Popsicle Society

Oh wow my naked cake got 3rd place in The Great Bloggers’ Bake-Off challenge 🥉Very proud for a non baker 😊 https://ajeanneinthekitchen.com/2019/03/25/and-the-winners-are/

Thank you crushedcaramel and bereavedandbeingasingleparent and A Jeanne in the Kitchen for this wonderful experience.

Now let’s see how I did it.

Pan di Spagna or Italian sponge cake 

• Preparation: 25 minutes
• Bake: 50 minutes
• Difficulty: medium

Ingredients for the Pan di Spagna (24cm Round Springform Pan Cake) 

• 5 medium eggs at room temperature 
• 150g of sugar
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
• 75g of flour
• 75g of potato starch 
• 1 pinch of salt
• Lemon or lime zest
• No baking powder, no butter, no oil, and no dairy!

Instructions:

Beat the whites first and then add the yolks and the sugar and beat for no less than 15/20 minutes. It is during this stage that air is incorporated. The eggs should turn a pale yellow. To test that it has been beaten enough, let a small amount of batter fall into the bowl. If it remains “sitting” on top, it means that it’s ready.

Sift the flour and potato starch on top of the egg mixture, a little at a time, and fold it gently with a wooden spoon. If you pour in too much flour, it will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Add the lemon or lime zest.

Pour the batter into the greased and floured pan. Don’t smooth the top or bang the pan on the counter, leave it as it is!

Bake it in a preheated oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F) for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

While the cake is baking, don’t open the oven for at least 30 minutes as this may cause the cake to deflate.

When it’s ready, turn off the oven but leave the cake inside (keep the door slightly open using a wooden spoon) for 5- 10 minutes.

Remove the sponge cake from the oven, let it cool for 10 more minutes, then loosen around the edges with a knife, and flip it on a wire rack upside down without the pan to cool completely. 

Now is time for the filling: the diplomatic cream. If you have never heard of diplomat cream before, now you know that it is just vanilla pastry cream (also called Creme Patissiere, creme pat, custard, or simply vanilla pudding) lightened with whipped cream. 

• Preparation: 20 minutes
• Bake:15 minutes
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients for the diplomatic cream approx 600 grams

• 250ml milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 25g flour
• 75g sugar
• 180ml cream
• 20g powdered sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean or vanilla extract 
• 1 passion fruit optional

Instructions:

Heat the milk over medium heat until it comes to a simmer and then remove from heat.

In a bowl, whisk the sugar with the yolks until thick and creamy and pale yellow then add the flour.

Whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture then pour it all back into the saucepan and return the saucepan to the stove and whisk constantly over medium-high heat until it bubbles and thickens, 60 to 90 seconds. When it starts to bubble, cook for an additional 30 seconds. It may look like it going to curdle, but keep stirring, it will all work out. 

Remove from heat, pour contents back into the bowl and stir in the vanilla extract and let cool. Cover with plastic wrap that touches the surface of the custard. This will keep it from getting a film. Let cool a bit, then put in the fridge to chill.

Whip the cold cream to stiff peaks, add the powdered sugar and fold into the chilled pastry cream, blending thoroughly. Fold a few spoonfuls of the custard into the cream and then gradually add the rest of the custard, being careful to not knock the air out.

At the end add the passion fruit and fold carefully. 

You can make the custard or creme patissiere ahead of time, it will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge. However, I would not add the whipped cream until you were ready to serve it. It is best served immediately.

To put everything together, split the cake in 2 horizontal layers and add the filling. 

To decorate the top I’ve used strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. 

It was really yummy 😋