Technical Thursday, woop woop!
Admittedly, it's not half as original this time around as everybody in Britain seems to be doing exactly the same thing and baking along with the new series of The Great British Bake Off too... I don't mind though: I think it's fantastic that baking has become so popular!
I love the Technical Challenges, and I'm hoping this series has just as many bizarre, fiendishly difficult and beautiful concoctions as the last. I'm definitely a better baker because of my previous attempt at these, so fingers crossed the coming months provide even more of an education into all things bread, pastry, biscuits, cake and everything in between.
So, without further ado: here's my version of the very first Technical Challenge of the series, Mary Berry's Frosted Walnut Cake.
The original recipe can be found on the BBC Food website here, and in the new GBBO Book 'Celebrations' here. As ever though, it's below with my notes and photographs.
Also, if you already have the baking bug then Lakeland have just released a whole range of special Bake Off products. My basket is full (obviously), and if you fancy themed goodies too to accompany the series then you can find the range here.
Ingredients:
For the sponges:
225g/8oz self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
100g/3½oz walnuts, finely chopped
225g/8oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
225g/8oz caster sugar
4 large free-range eggs, beaten
For the caramelised walnuts:
100g/3½oz caster sugar
10 walnut halves
For the buttercream:
125g/4½oz butter, softened
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk
250g/9oz icing sugar
For the boiled icing:
2 large egg whites
350g/12oz caster sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C / 140C Fan / Gas 3. Grease 3 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins and line the base of each tin with baking parchment.
Chop up the walnuts as small as possible (I'm sure Paul Hollywood said into eighths?!).
Mix the flour, baking powder and walnuts together in a bowl.
In a separate bowl or a free-standing electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs a little at a time.
Fold in the flour mixture using a large metal spoon.
Divide the mixture equally between the 3 tins and level the surfaces. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden-brown and springy to the touch.
Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Ideally, while the cakes are in the oven, make the caramelised walnuts. Line a baking tray either with baking parchment greased with oil, or a silicone baking sheet.
Tip the sugar and 2 tablespoons water into a pan and heat over a low heat until the sugar begins to melt. Increase the heat and cook the caramel to a dark golden colour (be super careful: boiling sugar is ridiculously hot!).
Remove from the heat, add the walnut halves and swirl to coat in the caramel. You'll have to work quickly so the walnuts don't all set in the middle of the pan in a massive, sugary mess. Transfer the walnut halves to a silicon sheet and leave to set.
Also, you'll need to immediately set your saucepan to soak: melted sugar is such a pain to try and remove when hard (I'm speaking from experience with many-a ruined saucepan...), so soften it as soon as you can with warm soapy water.
For the buttercream, put the butter, vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of the milk and half the icing sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining icing sugar. Pour in the rest of the milk, if needed to make the buttercream the right consistency.
Place one of the cooled sponges top down on a serving plate. Spread half of the buttercream over it in an even layer, leaving a small gap around the edge.
Place the second sponge on top, crust-side up and spread the rest of the buttercream evenly over the surface. Top with the third sponge, crust-side up.
The boiled icing is a bit of a mad sprint so make sure you have everything ready before you begin. Measure the egg whites, sugar, 4 tablespoons water and cream of tartar into a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of hot water.
Whisk with a hand-held electric whisk for 8-10 minutes until the icing is very thick, white and will hold stiff peaks. Remove the bowl from the pan and - working quickly as the icing sets rapidly - cover the top and sides of the cake with the icing. It's best to start with a thin crumb layer and then build it up, swirling the icing to form softened peaks.
While the icing is still soft, decorate with the caramelised walnuts (make sure you dab them with kitchen paper first to remove any excess oil). Leave to set in a cool place, but not in the fridge, and enjoy!
Safe to say, I'm pretty pleased with this! It's so simple to make - don't be put off by the multiple stages! - and works wonderfully. Good old Mary Berry! I was a little dubious of the flavour of a plain walnut cake and assumed it'd be pretty bland, as I've only ever come across walnuts in cake mixed with coffee or dates. I stand fully corrected as it's a subtle yet interesting flavour, and robust enough to handle the sweetness of the icing and the buttercream. Actually, it's a pretty genius combination.
I'm pleased to report that my walnuts were evenly distributed, however my icing was at fault. I clearly didn't whisk it long enough to properly dissolve the sugar over the heat, and as a result it had a quite grainy texture. Plus, unfortunately it seemed to get sweeter with time, and the next day it was as if the cake was encased in a coat of pure sugar. It's such a shame, but I'll know for next time!
I was also extremely impatient and didn't leave it long enough to set (I needed natural light for photographs and there were looming black clouds beginning to ruin everything!). As such, the slice above almost fell apart... If I'd left it another hour it would have been fine, and later in the evening the cake had obviously settled into place and cut like a dream. It was just a little too delicate to handle so soon after completion, as you can see above!
Sp, what do you think of Mary Berry's Frosted Walnut Cake? Will you be giving it a go this week, and do you plan on joining in the fun and trying out the Technical Challenges? Do let me know in the comments below!
[N.B. This post contains affiliate links to Lakeland products.]
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