe!  It makes a wonderful party or host gift and is beautiful and delicious like sachertorte and Margarita Cheesecake... Unfortunately I didn't have any photos that show what this cake really looks like.  The next time I make it I will take some nice images.  If you don't already own Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Parties!, it's a great book and has good photos of this cake - look on page 104.

Lemon cake

Ingredients:

Makes two 8-inch loaves

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 extra-large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
  

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 -inch loaf

pans. Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an

electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes

or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, add the

eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a

bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk and

vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the

batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly

between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour,

until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small

saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves and makes a

syrup. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes, then

invert them onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon the lemon syrup

over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a

bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the

cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Sachertorte

Sachertorte - This cake is so wonderful and rich beside Margarita Cheesecake.  My mother has been making this since I was very little.   It takes some time - but is well worth the effort.  There are hundreds of recipes called Sachertorte - many have ingredients not considered authentic like marzipan and hazelnut.  The cake in this version is close to the original recipe, but I've been told by some bloggers that the glaze isn't close to the original... however, this version is delicious and sticks to the basic spirit and concept of the original.

Sachertorte was invented by Franz Sacher of the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, Austria.  It was a closely guarded secret until, somehow the owner of the pastry shop Demel obtained the recipe.  The Demel and Sacher families ended up in a bitter rivalry that even went to court to determine who could call their creation the "Original Sachertorte."  It appears that both recipes are very similar - except Demel's version puts the jam just under the chocolate glaze.  Sacher's version puts the apricot filling in the center of the cake.

You can order the original cake from Vienna.  Sacher's cake comes with a chocolate circle stamp on the cake - Demel's Original Sachertorte comes with a triangular chocolate stamp.

Note - My mother always doubled the glaze and filling recipes - split both cakes and ended up with two complete cakes.

Ingredients:

6.5 ounces - good quality semi-sweet chocolate, broken or chopped in small pieces

8 egg yolks

8 tablespoons (1/4 stick) of unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract (Williams Sonoma carries a good one)

10 egg whites

pinch of salt

3/4 cup of sugar

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 cup apricot jam, rubbed through a sieve

THE GLAZE

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken or chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon corn syrup

1 egg

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two 9 by 1.5 inch round cake pans with circles of wax paper.

In the top of a double boiler, heat the chocolate until it melts while stirring it occasionally with a wooden spoon.  In a small mixing bowl, break up the egg yolks with a fork, then beat in the chocolate, melted butter and vanilla.

With a wire whisk or beater, beat the egg whites and pinch of salt until they foam - then add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time while beating until stiff peaks form.  

Mix about 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk-chocolate mixture, the reverse the process and pour the chocolate over the remaining egg whites.  Sprinkle the flour over the top.  With a rubber spatula, using an over-and-under cutting motion instead of a mixing motion, fold the whites and the chocolate mixture together until no trace of the whites remain.  Do not overfold!!

Pour the batter into the 2 lined pans, dividing it evenly between them.  Back in the middle of the oven until the layers are puffed and dry and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean (about 40-45 minutes but watch it as every oven can be a little different)

Remove the pans from the oven and loosen the sides of the layers by running a sharp knife around them. Turn them out on a cake rack and remove the wax paper.  Let the layers cool while you prepare the glaze.

GLAZE PREPARATION:

In a small heavy saucepan, combine the chocolate, cream, sugar and corn syrup.  Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook on low heat until the chocolate and sugar are melted - then raise the heat to medium and cook without stirring for about 5 minutes or until a little of the mixture dropped into a glass of cold water forms a soft ball.  In a small mixing bowl beat the egg  lightly, then stir 3 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture into it.  Pour this into the remaining chocolate in the saucepan and stir it briskly.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the glaze coats the spoon heavily.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla.  Cool the glaze to room temperature.

When the cake layers have completely cooled, spread one of them with apricot jam and put the other layer on top.  Set the rack in the jelly-roll pan and, holding the saucepan about 2 inches away from the cake, our the glaze slowly over it evenly.  Smooth the glaze with a metal spatula.  Let the cake stand until the glaze stops dripping, then, using two metal spatulas, transfer it to a plate and refrigerate it for 3 hours to harden the glaze.  Remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.  Serve with freshly made whipping cream.

Margarita Cheesecake

Margarita Cheesecake - A good margarita cheesecake should resemble your favorite margarita.  I love a mine with Grand Marnier, a very good 100% agave tequila and fresh lime.  I'm not a big fan of triple sec or sweet and sour in my marg - so those ingredients aren't in this recipe!  Be sure to plan lots of time for baking, cooling and slicing.  This is a soft cheesecake and it will require some patience and care.  Cheers!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 TBSP butter, room temperature
• 1.5 TBSP grated lime zest
• 3 TBSP fresh lime juice
• 3 TBSP Grand Marnier 
• 3 TBSP 100% agave Tequila
• 2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tsp 100% vanilla extract
• 1.75 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Move oven rack to lowest position.
Completely grease an 8 inch round cake pan with butter including all sides and the rim.
In a small bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, Grand Marnier and tequila and set aside.
In a standing mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high until completely smooth.  Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl while beating.  Add vanilla and sugar and continue beating.  Then add eggs (one at a time) and blend until well mixed - but don't over do it.  Using a wooden spoon, fold in the juice-tequila mixture.
Spray the buttered cake pan with some non-stick spray.  Pour in the batter.  To prevent cracking while baking, you'll want to bake the cake in a hot-water bath.  This makes the baking process more gentle and it will cook evenly.  Place filled cake pan inside a second (and larger) 3 inch deep pan.  Pour hot water into the second larger pan until it's about 1 inch full.  Place on lowest oven rack and bake until the top of the cake is lightly golden brown... approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.  The cake will still be soft on the inside.
Gently lift the cake pan out of the water-filled pan.  Allow it to cool for 2.5 - 3 hours on a cake rack. Cover with plastic wrap, place a heavy flat plate on top and gently invert and remove the pan.  The bottom of the cheesecake will be showing, add graham cracker crumbs to bottom to create crust and fill any holes in the crust with additional graham cracker crumbs.  Place another plate on the crumbs, press gently and gently invert again so cake is upright on plate.  Leave plastic wrap on and place cake in refrigerator overnight.    When you're ready to serve, gently and carefully remove the plastic wrap then place in the freezer for 45 minutes.  This will help you more easily cut the soft cheesecake so your slices are clean and elegant.
Garnish with a thin and twisted lime slice on each piece of cheesecake and add a touch of lime zest sprinkles.