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Home , Meringue, Zester, Zest (ingredient)

TCU Cookbook Featuring the Award Winning Culinary Creations of Susan Apple Graass ’83

Blue Ribbon Cake State Fair of Texas Best of Show 2009

BLUE RIBBON LEMON CAKE Featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show BEST OF SHOW STATE FAIR OF TEXAS 2009

Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur, melds with a moist cake and lemon curd filling in this award-winning cake. The cake is finished with flavored with and garnished with meringue chips. The unique combination of lemon tastes and textures sets it apart from other lemon .

Cake: 3 cups 1 Tablespoon powder 1 t. 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups whole milk yogurt 2 cups 6 , separated 2 t. lemon 1 t.

Simple : 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 6 lemon peels

Lemon Curd Filling: 1 t. unflavored gelatin 1/2 cup lemon 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/8 t. salt 10 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Icing: 1 pound Crisco vegetable shortening 1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature 1 t. salt 1 t. vanilla 1/4 to 1/3 cup Italian Limoncello 2 pounds powdered sugar

Meringue Garnish: 4 egg whites, room temperature 1/2 t. cream of tartar 1/2 cup plus 1 t. superfine sugar 1 cup powdered sugar

CAKE: Preheat to 350 degrees. Cut 3 8-inch parchment circles and place in 3 8-inch cake pans. Spray Pam in cake pans. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl together the vegetable oil, yogurt, sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into yogurt mixture. Pour into prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and invert onto cake racks. Cool completely.

GLAZE: Stir sugar, water, and lemon peels in saucepan over medium heat. Heat mixture until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and strain. Cool. (This may be prepared the day before).

LEMON CURD FILLING: Sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice in a small bowl. Cook the remaining lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Whisk egg yolks in a bowl. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the hot lemon-sugar mixture to the egg yolks. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 170 degrees on a thermometer. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the gelatin mixture until dissolved. Stir in the butter and pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours (this lemon curd filling can be prepared the day before).

MERINGUE GARNISH: Place a silpat on a heavy baking sheet. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar and continue beating. Gradually add the sugar while beating, until whites are very stiff and glossy. Whisk powdered sugar into meringue, spread onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until dry. Cool (this meringue garnish can be prepared the day before).

ICING: Cream the Crisco and butter. Then add salt, vanilla, and Limoncello. Blend one minute. Add powdered sugar. Whisk at high speed for 5 minutes. Fill with icing. Set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE: -Trim top, bottom, and sides of cake layers. -Place 1 cake layer on an 8-inch cake circle. -Brush glaze onto the cake. -Pipe a circle of icing around the edge of cake,. -Spread the lemon curd filling onto the cake layer. -Repeat with the second layer. -Place the third layer on the cake and brush with the glaze. -Spread the top and sides of the cake with the icing. -Place plastic towel rod in center of cake. -Garnish the cake with meringue chips.

Look for my blog on susanapple.com!!! Susan Apple Graass [email protected] 214-502-8782

BLUE RIBBON LEMON CAKE TIPS

This cake can also be done in two days which can make it a more enjoyable experience.

First Day 1. Meringue

2. Filling

3. Simple Syrup

Second Day 1. Icing

2. Cake a. Prepare cake pans, cut 8” parchment paper circles for cake pans, spray with Pam b. Bake, cover with silpats, cool on wire racks c. Trim crust from top, bottom, and sides of cake d. Place 1 cake layer on 8” cake circle e. Pipe circle of icing around cake layer f. Fill with filling; don’t use all of the filling g. Repeat with 2nd layer, top with 3rd layer h. Pile icing on top of cake, then sides i. Be sure the only touches the icing to prevent crumbs getting into icing j. Place towel rod in center of cake k. Break meringue into pieces and place on cake

Strawberry State Fair of Texas Blue Ribbon 2009

STRAWBERRY ANGEL FOOD CAKE State Fair of Texas Blue Ribbon 2009

INGREDIENTS

Angel Food Cake: 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (sifted then measured) ¼ teaspoon salt 1 3/4 cups superfine sugar 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice zest of 2 oranges zest of 2 14 large egg whites (1 3/4 cups), room temperature 1teaspoon cream of tartar

Filling: 16 ounces mascarpone cheese 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup powdered sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt

Whipped Cream Frosting: 2 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

25 fresh

DIRECTIONS

CAKE: Set the oven rack on the lowest level and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, salt, and 1/4 cup of the sugar into a bowl. Mix the lemon juice and the zests in a small bowl. Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix the egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beat on high speed until all of the sugar is added and the egg whites are stiff and shiny. Gently but thoroughly fold in the flour mixture, lemon juice, and zest. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, Bake the cake for about 45 minutes until, a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert the cake pan and place the neck of a large soda bottle through the pan’s center hole to hang the cake upside down. Cool completely, 1 to 2 hours.

FILLING: Line a 2-quart bowl with saran wrap. Combing the ricotta, cream, vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir until well mixed. Using a serrated knife, cut the angel food cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place the bottom layer into the bottom of the prepared bowl. Spoon half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the cake. Top with the middle layer of cake and spread the remaining ricotta mixture to cover it. Lightly press the last layer of cake on top. At this point, you can cover and refrigerator the cake for up to 1 day. When ready to assemble, flip the cake over onto a serving platter. You will have a perfect little domed cake.

FROSTING: Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream on high speed until thick. Stir the powdered sugar and vanilla into the whipped cream.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE: Cover the cake with the whipped cream frosting. Wash the strawberries and dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Cut off green stem and slice the strawberries in thin slices. Starting on the bottom of the cake, push the strawberry slices into the sides of the cake. Using this method cover the entire cake. The strawberries will look like a roof shingles. This cake is best served immediately.

Creamy Caramel Cake State Fair of Texas Blue Ribbon 2009

Blue Ribbon Lemon Cake State Fair of Texas Best of Show 2009

CREAMY CARAMEL CAKE State Fair of Texas Blue Ribbon 2009

INGREDIENTS

Cake: 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup Wesson oil 3 cups sugar 8 eggs, separated 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 1 t. baking soda 2 t. caramel syrup 1 t. vanilla 3 cups flour

Pastry Cream: 8 egg yolks ½ cup sugar A pinch of salt ¼ cup flour ¼ cup cornstarch 2 cups cream 2 t. caramel syrup 1 t. vanilla

White Snow Frosting: 3 egg whites 3/4 cup shortening 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 t. caramel syrup 1 t. vanilla 1/2 t. salt 6 cups powdered sugar

Caramel Pecans: 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 t. heavy cream 1 t. caramel syrup 1

DIRECTIONS

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, oil, and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir baking soda, Caramel syrup and vanilla into buttermilk. Sift flour, add sifted flour into batter, alternating with buttermilk mixture. Beat egg whites and fold into mixture. Pour into 3 8-inch greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in pans. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Trim top 1/4” and bottom ¼” off each layer. Place 1 cake layer on serving tray and spread with pastry cream. Repeat with second layer. Top with third layer and frost with white snow frosting. Press caramel pecans into bottom half of sides of cake. Chill in refrigerator.

PASTRY CREAM: Pour cream in saucepan and heat just before boiling. Whisk the yolks in the saucepan, gradually whisk in the sugar and salt. Sift in the flour and cornstarch, continue whisking over moderate heat. Then, by dribbles at first, blend in the hot cream. Continue to whisk as the custard cooks. Cook for 2 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the caramel syrup and vanilla. Pass through a fine into a bowl. Press a plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate.

WHITE SNOW FROSTING: In a medium bowl, cream egg whites, shortening, butter, caramel syrup, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

CARAMEL PECANS: Stir together brown sugar, cream, caramel syrup, and egg white until well blended. Mix in pecans, spread on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. Break into pieces.

Caramel syrup can be found at Target. It is Archer Farms caramel coffee syrup and is located on the coffee isle.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

Heavy-duty countertop mixer (2 5-quart mixing bowls, whisk attachment, paddle attachment) food processor 2-quart saucepan cake-decorating turntable 3 8” X 3” cake pans 12” X 16“ jelly roll pan 12“ X 16” Silpat metal measuring cup set metal measuring spoon set sifter 2 mixing bowls 3 cake-cooling racks candy thermometer stainless steel strainer lemon lemon 10-inch baker’s knife offset spatula silicon spatula large rounded-tip turner natural-bristle, flat oven timer parchment paper Wilton pastry bags 8” cake boards 10” cake boards toothpicks Pam spray