Blitz Torte
We were off to the NHL hockey game this past Saturday in Toronto and thought that there would likely food served, as we were guests of the CBC. But just in case, our family who were hosting us for the night made us a “snack” to have before we left for the Air Canada Centre. We tucked in to a delicious salad with huge, grilled shrimp and garlic toast. But the piece de resistance was this gorgeous torte for dessert.
Because of the layers, I imagined this recipe to be wildly complicated but it is simply two cakes held together by custard. The magic takes place in the oven when the meringue and cake batter are baked simultaneously.
Cake:
1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/2 c butter
1 1/4 c sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 t vanilla
3 T milk
1/2 c blanched almonds
1 T sugar
1/2 t cinamon
Sift dry ingredients together. Cream butter with 1/2 c sugar. Add egg yolks, vanilla and then the dry ingredients. Spread into two greased round pans. Beat egg whites and add sugar. Layer whites on batter. Sprinkle almonds on top. Combine cinamon, sugar and sprinkle on top. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Custard:
3 T flour
1/3 c sugar
1/8 t salt
1 c milk
1 egg beaten
1/2 t vanilla
1 t butter
Mix dry ingredients in a double boiler. Add egg and milk and stir constantly until slightly thick. When cooked, add vanilla and butter with whisk. Place custard over bottom cake layer and then place the second layer on top.
Originally from the Culinary Institute of America
Kath’s quote: “Cooks are in some ways very much like actors; they must be fit and strong, since acting and cooking are two of the most exacting professions. They must be blessed – or cursed, whichever way you care to look at it – with what is called the artistic temperament, which means that if they are to act or cook at all well, it cannot be for duds or dummies.”-Andre Simon