Peaches and Cream Layer Cake
Makes 18 servings
from May/June 2011
1½ tablespoons powdered unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
3 cups fresh peach puree
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1½ cups toasted almond slices
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
6 large egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 recipe Bavarian Cream (recipe
follows)
Garnish: fresh peach slices and mint
•Line a 17¾-x-12⅞-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
•In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Set aside.
•In a large saucepan, combine peach puree and ½ cup granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook
until sugar has dissolved and mixture is slightly thickened, approximately 4 minutes.
•Remove from heat, and add gelatin mixture, stirring until completely dissolved. Pour mixture into prepared baking sheet.
•Let cool to room temperature. Freeze until firm, approximately 1 hour.
•Preheat oven to 350˚.
•Line another 17¾-x-12⅞-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray with nonstick baking spray
with flour. Set aside.
•In the work bowl of a food processor, combine almonds and confectioners’ sugar, pulsing until finely ground. Sift
flour over almond mixture. Set aside.
•In a large bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, and continue beating egg whites until stiff peaks form.
•Add almond mixture and vanilla to egg whites, folding gently until mixture is smooth.
•Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Tap pan lightly against the counter to remove any air bubbles.
•Bake until golden, 14 to 18 minutes. Let cool.
•Invert cake onto a cutting board, and slowly peel off parchment paper. Set cake aside.
•To assemble, line a 9-x-9-inch straight-sided square baking pan with enough plastic wrap to have approximately
2 inches overhanging on all sides.
•Cut a 9-x-9-inch square of cake, and place it in prepared pan.
•Cut a 9-x-9-inch square of frozen peach jelly. Place it on top of cake layer in prepared pan.
•Spoon one-third of the Bavarian Cream over the peach layer.
•Repeat with a layer of cake, a layer of peach jelly, and a little less than half the remaining Bavarian Cream.
•Use the remaining cake pieces to form a final layer. Spread the remaining Bavarian Cream over cake.
•Freeze or refrigerate cake until completely set, 6 to 8 hours. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• Remove cake from pan by lifting all 4 corners of plastic wrap. Cut cake into 18 (3-x-1½-inch) rectangles.
• Garnish with fresh peach slices and mint, if desired.
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Bavarian Cream
Makes 5 cups
from May/June 2011
2 tablespoons powdered unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
8 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 bourbon-soaked vanilla bean, split
2 cups heavy whipping cream
•In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Set aside.
•In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Beat at medium
speed with an electric mixer until pale and thick. Set aside.
•In a large saucepan, combine milk and vanilla bean. Bring milk
to a boil over medium heat. Slowly add hot milk to egg yolks,
whisking constantly.
•Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove from heat.
•Strain mixture, discarding vanilla bean. Add gelatin, stirring until completely dissolved. Let cool to room temperature,
approximately 20 minutes.
•In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium speed with an electric
mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into eggyolk mixture.
•Refrigerate until needed.