Mennonite Girls Can Cook (32 page)

.......................................... Yields 12 pieces

• 6 eggs, separated
  
• ¾ cup / 175 ml sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml vanilla extract
  
• ¼ teaspoon / 1 ml almond extract
  
• 1¼ cup / 300 ml ground hazelnuts
  
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml baking powder
  
• ¼ teaspoon / 1 ml salt
  
• 1½ cup / 375 ml whipping cream, whipped
  
• ¼ cup / 50 ml sifted icing sugar
  
• Purchased chocolate hazelnut spread
  

1. Grease a 10 × 15-inch / 25 × 33-cm cookie sheet. Line with parchment paper and grease again.
   
2. Preheat oven to 350° F / 175° C.
   
3. Using a mixer, beat sugar and egg yolks on high speed for 5 minutes.
   
4. Add extracts. Beat 1 more minute.
   
5. In separate bowl, combine ground hazelnuts, baking powder, and salt. Mix well with fork.
   
6. Combine hazelnut mixture with sugar mixture. Beat for 2 more minutes.
   
7. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Fold them into cake batter by hand.
   
8. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
   
9. Flip cake onto damp cold tea towel, dusted with icing sugar to prevent the cake from sticking. Remove the parchment paper.
   
10. Roll up; let cool for 15-30 minutes.
    
11. Unroll and trim off crusty edges if necessary.
    
12. Spread with a layer of chocolate hazelnut spread. Cover spread with a layer of whipped cream combined with the icing sugar. It should be stiffly whipped cream. If the whipped cream is too soft, it is difficult to roll up.
    
13. Roll up the cake once more and garnish with additional whipped cream and hazelnuts.
    
14. Freeze the hazelnut roll on a cookie sheet for several hours until hard; then wrap with plastic wrap and seal in a zip-close plastic bag.
    

—
Marg

Marg says

..................................... Yields 8-10 shortcakes

• 2 cups / 500 ml flour
  
• 4 teaspoons / 20 ml baking powder
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml salt
  
• ¼ cup / 60 ml sugar
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml shortening, cold
  
• 1 egg
  
• Milk
  
• 4 cups / 1 L strawberries
  
• 1 pint / 500 ml whipping cream
  
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml icing sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vanilla
  

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together; stir to mix.
   
2. With a pastry blender cut in cold shortening until pea-sized crumbles form.
   
3. Break egg into a 1 cup / 250 ml measuring cup; add milk to make ¾ cup / 175 ml liquid.
   
4. Whisk egg and milk; add to flour and shortening.
   
5. Mix with a fork until batter comes together and feels very soft.
   
6. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth.
   
7. Pat or roll out to ½-inch / 1.5-cm thickness.
   
8. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out dough, placing pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
   
9. Bake in 400° F / 205° C oven for 15 minutes.
   
10. Remove to cooling rack immediately.
    
11. Slice strawberries and set aside. If berries need sweetening add sugar to taste.
    
12. In a small bowl beat cream, icing sugar, and vanilla until thickened.
    
13. To serve, split and fill shortcakes with sweetened whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries.
    

—
Kathy

Kathy says

.............................................. Serves 6-8

• 3 (large) egg whites at room temperature
  
• cup / 75 ml sugar (1st amount)
  
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vinegar
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml vanilla
  
• cup / 150 ml sugar (2nd amount)
  
• 2 teaspoons / 10 ml cornstarch
  
• 8 ounce / 250 ml carton whipping cream
  
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml icing sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml vanilla
  
• Fruit: fresh berries, fresh or canned peaches, nectarines, pineapple, kiwi, plums or a combination of fruit
  

1. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks begin to form. Add first amount of sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, beating well between additions. Check that the sugar has dissolved before adding the next amount by tasting the meringue. You should not taste any grains of sugar.
   
2. Beat in vinegar and vanilla.
   
3. Mix cornstarch with the second amount of sugar, adding it in small amounts, and beating well between each addition until meringue is very thick and most of the sugar is dissolved.
   
4. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit a pizza pan. Sprinkle the pan with a bit of water before putting the parchment down, so it sticks to the pan. Or use lightly buttered foil.
   
5. Pile the meringue onto the parchment in a circle about the size of a dinner plate. Using a spatula or spoon, push the meringue to the outside edges and indent the center so it is slightly lower than the sides.
   
6. Place in center of oven at 300° F / 150° C and bake for 1 hour. Then turn off oven leaving the meringue to cool in the oven overnight or until the oven is completely cold.
   
7. A few hours ahead or just before serving, whip cream with icing sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
   
8. Pile the whipped cream into the center indentation of the
   Pavlova
   .
   
9. To serve, top the
   Pavlova
   with cut-up fruit, or arrange fruit slices in a circular design. Do not put the fruit on until just before serving or the meringue will soften.
   
10. Cut into wedges to serve.
    

—
Bev

Bev says

............................................... Serves 12

• ¼ cup / 60 ml butter, softened
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml sugar
  
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
  
• ¾ cup / 175 ml whipping cream
  
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml baking powder
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml baking soda
  
• Dash salt
  
• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml cornstarch
  
• 2¼ cups / 560 ml flour
  

1. Mix together the sugar and soft butter in a medium mixing bowl.
   
2. Add eggs and cream; stir until well combined.
   
3. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are absorbed.
   
4. Place the dough onto a slightly floured surface and shape it into a roll. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. The dough will be soft but as the butter hardens again, it will become manageable to roll.
   
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide it into 7 equal parts.
   
6. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit onto 2 cookie sheets. Dust 1 piece of parchment with flour. Roll the dough out to form a circle on the paper. Place an 8-9-inch / 20-22-cm round plate over the dough and, with a sharp knife, cut around the plate to make a perfect circle. Transfer the parchment paper onto the cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400° F / 205° C for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
   
7. Remove the torte layer to a cooling rack. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough, alternating the cookie sheets.
   
8. Bake the leftover pieces of dough that you cut away. When cool, crush them with a rolling pin and use for the topping crumbs.
   

• 5 tablespoons / 75 ml cornstarch
  
• ½ cup sugar / 125 ml
  
• 4½ cups / 1.1 L whole milk
  
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
  
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml butter
  

1. Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until it begins to simmer.
   
2. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl; gradually add to the milk, whisking to avoid lumps.
   
3. Add a small amount of the warm milk mixture to the beaten egg yolks and then whisk the egg mixture into the warm milk.
   
4. Continue to stir over medium heat until the custard just comes to a boil.
   
5. Remove from heat, add the butter and stir every few minutes while it cools.
   

1. While the custard is still warm, divide it evenly between torte layers, spreading to the edge of each torte layer.
   
2. Allow the custard to cool about 10 minutes. Then carefully place the torte layers one on top of the other, creating a stack.
   
3. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top layer.
   
4. Refrigerate in a large plastic container with a lid or wrap it in plastic wrap while the layers soften.
   
5. Check the torte after the first hour to be sure it is not leaning.
   

Tip:
Make the torte at least 8-10 hours before serving or, preferably, make it a day before serving.

Keep the torte well covered in the refrigerator to avoid it taking on the refrigerator’s odors. Because this torte easily absorbs odors be careful that your refrigerator is free of any strong smelling foods. You would not want your torte to taste like smoked bacon or onion!

—
Lovella

Lovella says