Fire And Ice Cake Recipes

FIRE AND ICE CAKE

Steps:

• The habanero peppers can be roasted on a gas stove top or in an oven. Before roasting the peppers, turn on the kitchen or stove exhaust fan.
• To roast the peppers on a gas stove top, soak 3 wooden skewers in water until saturated. Skewer 1 pepper and hold over a medium-high flame. Slowly rotate the pepper over the flame until the skin is blackened and blistered. Repeat with the remaining peppers and skewers. After each pepper is roasted place in plastic bag covered with a dish towel to steam, which will help to remove the skins.
• To roast the peppers in the oven, place an oven rack in the highest position and preheat the broiler. Put the peppers on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler. Using long handled metal tongs to rotate the peppers and broil until the skin is blackened and blistered. After each pepper is roasted place in plastic bag covered with a dish towel to steam, which will help to remove the skins.
• Wearing gloves, remove skin, the veins, and the seeds from the habaneros. (When removing the skins, it's important to wear double layer of latex gloves or else your hands burn.)
• To make the paste, blend the habaneros with the sugar using a mortar and pestle or a food processor (the latter is much faster).
• Combine the habanero paste into the softened vanilla ice cream and refreeze until firm but still spreadable
• Assemble cake in springform pan by alternating cake, lime sorbet, cake, habanero ice cream, cake and freeze until firm (8 hours or overnight).
• Garnish with powered sugar or whipped cream and sprinkles.

FLAMING YULE LOG CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 11-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pans with nonstick spray. Line each with parchment, then spray the parchment.
• In a large heatproof glass bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs. Place the bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and beat until tripled in volume, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the chocolate and butter to a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Add the flour and 1/2 cup of the cocoa powder to a sifter or fine-mesh sieve and sift into the egg mixture, then fold to combine. Pour the chocolate mixture into the batter and fold until it is completely combined, being careful not to overmix.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans (about 5 1/2 cups per pan). Use an offset or rubber spatula to smooth the tops. Bake until the cakes are set and a tester comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes.
• While the cakes are baking, sift the confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa powder onto 2 clean kitchen towels that are as least as large as the cake pans.
• For the filling: To make the ganache, add the chocolate to a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir together until completely smooth.
• Transfer the ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Whip on medium-high until lighter in color and slightly aerated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a small bowl and reserve.
• When the cakes are done, immediately run a butter knife around the edges to loosen them from the pans. Invert each cake onto a prepared towel. Remove the pans and peel off the parchment. Roll up each cake starting with one long side and using the towel as an aid. Transfer the cakes in the towels to a wire rack until mostly cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
• When cool, unroll one of the cakes. Spread half of the ganache over the cake. Reroll the cake, using the towel to help. Remove the towel, place the cake on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. Repeat with the remaining cake and ganache, adding it to the same baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• For the topping: Stir together the gelatin and 1/3 cup cold water in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
• Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 2/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. (If any granules of sugar stick to the side of the pan, brush them back into the sugar-water mixture with a wet pastry brush.) Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the softened gelatin. Once all the syrup is added, increase the speed to high and whisk until the mixture is very thick and holds stiff peaks, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
• Remove the cakes from the freezer. Cut a 2- to 3-inch diagonal piece from the top end of one of the logs and place it on top of the log at an angle, using the reserved ganache to attach it; this will be a branch.
• Transfer the topping to a piping bag with a long flat tip and pipe the topping onto each cake in lengthwise lines, covering the entire cake. Smooth out the lines with a small offset spatula. (You can also spread the icing straight on the cake instead of piping.) Use the back side of a fork to make small patches of lines and swirls across the length of each log, mimicking the pattern of bark. Return to the freezer for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
• For the decorations: Meanwhile, prepare your fireplace. Place a roasting rack on a cast-iron griddle or large metal serving platter. Sprinkle the chocolate graham cracker crumbs underneath the rack and add a little confectioners' sugar to make the crumbs look like ash. Arrange the candy coal in the ash and add the gummies to resemble hot coals.
• When ready to serve: Remove the logs from the freezer and trim the ends to reveal the swirls. Place one frozen log in the roasting rack with the un-frosted bottom hidden. Use a kitchen blowtorch to char the marshmallow topping until it is deep brown. Place the second log on top of the first at an angle to look like logs in a fireplace and char with the kitchen blowtorch.
• Heat the brandy in a small saucepan over high heat until warm, about 30 seconds. Carefully carry the saucepan over to the Yule logs and light the brandy on fire using a long stick lighter. Pour the flaming brandy over the Yule logs and watch them burn. Slice and serve immediately.

FIRE ENGINE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or spray bottoms and sides of three 8x4-inch loaf pans.
• Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 27 to 34 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; place rounded sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Spoon 1/2 cup of the frosting into small bowl; stir in enough black food color to make gray. Place 1/2 cup of the remaining white vanilla frosting in small resealable plastic freezer bag; cut small tip off 1 corner of bag. Spoon remaining white vanilla frosting into large bowl; stir in enough red food color until desired red color.
• Trim rounded tops from each cake to make flat surface. Cut cakes and arrange pieces on platter as shown in diagram (template can be found under the Tips below), attaching pieces with thin layer of red frosting, to form fire engine. Spread thin layer of red frosting over entire cake to seal in crumbs. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes.
• Frost area between cab and back of engine with gray frosting. Place remaining gray frosting in small resealable plastic freezer bag; cut small tip off 1 corner of bag. Frost remaining fire engine with red frosting. Pipe on windshield, windows and ladder with white frosting. Trim and discard thin slice (about 1/8 inch) off bottoms of 4 red and 4 yellow gumdrops; attach trimmed gumdrops for headlights and taillights with white frosting. Attach remaining gumdrops on top of engine for lights. For wheels, pipe 1/2-inch circle of gray frosting on center of each cookie for hubcap; attach wheels to cake. Attach licorice coils on sides of cake for hoses.
• Pipe gray frosting around wheels and bottom edge of engine. For bumpers, pipe 1 or 2 lines of gray frosting on front and back of engine. Store loosely covered.

FIRE-AND-ICE PICKLES

Steps:

• Drain and discard juice from pickles. In a large bowl, combine pickles, sugar, pepper sauce and pepper flakes; mix well. Cover and let stand 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon pickle mixture into 3 pint-size jars; add a garlic clove to each. Cover and refrigerate 1 week before serving. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing bowl or deep 8-inch square container with foil. Spread ice cream in container, packing firmly. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x8 inch pan.
• Prepare cake mix with egg and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven according to package instructions, until center of cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown paper. Place cake in center. Turn molded ice cream out onto cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake and ice cream, all the way to paper to seal. Return to freezer 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once.