Welcome to the third episode of Linnea Lund's Food Fridays. For those of you who are new, for the month of December, we present Food Fridays! Every Friday, we will share one of our favorite Swedish dishes so you and your loved ones can try it at home. We believe that the holidays are the best time to share and exchange recipes and traditions with your family, friends, and colleagues. That's why at Linnea Lund, we want to share some of our Swedish culture with you!
Today's recipe is one you'll quickly recognize, that little green pastry called "princess cake" (prinsesstårta), topped with a bright pink sugar rose, brightening up all the displays in Swedish bakeries. Made up of layers of sponge cake edged with raspberry jam and vanilla cream, with a heavy topping of whipped cream, this little marvel is covered with a thin layer of sweet green marzipan. The "princess cake" made its debut in the 1920s with Jenny Åkerström, the teacher of the daughters of Prince Carl Bernadotte, brother of King Gustav V. Princesses Margaretha, Marthe, and Astrid loved this cake so much that they are the reason for its name.
Ingredients:
For 8 to 10 people
Pastry cream:
Instructions:
Sponge cake:
1. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar using an electric whisk for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and doubles in volume.
2. Sift the cornstarch with the flour and baking powder into the mixture, gently stir. (Be careful, it is essential to sift the powders to avoid lumps!).
3. Then, incorporate the melted butter.
4. Pour the batter into a 20 cm diameter springform pan.
5. Bake for 35 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C.
Pastry cream:
1. Boil the milk with a vanilla pod. Let it infuse for 5 minutes, then remove the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream with a knife.
2. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar. Stir in the cornstarch, gradually whisk in the warm milk.
3. Bring to medium heat and cook until the cream thickens, stirring constantly.
4. Off the heat, incorporate the softened butter. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
5. Let it cool completely.
Assembly:
1. Cut the sponge cake into 3 equal circles. You can remove the domed surface or leave it.
2. Place the first circle on the serving plate and brush it with raspberry jam.
3. Spread a layer of pastry cream (it's not easy because the cream slips on the jam).
4. Cover with a second sponge cake circle.
5. Whip the liquid cream into whipped cream and gently fold it into the remaining pastry cream. Pour it into a piping bag.
6. Place a layer of vanilla cream on the sponge cake.
7. Place the last cake disc on top.
8. Cover the cake with a dome of vanilla cream.
9. Smooth it with a spatula and store your dessert in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
10. Color 4/5 of the marzipan green. Roll it out thinly. Place it on the cake taken out of the freezer.
11. Smooth the edges and cut off the excess.
12. Place 3 small roses on the surface and decorate with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate.
13. Allow the cake to thaw completely before serving.
Today's recipe is one you'll quickly recognize, that little green pastry called "princess cake" (prinsesstårta), topped with a bright pink sugar rose, brightening up all the displays in Swedish bakeries. Made up of layers of sponge cake edged with raspberry jam and vanilla cream, with a heavy topping of whipped cream, this little marvel is covered with a thin layer of sweet green marzipan. The "princess cake" made its debut in the 1920s with Jenny Åkerström, the teacher of the daughters of Prince Carl Bernadotte, brother of King Gustav V. Princesses Margaretha, Marthe, and Astrid loved this cake so much that they are the reason for its name.
Ingredients:
For 8 to 10 people
Pastry cream:
- 300 ml of milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 3 egg yolks
- 55 g of sugar
- 30 g of cornstarch
- 30 g of butter
- 250 ml of well-chilled liquid cream
- 3 eggs
- 100 g of sugar
- 60 g of cornstarch
- 60 g of flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 30 g of butter
- 120 g of raspberry jam
- 500 g of marzipan
- A pinch of green food coloring
Instructions:
Sponge cake:
1. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar using an electric whisk for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and doubles in volume.
2. Sift the cornstarch with the flour and baking powder into the mixture, gently stir. (Be careful, it is essential to sift the powders to avoid lumps!).
3. Then, incorporate the melted butter.
4. Pour the batter into a 20 cm diameter springform pan.
5. Bake for 35 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C.
Pastry cream:
1. Boil the milk with a vanilla pod. Let it infuse for 5 minutes, then remove the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream with a knife.
2. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar. Stir in the cornstarch, gradually whisk in the warm milk.
3. Bring to medium heat and cook until the cream thickens, stirring constantly.
4. Off the heat, incorporate the softened butter. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
5. Let it cool completely.
Assembly:
1. Cut the sponge cake into 3 equal circles. You can remove the domed surface or leave it.
2. Place the first circle on the serving plate and brush it with raspberry jam.
3. Spread a layer of pastry cream (it's not easy because the cream slips on the jam).
4. Cover with a second sponge cake circle.
5. Whip the liquid cream into whipped cream and gently fold it into the remaining pastry cream. Pour it into a piping bag.
6. Place a layer of vanilla cream on the sponge cake.
7. Place the last cake disc on top.
8. Cover the cake with a dome of vanilla cream.
9. Smooth it with a spatula and store your dessert in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
10. Color 4/5 of the marzipan green. Roll it out thinly. Place it on the cake taken out of the freezer.
11. Smooth the edges and cut off the excess.
12. Place 3 small roses on the surface and decorate with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate.
13. Allow the cake to thaw completely before serving.