Lagkagebunde - Spongecake for Danish Layer Cake

Classic Danish Layer cake

I know I need a better picture of the spongecake inside.

Makes 3 thin cakes.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 150 g sugar
• 110 g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or the seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).

If baking 3 thin cakes:

Spray three 9-inch (22 cm) baking pans. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each and spray this too. Set aside. 

Whisk the eggs light and foamy with the sugar, it takes about 5 minutes to get maximum foaming when whisking on a stand mixer.

Mix and sift flour and baking powder together, and set aside. 

Very gently fold the flour, vanilla and milk in the foamy eggs. Be very careful not to deflate the egg mixture to much.

Pour the batter in the prepared baking pans, dividing the batter evenly between the three, if making 3 cakes. (Put about 155 g in each.) 

Bake the 3 thin cakes for about 7-8 minutes, until light brown.

If baking one big cake, to cut up in 3 thin discs after cooling:

Spray a 9-inch (22 cm) springform. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom and spray this too. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs light and foamy with the  sugar, it takes about 5 minutes to get maximum foaming when whisking on a stand mixer.

Mix and sift flour and baking powder together, and set aside. 

Very gently fold the flour, vanilla and milk in the foamy eggs. Be very careful not to deflate the egg mixture to much.

Pour the batter in the prepared springform

Bake the large cake for 25-30 minutes, until light brown.

When cooled completely, place the cake on a sturdy work surface. Using a long serrated knife and a sawing motion, cut the layer horizontally to make 3 layers. Don't worry if the layers are not perfectly even. The filling and frosting will mask that. 

Happy Easter

Easter layer cake

Happy Easter everyone. I hope you all are enjoying the holiday and the spring.

Vanilla Buttercream - Smørcreme

Florentines with Vanilla Buttercream

This vanilla buttercream is great as frosting, or as a crumb coating before decoration a layered cake. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites
• 100 g confectionary sugar
• 150 g butter, salted and room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and whip the buttercream until thick and fluffy over a double boiler. I used a saucepan with very hot water, and placed my bowl on top of that. I didn't have it on the stove. It takes some time to get the buttercream nice and fluffy.

Vanilla Custard - Kagecreme

Strawberry Tart with Chocolate Crust

This vanilla custard is used in tarts and layer cakes. But works great served with fresh fruits.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2,5 dl milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• heavy whipping cream, whipped

Directions:

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale in color. Whisk in the cornstarch and vanilla paste.

Heat the milk to a slow boil, set aside. 

While whisking vigorously drizzle the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, just a tiny bit at a time at first. Once you’ve added about ¼ of the milk, you can add the rest in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly.

Pour the mixture back in the saucepan and reheat it over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it starts to boil and is thickened. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar or press some plastic wrap against the custard so it won't form a pudding skin. Chill the custard completely in the refrigerator.

When the custard is cold, whip the heavy whipping cream. Fold the whipped cream in the custard a little at a time till you get the desired taste and texture. 

Leg of Lamb, Provencal

Leg of Lamb, Provencal

We never had lamb in my house growing up. My dad said it tasted like chewing on wool, and he would never eat it. Luckily he didn't state that he rather eat an old hat, because he came to love lamb in his later years. I guess that he got to eat sheeps-meat instead of lamb when he grew up, during and after world war II, when money were scarce.

My beloved niece, eating a leg of lamb, 2004.

My first encounter with lamb, was when my brothers then girlfriend made this dish for us. Ohh My it was good. The great tasting lamb with more than a hint of garlic and rosemary. The potatoes gets the flavors from the lamb roasting on top, and are soft, with a crispy top. This dish quickly became a family favorite.

 This leg of lamb is really a great meal when you are having people over. All the prep can be done hours in advance, so you can get the kitchen and your self cleaned up before the guests arrive. I love meals like that, served family style.

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

• 1 (6-7 lb.) bone in leg of lamb

• 9 cloves of garlic

• 3 sprigs of rosemary

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 12 medium-large potatoes, peeled and sliced

• lamb stock or chicken stock

• salt & pepper

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 450 ℉.

Place the leg of lamb in a large roasting pan fat side up and pat it dry with paper towels. Poke holes into the meat, slide a small piece of garlic into the hole, repeat this all over the leg of lamb. Combine the oil, 1 garlic clove, leave from the rosemary sprigs, salt and pepper in a mini food processor and pulse until the garlic and rosemary are minced. Spread the mixture on the lamb.

Slice the potatoes, and place them in a large roasting pan. Pour in stock, so it almost cover the potatoes.  tuck in the rosemary sprigs. Place the leg of lamb on top.

Roast for 25 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350℉ and roast for another 2 hours, until a meat thermometer registers 165℉ for well done. You can serve the lamb medium (140℉). Place the lamb on a cutting board, covered with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Return the potatoes to the oven to keep warm. Slice the lamb and arrange on a platter, and serve it with the potatoes.

Enjoy!