Pan Di Spagna Birthday Cake With Gelato Gusto Carrara Recipes

PAN DI SPAGNA (ITALIAN SPONGE CAKE )

Steps:

• Place egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until lemon colored.
• Add vanilla and lemon rind (if using it).
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and then fold into the egg yolk mixture.
• Sift the flour in a separate bowl and slowly incorporate it into the egg mixture with a mixing spoon.
• Butter and flour a 18inch square (or a 9 x 13 x 3, or a 11 x 17 x 2inch half-sheet) cake pan**.
• Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake at 375°F for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove cake from oven and turn out (of pan) onto a cake rack to cool.
• When completely cool, cake may be sliced horizontally to form 2 or 3 thin layers.
• Cake can be tightly wrapped and frozen (up to 3 weeks) for future use.
• **Please check your oven size, to make sure pan will fit properly.

COLOMBA DI PASQUA

Steps:

• In a small cup or bowl, stir the yeast into water to soften. In a large bowl, cream the butter, almond paste and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the softened yeast, lemon peel, vanilla, salt, eggs, egg yolk, milk, and 3 cups flour to the creamed mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Put the dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise about 1 1/2 hours. Due to the almond paste, this recipe doesn't double in size. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a smooth ball. Cover and let rest 5 minutes. Shape one ball of dough into a half oval 12 inches wide and four inches high at the center. Place in the center of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten the center slightly so that when the next piece of dough is laid across it, it won't be so thick. Shape the other ball of dough into an 8 by 16 by 16-inch triangle Keep the points of the triangle rounded rather than pointed. Lay the triangle, centered, on the flattened part of the half oval. Fold the narrow end over to make the head. Pinch with your fingers to form a beak into the top side of the dough. Fold the other end in the opposite direction to form the tail. Cut 2-inch slits along the bottom edge of the tail and wing tips. Fan them out as for feathers. Cover with a towel and let rise 45 minutes. Again, due to the almond paste, the dough won't rise as high as other types of yeast dough; however, it does rise high during baking. 1. About 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2. Just before baking, beat the egg white until frothy. Lightly brush the dove with the beaten egg white and place thinly sliced almonds, overlapping slightly, on the tail and wings to simulate feathers. Use a small bit of an almond to make the dove's eye (diagram 7). Carefully brush the almond "feathers" with the remaining beaten egg white then sprinkle the dove with granulated sugar. 3. Bake for 20 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with foil with the shiny side up. Continue to bake for 10 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 190 degrees. 4. Immediately remove dove from baking sheet and cool on a rack.

SPONGE CAKE (PAN DI SPAGNA)

Steps:

• Butter and line with parchment paper a 9-or 10-inch round cake pan that is 2 inches deep.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the yolks with the vanilla. Whisk in half the sugar and continue to beat until very light and frothy, about 5 minutes, either by hand, with a hand mixer set at medium speed, or in a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whip.
• Combine the flour and cornstarch and sift once to aerate.
• In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a very soft peak, either by hand, with a hand mixer set at medium speed, or in a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whip. Beating faster, add the remaining sugar in a very slow stream, beating until the egg whites hold a firm peak.
• Fold the yolk mixture into the whites with a rubber spatula. Sift the flour and cornstarch over the eggs in 3 additions, folding them in gradually. Do not overmix the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of your hand.
• Immediately loosen the layer from the side of the pan with a small knife or spatula. Invert the layer onto a rack and leave the paper stuck to it. Turn the layer right side up and cool it on a rack.
• Unless you are going to use the layer within a few hours, double-wrap tightly in plastic and keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or freeze.

PAN DI SPAGNA

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the yolks with the vanilla extract. Whisk in half the sugar and continue to beat until very light and frothy, about 5 minutes. Combine the flour and cornstarch and sift once to aerate.
• In a clean, dry bowl beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a very soft peak. Beating faster, add the remaining sugar in a very slow stream, beating until the egg whites hold a firm peak. Fold the yolks into the whites. Sift the flour and cornstarch over the eggs in 3 additions, folding them in gradually. Do not over-mix the batter.
• Pour the batter into a buttered and paper-lined 9 or 10-inch round pan, 2-inches deep and smooth the top. Bake the Pan di Spagna at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of the hand.
• Immediately loosen the layer from the side of the pan with a small knife or spatula. Invert the layer and leave the paper stuck to it. Turn the layer right side up and cool it on a rack. The cake can be stored double-wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer.