Cake
Description
The recipe won't take much time. You can bake the "Pani Walewska" cake in any mold or on a baking sheet you have available. To achieve stiffly beaten egg whites of the right consistency, make sure to carefully separate them from the yolks, as even a small amount of yolk in the whites will prevent them from whipping properly and forming stable peaks. It's best to use the freshest eggs possible, and chilling the whites before beating is advisable. You can successfully substitute granulated sugar for powdered sugar. Instead of black currant jam, you can use any jam or fruit preserve of your choice, as long as it's not too runny—otherwise, it will leak out during baking, burn, and spoil the cake's taste. Serve with tea or coffee.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Mix the egg yolks with powdered sugar and softened butter until all ingredients are evenly combined. Add baking powder and flour to the mixture.
- 2
Step 2
2. Knead the dough, divide it into two parts, and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes, wrapping each part in plastic wrap beforehand.
- 3
Step 3
3. Beat the egg whites until they reach a creamy consistency, then gradually add the powdered sugar and starch, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
- 4
Step 4
4. Line a baking pan (mine is 25x33 cm) with parchment paper. Place the dough rolled out with a rolling pin from one half onto it.
- 5
Step 5
5. Place half of the black currant jam (about 225 grams) onto the layer of dough in the pan.
- 6
Step 6
6. Carefully spread it over the entire surface of the dough. The jam should not be too runny, otherwise it will leak out during baking.
- 7
Step 7
7. Spread the whipped egg whites over the jam, evenly distributing them over the entire crust. You will have two such crusts. If your oven cannot fit two pans at once, it's better to whip the egg whites twice, as they may deflate if left standing too long (while the first crust is baking).
- 8
Step 8
8. Evenly sprinkle half of the almond petals (approximately 60 grams) over the surface of the whipped egg whites.
- 9
Step 9
9. Bake this wonder at 175 degrees for 40 minutes (baking time may vary depending on the pan size and whether you are baking one or two layers at once). Let the baked layers cool completely.
- 10
Step 10
10. After the cake layers have completely cooled, cover one of them with all the cream, spreading it evenly over the surface. For the "Pani Walewska" cake, a custard cream is used. Prepare it in advance according to any recipe you know. In this case, you will need 800–900 g of custard cream.
- 11
Step 11
11. After evenly spreading the cream over the surface of the first cake layer, cover it with the second layer. Place the finished cake in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours; after that time, you can proceed to taste it.