Passover Orange Apricot Layer Cake Recipes

SEVEN LAYER CAKE FOR PASSOVER

Steps:

• To make the sponge:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets by greasing them and lining with parchment.
• Sift the matzo cake meal, potato starch and salt together, set aside. In a mixer whip the eggs and sugar, for about 8 minutes.
• The eggs should be very light in color and a thick foam. At the very end, add the vanilla and zest.
• Sift the dry ingredients over the egg foam.
• Very gently, but thoroughly, fold the dry ingredients into the egg foam.
• Pour the batter into one of the prepared pans and spread evenly with a spatula.
• Bake the cake for about 18 minutes or until golden and dry when poked with a cake tester. Repeat with the second cake layer.
• To make the buttercream:
• In a small pot, fitted with a candy thermometer, heat 2 cups sugar, water and cream of tartar to 242 degrees F. This will take several minutes, so get your eggs started.
• Whisk together the eggs, yolks and 1/3 cup sugar. Beat the eggs on medium high speed until light in color and thick.
• Once the sugar has reached 242 degrees F, add it very carefully and slowly to the eggs, while the beater is going on slow speed. Be sure to pour the syrup along the edge of the bowl, not directly onto the beater or it will splatter. Continue beating the egg mixture on medium-high speed until the eggs have cooled, about 8 minutes.
• Once the eggs are cooled, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time. The mixture will go through a stage when it looks soupy and curdled, but keep adding the butter and it will come together. After all the butter is added, mix in the vanilla.
• The buttercream will be smooth and glossy.
• Divide 1/3 of the buttercream into a separate bowl and add the poppy seed paste.
• To the remaining buttercream, add the melted chocolate.
• If you are not going to use the buttercream right away, cover it and leave it at room temperature for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to use it, give it a good stirring or put it back in the mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth.
• To make the soaking syrup:
• In a small saucepan heat the sugar, water and zest over medium heat until the sugar has fully dissolved.
• Cut each sheet of cake into 4 equal pieces (they will be about 4 inches wide and 12 inches long).
• Lay the first layer of cake on the serving platter and brush with the soaking syrup. You want to dab the syrup on, but don't overly saturate the cake or it will be soggy.
• Spread a thin layer of the poppy seed buttercream over the soaked layer.
• Repeat with 5 more layers and then finish with the 7th layer of cake. This will leave you with one extra. Since my cake is not traditional anyway, you should feel free to use up that last layer. If you want to keep it to seven layers, then I suggest you use that lonely extra layer as a snack.
• If your layers need squaring up, just trim them with a sharp serrated bread knife.
• Stir the chocolate buttercream to make sure it is smooth and cover the entire cake in a nice even layer.
• It is okay if it isn't perfectly smooth, because we're going to add some rough stripes to the outside.
• Take a small blob of buttercream on the end of your spatula,
• and starting at the end of the cake, on the bottom, spread that blob in a stripe along the cake. Repeat over and over again, but alternate which side you start on. Repeat this on the top as well.
• You will end up with rough stripes all over the cake, which gives the cake some texture.
• Using a sharp chef's knife, scrape the smooth side of a bar of chocolate with the blade, so that the chocolate curls up. If the chocolate is very cold and brittle, try sitting it in the sun for a few minutes and the curls will come more easily. Cover the top with the chocolate shavings.

ALMOND-ORANGE FLAN FOR PASSOVER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour 3/4 cups of sugar into round metal flan mold. Place over medium heat and carefully move the pan frequently, without stirring, until it takes on an amber hue. Off heat, swirl the caramel so that the bottom and sides are lightly covered. The caramel will be very hot. Set aside to cool.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, almond milk, orange juice, sliced almonds, egg yolks, eggs, vanilla, salt, and zest to a blender and mix on lowest setting until blended.
• Carefully pour the custard into prepared mold and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place the prepared mold in a larger roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan so that it comes halfway up the sides of the mold. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 60 to 75 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean though it may still appear wobbly.
• Allow to cool completely inside the water bath then refrigerate covered at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To un-mold the flan, run a thin knife along the side of mold. Gently shake to loosen. Invert a large plate over the flan and quickly invert the mold in one motion. The flan will gently drop onto the plate and the caramel will flow out so allow extra space around the flan.

PASSOVER ORANGE AND APRICOT SPONGE CAKE WITH CITRUS MASCARPONE FROSTING

Steps:

• 1) Preheat oven to 350. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Add 3/4 c of sugar and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Set aside.
• Beat together the rest of the ingredients until well combined, then fold in part of the egg whites to lighten.
• Fold in the rest of the egg whites, and spread the batter evenly in an ungreased tube pan and bake 45-55 minutes. Cool upside down, then spread with citrus mascarpone frosting.
• 2) Whip the cream and sugar until fluffy (don't overwhip!). Add in the orange juice and lemon juice and zest, then the jam.
• Fold in the mascarpone, and mix until combined. Keep chilled.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE ORANGE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F Have ready an ungreased 10 inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep).
• Beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until very thick.
• Add chocolate, orange juice and rind; beat to combine.
• In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the ground walnuts, cake meal and potato starch. Fold into yolk mixture.
• In a separate bowl with clean, dry beaters, beat whites until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold in chocolate mixture into beaten whites.
• Scrape into pan and bake 55 to 60 minutes, until cake tests done. Invert pan over a bottle neck and let cake cool completely (cake will be upside down).
• Prepare the filling:.
• Melt preserves; stir in orange sections.
• Cool for 5 minutes.
• Prepare the chocolate glaze:.
• Heat orange juice until warm. Remove from heat, add chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
• Run a knife around edge of pan; remove cake from pan.
• Slice cake in half horizontally.
• Spread orange filling over bottom half of cake. Replace top layer of cake. Coat cake with glaze. Garnish with remaining 1 cup nuts and the orange sections.

PASSOVER ORANGE-APRICOT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• APRICOT PUREE: Combine dried apricots and orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover tightly and simmer over low heat until apricots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a food processor. Add sugar and puree until smooth. Can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. CAKE: Position rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, oil, orange peel and 1/3 cup apricot puree in large bowl until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in matzo cake meal and potato starch. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into yolk mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites in 3 additions. Transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch diameter springform pan. Bake cake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 43 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will sink slightly). FOR FROSTING: Meanwhile, stir chocolate and margarine in saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons apricot puree. Remove from heat. Let stand until thickened but still spreadable, about 2 hours. Cut around cake sides; remove pan rim. Cut cake horizontally in half to form two layers, leaving bottom layer on pan bottom. Place top layer, cut side up, on plate. Spread bottom layer with 1 cup apricot puree. Spread 3/4 cup chocolate frosting on cut side of top layer. Place top layer, chocolate side down, on apricot filling. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill until frosting sets, at least one hour. Can be made one day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving (this is critical).